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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 689 · 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.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) relevant and reliable (b) old and vague (c) funny and short (d) loud and long
  2. 2.True or false: “I saw it on a random poster once.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  3. 3.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  4. 4.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  5. 5.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  6. 6.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) lots of students (b) 30 of 40 students
  7. 7.True or false: “It is good for many reasons.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  8. 8.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  9. 9.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  10. 10.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) round it to 100 (b) hide the source (c) make it bigger (d) check where it came from
  11. 11.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  12. 12.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  13. 13.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  14. 14.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very specific (b) not relevant (c) very strong
  15. 15.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  16. 16.True or false: “I saw it on a random poster once.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  17. 17.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  18. 18.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  19. 19.True or false: “Some people say it helps somehow.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  20. 20.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
  21. 21.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  22. 22.True or false: one friend’s guess is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  23. 23.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  24. 24.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
  25. 25.🔎 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
  26. 26.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  27. 27.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  28. 28.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Some people say it helps somehow.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  29. 29.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  30. 30.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  31. 31.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  32. 32.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Studies show things.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  33. 33.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  34. 34.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  35. 35.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  36. 36.True or false: a story you are not sure about is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  37. 37.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  38. 38.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  39. 39.True or false: In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  40. 40.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False

Answer key

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

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