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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 56 · 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: one friend’s guess? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  2. 2.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) an unsigned poster (b) a guess (c) a chat forward (d) the city water board
  3. 3.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  4. 4.True or false: “A website with no name says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  5. 5.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) loud and long (b) funny and short (c) relevant and reliable (d) old and vague
  6. 6.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  7. 7.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  8. 8.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  9. 9.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  10. 10.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  11. 11.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
  12. 12.True or false: a story you are not sure about is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  13. 13.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  14. 14.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  15. 15.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  16. 16.True or false: one friend’s guess is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  17. 17.🔎 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
  18. 18.True or false: “Some people say it helps somehow.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  19. 19.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  20. 20.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  21. 21.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  22. 22.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very strong (b) very specific (c) not relevant
  23. 23.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  24. 24.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) True (b) False
  25. 25.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I think I dreamt it.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  26. 26.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  27. 27.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) True (b) False
  28. 28.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  29. 29.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  30. 30.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  31. 31.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  32. 32.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  33. 33.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  34. 34.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  35. 35.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  36. 36.True or false: In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  37. 37.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  38. 38.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) True (b) False
  39. 39.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  40. 40.True or false: one friend’s guess is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True

Answer key

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

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