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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 58 · 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 students like it.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  2. 2.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) 30 of 40 students (b) lots of students
  3. 3.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) relevant and reliable (b) funny and short (c) loud and long (d) old and vague
  4. 4.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) False (b) True
  5. 5.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  6. 6.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  7. 7.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  8. 8.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
  9. 9.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  10. 10.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  11. 11.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  12. 12.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) False (b) True
  13. 13.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very specific (b) not relevant (c) very strong
  14. 14.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  15. 15.True or false: In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  16. 16.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  17. 17.True or false: “A forwarded message says so.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  18. 18.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  19. 19.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  20. 20.True or false: In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  21. 21.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  22. 22.True or false: figures from the city water board is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  23. 23.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) a guess (b) a chat forward (c) an unsigned poster (d) the city water board
  24. 24.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  25. 25.True or false: “A forwarded message says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  26. 26.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  27. 27.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  28. 28.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
  29. 29.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  30. 30.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
  31. 31.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
  32. 32.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  33. 33.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A forwarded message says so.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  34. 34.True or false: a story you are not sure about is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  35. 35.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  36. 36.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  37. 37.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  38. 38.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  39. 39.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  40. 40.True or false: figures from the city water board is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True

Answer key

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

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