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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 573 · 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.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A website with no name says so.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  2. 2.True or false: “A website with no name says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  3. 3.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  4. 4.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  5. 5.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very specific (b) not relevant (c) very strong
  6. 6.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  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? “Some people say it helps somehow.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  9. 9.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) lots of students (b) 30 of 40 students
  10. 10.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  11. 11.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  12. 12.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  13. 13.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  14. 14.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  15. 15.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  16. 16.True or false: “It is good for many reasons.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  17. 17.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  18. 18.True or false: a story you are not sure about is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  19. 19.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) old and vague (b) relevant and reliable (c) funny and short (d) loud and long
  20. 20.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  21. 21.True or false: figures from the city water board is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  22. 22.True or false: figures from the city water board is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  23. 23.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  24. 24.True or false: one friend’s guess is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  25. 25.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  26. 26.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  27. 27.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  28. 28.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  29. 29.True or false: “Some people say it helps somehow.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  30. 30.True or false: In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  31. 31.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  32. 32.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) check where it came from (b) round it to 100 (c) make it bigger (d) hide the source
  33. 33.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  34. 34.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  35. 35.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  36. 36.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  37. 37.🔎 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
  38. 38.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
  39. 39.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  40. 40.True or false: “A forwarded message says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True

Answer key

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

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