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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 547 · 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: “I saw it on a random poster once.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  2. 2.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  3. 3.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  4. 4.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  5. 5.True or false: In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  6. 6.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Some people say it helps somehow.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  7. 7.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  8. 8.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  9. 9.True or false: figures from the city water board is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  10. 10.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  11. 11.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  12. 12.🔎 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
  13. 13.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A website with no name says so.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  14. 14.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  15. 15.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Studies show things.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  16. 16.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  17. 17.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  18. 18.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  19. 19.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  20. 20.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  21. 21.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  22. 22.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  23. 23.True or false: “A website with no name says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  24. 24.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  25. 25.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) lots of students (b) 30 of 40 students
  26. 26.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) False (b) True
  27. 27.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  28. 28.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  29. 29.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  30. 30.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  31. 31.True or false: In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  32. 32.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I saw it on a random poster once.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  33. 33.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (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) False (b) True
  35. 35.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  36. 36.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  37. 37.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  38. 38.True or false: “A forwarded message says so.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  39. 39.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  40. 40.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence

Answer key

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

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