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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 585 · 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 rumour forwarded in a chat group is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  2. 2.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) old and vague (b) funny and short (c) relevant and reliable (d) loud and long
  3. 3.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I saw it on a random poster once.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  4. 4.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very specific (b) very strong (c) not relevant
  5. 5.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  6. 6.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  7. 7.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  8. 8.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) lots of students (b) 30 of 40 students
  9. 9.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
  10. 10.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  11. 11.True or false: In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  12. 12.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  13. 13.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  14. 14.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  15. 15.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  16. 16.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  17. 17.True or false: one friend’s guess is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  18. 18.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) True (b) False
  19. 19.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  20. 20.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
  21. 21.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  22. 22.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  23. 23.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  24. 24.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Some people say it helps somehow.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  25. 25.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  26. 26.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  27. 27.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  28. 28.True or false: “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  29. 29.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  30. 30.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  31. 31.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  32. 32.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  33. 33.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  34. 34.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) a guess (b) the city water board (c) a chat forward (d) an unsigned poster
  35. 35.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
  36. 36.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  37. 37.True or false: “A website with no name says so.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  38. 38.True or false: figures from the city water board is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  39. 39.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  40. 40.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable

Answer key

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

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