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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 555 · 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: 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
  2. 2.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  3. 3.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
  4. 4.True or false: “I saw it on a random poster once.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  5. 5.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  6. 6.True or false: one friend’s guess is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  7. 7.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  8. 8.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) lots of students (b) 30 of 40 students
  9. 9.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  10. 10.True or false: “Some people say it helps somehow.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  11. 11.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  12. 12.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  13. 13.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  14. 14.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  15. 15.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  16. 16.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  17. 17.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  18. 18.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) a guess (b) the city water board (c) a chat forward (d) an unsigned poster
  19. 19.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  20. 20.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  21. 21.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I think I dreamt it.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  22. 22.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) round it to 100 (b) check where it came from (c) hide the source (d) make it bigger
  23. 23.True or false: one friend’s guess is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  24. 24.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very specific (b) not relevant (c) very strong
  25. 25.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  26. 26.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  27. 27.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  28. 28.True or false: “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  29. 29.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  30. 30.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
  31. 31.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Studies show things.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  32. 32.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “My neighbour heard it from someone.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  33. 33.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) relevant and reliable (b) loud and long (c) old and vague (d) funny and short
  34. 34.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
  35. 35.True or false: In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  36. 36.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  37. 37.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  38. 38.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  39. 39.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  40. 40.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence

Answer key

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

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