← Strong and weak evidence lesson New set →

Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 54 · 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.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  2. 2.True or false: figures from the city water board is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  3. 3.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  4. 4.True or false: “It is good for many reasons.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  5. 5.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  6. 6.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  7. 7.True or false: “A forwarded message says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  8. 8.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I think I dreamt it.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  9. 9.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  10. 10.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  11. 11.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) hide the source (b) check where it came from (c) make it bigger (d) round it to 100
  12. 12.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  13. 13.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  14. 14.True or false: In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  15. 15.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  16. 16.True or false: “I saw it on a random poster once.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  17. 17.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  18. 18.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “My neighbour heard it from someone.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  19. 19.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  20. 20.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) relevant and reliable (b) funny and short (c) loud and long (d) old and vague
  21. 21.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  22. 22.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  23. 23.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  24. 24.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  25. 25.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  26. 26.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  27. 27.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  28. 28.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  29. 29.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  30. 30.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  31. 31.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  32. 32.True or false: “It is good for many reasons.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  33. 33.True or false: In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  34. 34.True or false: “Some people say it helps somehow.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  35. 35.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  36. 36.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) an unsigned poster (b) a guess (c) the city water board (d) a chat forward
  37. 37.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  38. 38.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A website with no name says so.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  39. 39.True or false: In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  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) False (b) True

Answer key

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

Free debate lessons, practice and worksheets at talentjr.in/debate-for-students