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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 633 · 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: In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  2. 2.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
  3. 3.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  4. 4.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  5. 5.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
  6. 6.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) lots of students (b) 30 of 40 students
  7. 7.True or false: “I saw it on a random poster once.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  8. 8.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  9. 9.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  10. 10.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  11. 11.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very specific (b) very strong (c) not relevant
  12. 12.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  13. 13.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  14. 14.True or false: “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  15. 15.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — 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 sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  17. 17.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) a chat forward (b) an unsigned poster (c) the city water board (d) a guess
  18. 18.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  19. 19.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  20. 20.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  21. 21.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  22. 22.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  23. 23.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  24. 24.True or false: a story you are not sure about is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  25. 25.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  26. 26.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  27. 27.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  28. 28.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  29. 29.True or false: “Some people say it helps somehow.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  30. 30.True or false: “A forwarded message says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  31. 31.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) relevant and reliable (b) funny and short (c) old and vague (d) loud and long
  32. 32.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  33. 33.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) hide the source (b) make it bigger (c) check where it came from (d) round it to 100
  34. 34.True or false: one friend’s guess is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  35. 35.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A forwarded message says so.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  36. 36.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  37. 37.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  38. 38.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  39. 39.True or false: “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  40. 40.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False

Answer key

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

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