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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 645 · 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: a fact from our science textbook is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  2. 2.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Some people say it helps somehow.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  3. 3.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  4. 4.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  5. 5.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) round it to 100 (b) make it bigger (c) hide the source (d) check where it came from
  6. 6.True or false: “A forwarded message says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  7. 7.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  8. 8.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) lots of students (b) 30 of 40 students
  9. 9.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  10. 10.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) an unsigned poster (b) a chat forward (c) a guess (d) the city water board
  11. 11.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  12. 12.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  13. 13.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I think I dreamt it.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  14. 14.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
  15. 15.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  16. 16.🔎 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
  17. 17.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  18. 18.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  19. 19.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  20. 20.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  21. 21.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  22. 22.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  23. 23.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  24. 24.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  25. 25.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  26. 26.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  27. 27.True or false: a story you are not sure about is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  28. 28.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  29. 29.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
  30. 30.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very strong (b) not relevant (c) very specific
  31. 31.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) funny and short (b) relevant and reliable (c) old and vague (d) loud and long
  32. 32.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
  33. 33.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) True (b) False
  34. 34.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  35. 35.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  36. 36.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  37. 37.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  38. 38.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  39. 39.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
  40. 40.True or false: In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True

Answer key

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

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