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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 536 · 40 questions
TalentJR

Debater's tip (Relevant, specific, reliable): Relevant: does it talk about the topic of the motion? Specific: does it say exactly who, what, where or how many? “30 of 40 students” beats “lots of students”. Reliable: can we trust where it came from? Records, textbooks and official bodies beat rumours and unsigned posts.

NameDateTime takenScore ___ / 40
  1. 1.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  2. 2.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  3. 3.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  4. 4.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) loud and long (b) relevant and reliable (c) funny and short (d) old and vague
  5. 5.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  6. 6.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  7. 7.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  8. 8.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  9. 9.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  10. 10.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) 30 of 40 students (b) lots of students
  11. 11.True or false: “I saw it on a random poster once.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  12. 12.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  13. 13.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I think I dreamt it.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  14. 14.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  15. 15.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very strong (b) very specific (c) not relevant
  16. 16.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  17. 17.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  18. 18.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  19. 19.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  20. 20.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) make it bigger (b) check where it came from (c) hide the source (d) round it to 100
  21. 21.True or false: “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  22. 22.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  23. 23.True or false: “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  24. 24.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  25. 25.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  26. 26.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  27. 27.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  28. 28.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) a guess (b) an unsigned poster (c) a chat forward (d) the city water board
  29. 29.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  30. 30.True or false: In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  31. 31.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  32. 32.True or false: In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  33. 33.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  34. 34.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  35. 35.True or false: “Some people say it helps somehow.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  36. 36.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  37. 37.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  38. 38.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  39. 39.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A website with no name says so.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  40. 40.True or false: In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False

Answer key

  1. True
  2. False
  3. weak evidence
  4. relevant and reliable
  5. strong evidence
  6. False
  7. weak evidence
  8. True
  9. strong evidence
  10. 30 of 40 students
  11. True
  12. not relevant
  13. not reliable
  14. weak evidence
  15. not relevant
  16. not specific
  17. False
  18. False
  19. weak evidence
  20. check where it came from
  21. False
  22. strong evidence
  23. True
  24. False
  25. False
  26. not relevant
  27. True
  28. the city water board
  29. weak evidence
  30. True
  31. False
  32. False
  33. False
  34. True
  35. True
  36. strong evidence
  37. False
  38. True
  39. not reliable
  40. True

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