← Strong and weak evidence lesson New set →

Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 599 · 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: measured results from our class experiment is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  2. 2.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I think I dreamt it.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  3. 3.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) 30 of 40 students (b) lots of students
  4. 4.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
  5. 5.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) False (b) True
  6. 6.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) the city water board (b) an unsigned poster (c) a chat forward (d) a guess
  7. 7.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  8. 8.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  9. 9.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  10. 10.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  11. 11.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) True (b) False
  12. 12.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  13. 13.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  14. 14.True or false: a story you are not sure about is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  15. 15.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  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.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  18. 18.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very strong (b) very specific (c) not relevant
  19. 19.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  20. 20.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I saw it on a random poster once.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  21. 21.🔎 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
  22. 22.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  23. 23.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  24. 24.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
  25. 25.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  26. 26.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  27. 27.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  28. 28.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  29. 29.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  30. 30.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  31. 31.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  32. 32.True or false: “I saw it on a random poster once.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  33. 33.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  34. 34.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  35. 35.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  36. 36.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  37. 37.True or false: In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  38. 38.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  39. 39.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  40. 40.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

Answer key

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

Free debate lessons, practice and worksheets at talentjr.in/debate-for-students