← Strong and weak evidence lesson New set →

Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 691 · 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: an unsigned post with no source? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  2. 2.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) a guess (b) a chat forward (c) the city water board (d) an unsigned poster
  3. 3.True or false: In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  4. 4.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) lots of students (b) 30 of 40 students
  5. 5.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  6. 6.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  7. 7.True or false: figures from the city water board is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  8. 8.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  9. 9.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  10. 10.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  11. 11.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  12. 12.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  13. 13.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  14. 14.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  15. 15.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  16. 16.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  17. 17.🔎 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
  18. 18.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  19. 19.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  20. 20.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  21. 21.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very strong (b) not relevant (c) very specific
  22. 22.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  23. 23.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  24. 24.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  25. 25.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) relevant and reliable (b) loud and long (c) funny and short (d) old and vague
  26. 26.True or false: “A forwarded message says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  27. 27.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  28. 28.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  29. 29.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  30. 30.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A forwarded message says so.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  31. 31.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  32. 32.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  33. 33.True or false: In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  34. 34.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  35. 35.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “My neighbour heard it from someone.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  36. 36.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  37. 37.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  38. 38.True or false: “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  39. 39.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak 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. the city water board
  3. False
  4. 30 of 40 students
  5. strong evidence
  6. strong evidence
  7. False
  8. strong evidence
  9. False
  10. weak evidence
  11. False
  12. False
  13. weak evidence
  14. strong evidence
  15. not specific
  16. strong evidence
  17. not relevant
  18. not specific
  19. True
  20. True
  21. not relevant
  22. False
  23. False
  24. True
  25. relevant and reliable
  26. True
  27. not relevant
  28. False
  29. False
  30. not reliable
  31. strong evidence
  32. weak evidence
  33. False
  34. True
  35. not reliable
  36. True
  37. False
  38. True
  39. weak evidence
  40. True

Free debate lessons, practice and worksheets at talentjr.in/debate-for-students