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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 675 · 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.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) make it bigger (b) hide the source (c) round it to 100 (d) check where it came from
  2. 2.True or false: a story you are not sure about is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  3. 3.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) False (b) True
  4. 4.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  5. 5.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very strong (b) very specific (c) not relevant
  6. 6.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  7. 7.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  8. 8.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  9. 9.True or false: a story you are not sure about is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  10. 10.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  11. 11.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  12. 12.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  13. 13.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  14. 14.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  15. 15.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  16. 16.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  17. 17.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I think I dreamt it.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  18. 18.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  19. 19.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Studies show things.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  20. 20.True or false: In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  21. 21.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  22. 22.True or false: one friend’s guess is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  23. 23.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  24. 24.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  25. 25.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  26. 26.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
  27. 27.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  28. 28.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) 30 of 40 students (b) lots of students
  29. 29.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  30. 30.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) loud and long (b) funny and short (c) old and vague (d) relevant and reliable
  31. 31.🔎 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
  32. 32.True or false: one friend’s guess is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  33. 33.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  34. 34.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  35. 35.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A website with no name says so.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  36. 36.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  37. 37.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  38. 38.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  39. 39.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  40. 40.🔎 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

Answer key

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

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