← Strong and weak evidence lesson New set →

Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 559 · 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: “Lots of people think so.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  2. 2.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  3. 3.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  4. 4.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) loud and long (b) funny and short (c) old and vague (d) relevant and reliable
  5. 5.True or false: figures from the city water board is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  6. 6.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  7. 7.True or false: In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  8. 8.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  9. 9.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  10. 10.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
  11. 11.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  12. 12.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) hide the source (b) round it to 100 (c) check where it came from (d) make it bigger
  13. 13.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  14. 14.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  15. 15.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
  16. 16.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) a guess (b) a chat forward (c) the city water board (d) an unsigned poster
  17. 17.True or false: “It is good for many reasons.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (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: a story you are not sure about? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  20. 20.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  21. 21.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  22. 22.🔎 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
  23. 23.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  24. 24.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  25. 25.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  26. 26.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  27. 27.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  28. 28.True or false: a story you are not sure about is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  29. 29.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
  30. 30.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  31. 31.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  32. 32.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  33. 33.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Studies show things.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  34. 34.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
  35. 35.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A website with no name says so.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  36. 36.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  37. 37.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) 30 of 40 students (b) lots of students
  38. 38.True or false: In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  39. 39.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  40. 40.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True

Answer key

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

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