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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 607 · 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: one friend’s guess is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  2. 2.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) lots of students (b) 30 of 40 students
  3. 3.True or false: “It is good for many reasons.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  4. 4.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  5. 5.True or false: “Some people say it helps somehow.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  6. 6.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  7. 7.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  8. 8.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  9. 9.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  10. 10.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  11. 11.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  12. 12.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  13. 13.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) False (b) True
  14. 14.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  15. 15.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  16. 16.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  17. 17.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I saw it on a random poster once.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  18. 18.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) round it to 100 (b) check where it came from (c) hide the source (d) make it bigger
  19. 19.True or false: In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  20. 20.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  21. 21.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
  22. 22.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Some people say it helps somehow.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  23. 23.True or false: “A website with no name says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  24. 24.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  25. 25.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) old and vague (b) loud and long (c) funny and short (d) relevant and reliable
  26. 26.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) not relevant (b) very strong (c) very specific
  27. 27.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  28. 28.True or false: In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  29. 29.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  30. 30.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  31. 31.True or false: “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  32. 32.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  33. 33.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  34. 34.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  35. 35.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  36. 36.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  37. 37.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  38. 38.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) a chat forward (b) the city water board (c) an unsigned poster (d) a guess
  39. 39.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  40. 40.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False

Answer key

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

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