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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 556 · 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.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) the city water board (b) a chat forward (c) a guess (d) an unsigned poster
  2. 2.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Studies show things.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  3. 3.True or false: figures from the city water board is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  4. 4.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  5. 5.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  6. 6.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
  7. 7.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) False (b) True
  8. 8.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  9. 9.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) old and vague (b) relevant and reliable (c) funny and short (d) loud and long
  10. 10.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  11. 11.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  12. 12.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  13. 13.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  14. 14.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  15. 15.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  16. 16.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  17. 17.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) make it bigger (b) round it to 100 (c) check where it came from (d) hide the source
  18. 18.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  19. 19.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  20. 20.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  21. 21.True or false: “I saw it on a random poster once.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  22. 22.True or false: “Some people say it helps somehow.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  23. 23.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very strong (b) very specific (c) not relevant
  24. 24.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  25. 25.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) False (b) True
  26. 26.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  27. 27.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “My neighbour heard it from someone.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  28. 28.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  29. 29.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  30. 30.True or false: “A forwarded message says so.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  31. 31.True or false: In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  32. 32.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  33. 33.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) False (b) True
  34. 34.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) 30 of 40 students (b) lots of students
  35. 35.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  36. 36.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  37. 37.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  38. 38.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I saw it on a random poster once.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  39. 39.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  40. 40.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False

Answer key

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

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