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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 654 · 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.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) a guess (b) an unsigned poster (c) a chat forward (d) the city water board
  2. 2.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  3. 3.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) loud and long (b) old and vague (c) funny and short (d) relevant and reliable
  4. 4.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  5. 5.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) hide the source (b) round it to 100 (c) make it bigger (d) check where it came from
  6. 6.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  7. 7.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Studies show things.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  8. 8.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) True (b) False
  9. 9.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) 30 of 40 students (b) lots of students
  10. 10.True or false: a story you are not sure about is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  11. 11.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Some people say it helps somehow.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  12. 12.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  13. 13.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  14. 14.True or false: “A website with no name says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  15. 15.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  16. 16.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
  17. 17.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  18. 18.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  19. 19.True or false: one friend’s guess is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  20. 20.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  21. 21.True or false: “Some people say it helps somehow.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  22. 22.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  23. 23.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
  24. 24.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A website with no name says so.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  25. 25.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  26. 26.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  27. 27.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  28. 28.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I think I dreamt it.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  29. 29.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) not relevant (b) very specific (c) very strong
  30. 30.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  31. 31.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  32. 32.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  33. 33.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  34. 34.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  35. 35.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  36. 36.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  37. 37.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  38. 38.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  39. 39.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  40. 40.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

Answer key

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

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