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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 647 · 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: the school library’s record of books borrowed is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  2. 2.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) relevant and reliable (b) old and vague (c) loud and long (d) funny and short
  3. 3.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) True (b) False
  4. 4.True or false: a story you are not sure about is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  5. 5.🔎 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
  6. 6.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  7. 7.True or false: “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  8. 8.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  9. 9.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  10. 10.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  11. 11.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I saw it on a random poster once.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  12. 12.True or false: “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  13. 13.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  14. 14.🔎 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
  15. 15.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  16. 16.True or false: figures from the city water board is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  17. 17.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  18. 18.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  19. 19.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  20. 20.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A website with no name says so.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  21. 21.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  22. 22.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  23. 23.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  24. 24.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  25. 25.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Studies show things.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  26. 26.True or false: “I saw it on a random poster once.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  27. 27.True or false: In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  28. 28.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) make it bigger (b) round it to 100 (c) hide the source (d) check where it came from
  29. 29.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  30. 30.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  31. 31.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
  32. 32.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  33. 33.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  34. 34.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  35. 35.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  36. 36.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  37. 37.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Some people say it helps somehow.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  38. 38.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  39. 39.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  40. 40.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific

Answer key

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

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