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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 567 · 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: measured results from our class experiment is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  2. 2.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  3. 3.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  4. 4.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  5. 5.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  6. 6.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  7. 7.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  8. 8.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  9. 9.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  10. 10.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  11. 11.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  12. 12.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  13. 13.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  14. 14.True or false: “It is good for many reasons.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  15. 15.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  16. 16.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  17. 17.True or false: “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  18. 18.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  19. 19.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  20. 20.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  21. 21.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  22. 22.True or false: In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  23. 23.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) a chat forward (b) an unsigned poster (c) the city water board (d) a guess
  24. 24.True or false: “A forwarded message says so.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  25. 25.True or false: a story you are not sure about is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  26. 26.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  27. 27.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
  28. 28.True or false: figures from the city water board is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  29. 29.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  30. 30.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  31. 31.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  32. 32.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
  33. 33.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  34. 34.True or false: In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  35. 35.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A forwarded message says so.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  36. 36.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  37. 37.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A website with no name says so.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  38. 38.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) check where it came from (b) round it to 100 (c) hide the source (d) make it bigger
  39. 39.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
  40. 40.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) lots of students (b) 30 of 40 students

Answer key

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

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