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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 592 · 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.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  2. 2.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  3. 3.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  4. 4.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very specific (b) very strong (c) not relevant
  5. 5.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) lots of students (b) 30 of 40 students
  6. 6.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  7. 7.True or false: “A website with no name says so.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  8. 8.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I think I dreamt it.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  9. 9.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A website with no name says so.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  10. 10.True or false: “A forwarded message says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  11. 11.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  12. 12.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  13. 13.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Some people say it helps somehow.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  14. 14.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
  15. 15.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  16. 16.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  17. 17.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  18. 18.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  19. 19.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  20. 20.True or false: one friend’s guess is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  21. 21.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  22. 22.True or false: In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  23. 23.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  24. 24.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  25. 25.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  26. 26.True or false: figures from the city water board is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  27. 27.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (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 specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  29. 29.True or false: In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  30. 30.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  31. 31.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “My neighbour heard it from someone.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  32. 32.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) hide the source (b) make it bigger (c) round it to 100 (d) check where it came from
  33. 33.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  34. 34.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  35. 35.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  36. 36.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Studies show things.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  37. 37.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  38. 38.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  39. 39.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  40. 40.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) a chat forward (b) an unsigned poster (c) a guess (d) the city water board

Answer key

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

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