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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 658 · 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.

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  1. 1.🔎 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
  2. 2.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
  3. 3.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) 30 of 40 students (b) lots of students
  4. 4.🔎 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
  5. 5.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  6. 6.True or false: In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  7. 7.True or false: one friend’s guess is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  8. 8.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) False (b) True
  9. 9.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  10. 10.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  11. 11.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) relevant and reliable (b) loud and long (c) funny and short (d) old and vague
  12. 12.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  13. 13.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  14. 14.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “My neighbour heard it from someone.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  15. 15.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  16. 16.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  17. 17.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
  18. 18.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  19. 19.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  20. 20.True or false: a story you are not sure about is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  21. 21.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  22. 22.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  23. 23.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  24. 24.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  25. 25.True or false: “It is good for many reasons.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  26. 26.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I saw it on a random poster once.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  27. 27.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  28. 28.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  29. 29.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  30. 30.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  31. 31.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  32. 32.True or false: “It is good for many reasons.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  33. 33.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  34. 34.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) not relevant (b) very specific (c) very strong
  35. 35.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Some people say it helps somehow.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  36. 36.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  37. 37.True or false: figures from the city water board is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  38. 38.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  39. 39.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  40. 40.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True

Answer key

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

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