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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 577 · 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: a fact from our science textbook is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  2. 2.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) a chat forward (b) the city water board (c) an unsigned poster (d) a guess
  3. 3.True or false: figures from the city water board is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  4. 4.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  5. 5.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  6. 6.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) round it to 100 (b) hide the source (c) make it bigger (d) check where it came from
  7. 7.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
  8. 8.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  9. 9.True or false: “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  10. 10.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  11. 11.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) 30 of 40 students (b) lots of students
  12. 12.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  13. 13.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  14. 14.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) funny and short (b) old and vague (c) relevant and reliable (d) loud and long
  15. 15.🔎 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
  16. 16.True or false: In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  17. 17.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A website with no name says so.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  18. 18.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Studies show things.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  19. 19.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Some people say it helps somehow.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  20. 20.True or false: one friend’s guess is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  21. 21.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  22. 22.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  23. 23.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  24. 24.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  25. 25.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  26. 26.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  27. 27.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  28. 28.True or false: “Some people say it helps somehow.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  29. 29.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  30. 30.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  31. 31.True or false: “A forwarded message says so.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  32. 32.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) not relevant (b) very specific (c) very strong
  33. 33.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  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) True (b) False
  35. 35.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
  36. 36.True or false: a story you are not sure about is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  37. 37.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  38. 38.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  39. 39.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  40. 40.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence

Answer key

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

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