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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 586 · 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.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) lots of students (b) 30 of 40 students
  2. 2.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very strong (b) not relevant (c) very specific
  3. 3.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  4. 4.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  5. 5.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  6. 6.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  7. 7.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  8. 8.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  9. 9.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Studies show things.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  10. 10.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  11. 11.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  12. 12.True or false: “I saw it on a random poster once.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  13. 13.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  14. 14.True or false: In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  15. 15.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  16. 16.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  17. 17.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  18. 18.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
  19. 19.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  20. 20.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
  21. 21.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  22. 22.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  23. 23.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) relevant and reliable (b) loud and long (c) old and vague (d) funny and short
  24. 24.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I saw it on a random poster once.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  25. 25.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) make it bigger (b) hide the source (c) check where it came from (d) round it to 100
  26. 26.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  27. 27.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  28. 28.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  29. 29.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  30. 30.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  31. 31.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  32. 32.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  33. 33.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  34. 34.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Some people say it helps somehow.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  35. 35.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) a chat forward (b) a guess (c) the city water board (d) an unsigned poster
  36. 36.True or false: “It is good for many reasons.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  37. 37.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  38. 38.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  39. 39.True or false: “It is good for many reasons.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  40. 40.True or false: figures from the city water board is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True

Answer key

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

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