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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 690 · 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.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  2. 2.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  3. 3.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  4. 4.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  5. 5.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) old and vague (b) funny and short (c) relevant and reliable (d) loud and long
  6. 6.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A forwarded message says so.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  7. 7.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) 30 of 40 students (b) lots of students
  8. 8.True or false: “A website with no name says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  9. 9.True or false: “I saw it on a random poster once.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  10. 10.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “My neighbour heard it from someone.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  11. 11.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  12. 12.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  13. 13.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  14. 14.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) a guess (b) the city water board (c) a chat forward (d) an unsigned poster
  15. 15.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) not relevant (b) very specific (c) very strong
  16. 16.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  17. 17.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  18. 18.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  19. 19.🔎 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
  20. 20.True or false: a story you are not sure about is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  21. 21.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
  22. 22.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  23. 23.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  24. 24.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  25. 25.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  26. 26.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  27. 27.True or false: “A forwarded message says so.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  28. 28.True or false: In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  29. 29.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  30. 30.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  31. 31.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  32. 32.True or false: “A website with no name says so.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  33. 33.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A website with no name says so.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  34. 34.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  35. 35.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  36. 36.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  37. 37.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  38. 38.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Some people say it helps somehow.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  39. 39.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  40. 40.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True

Answer key

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

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