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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 582 · 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: figures from the city water board is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  2. 2.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  3. 3.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) 30 of 40 students (b) lots of students
  4. 4.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Some people say it helps somehow.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  5. 5.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  6. 6.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  7. 7.True or false: a story you are not sure about is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  8. 8.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  9. 9.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) make it bigger (b) check where it came from (c) hide the source (d) round it to 100
  10. 10.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very specific (b) very strong (c) not relevant
  11. 11.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  12. 12.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) loud and long (b) old and vague (c) funny and short (d) relevant and reliable
  13. 13.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  14. 14.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  15. 15.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  16. 16.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  17. 17.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Studies show things.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  18. 18.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  19. 19.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
  20. 20.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) a guess (b) the city water board (c) an unsigned poster (d) a chat forward
  21. 21.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  22. 22.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  23. 23.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  24. 24.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
  25. 25.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  26. 26.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  27. 27.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  28. 28.True or false: In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  29. 29.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  30. 30.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  31. 31.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  32. 32.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I saw it on a random poster once.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  33. 33.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  34. 34.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  35. 35.True or false: “I saw it on a random poster once.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  36. 36.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  37. 37.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  38. 38.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  39. 39.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “My neighbour heard it from someone.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  40. 40.True or false: “I saw it on a random poster once.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True

Answer key

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

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