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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 608 · 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: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  2. 2.True or false: “A forwarded message says so.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  3. 3.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  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 reading: “Trains run on tracks.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  6. 6.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  7. 7.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  8. 8.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) the city water board (b) a guess (c) a chat forward (d) an unsigned poster
  9. 9.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  10. 10.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) loud and long (b) old and vague (c) funny and short (d) relevant and reliable
  11. 11.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) True (b) False
  12. 12.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  13. 13.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  14. 14.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  15. 15.True or false: “A forwarded message says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  16. 16.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  17. 17.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  18. 18.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) False (b) True
  19. 19.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) lots of students (b) 30 of 40 students
  20. 20.🔎 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
  21. 21.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  22. 22.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  23. 23.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) not relevant (b) very strong (c) very specific
  24. 24.True or false: “Some people say it helps somehow.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  25. 25.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  26. 26.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  27. 27.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  28. 28.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  29. 29.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  30. 30.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  31. 31.True or false: “A website with no name says so.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  32. 32.True or false: a story you are not sure about is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  33. 33.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  34. 34.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  35. 35.True or false: In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  36. 36.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  37. 37.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  38. 38.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
  39. 39.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  40. 40.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False

Answer key

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

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