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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 703 · 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.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Studies show things.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  2. 2.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  3. 3.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) relevant and reliable (b) funny and short (c) old and vague (d) loud and long
  4. 4.True or false: figures from the city water board is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  5. 5.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  6. 6.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  7. 7.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) lots of students (b) 30 of 40 students
  8. 8.True or false: In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  9. 9.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  10. 10.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very specific (b) very strong (c) not relevant
  11. 11.True or false: “It is good for many reasons.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  12. 12.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  13. 13.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  14. 14.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) check where it came from (b) hide the source (c) make it bigger (d) round it to 100
  15. 15.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
  16. 16.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Some people say it helps somehow.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  17. 17.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  18. 18.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  19. 19.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  20. 20.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
  21. 21.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  22. 22.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  23. 23.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
  24. 24.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  25. 25.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  26. 26.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  27. 27.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  28. 28.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “My neighbour heard it from someone.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  29. 29.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  30. 30.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  31. 31.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
  32. 32.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  33. 33.True or false: a story you are not sure about is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  34. 34.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  35. 35.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  36. 36.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  37. 37.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
  38. 38.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  39. 39.True or false: one friend’s guess is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  40. 40.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True

Answer key

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

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