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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 705 · 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? In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  2. 2.True or false: “It is good for many reasons.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  3. 3.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very specific (b) very strong (c) not relevant
  4. 4.True or false: In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  5. 5.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  6. 6.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  7. 7.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  8. 8.True or false: In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  9. 9.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  10. 10.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
  11. 11.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  12. 12.True or false: a story you are not sure about is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  13. 13.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) 30 of 40 students (b) lots of students
  14. 14.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) a chat forward (b) a guess (c) an unsigned poster (d) the city water board
  15. 15.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) hide the source (b) make it bigger (c) round it to 100 (d) check where it came from
  16. 16.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  17. 17.True or false: In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  18. 18.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  19. 19.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) funny and short (b) relevant and reliable (c) loud and long (d) old and vague
  20. 20.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  21. 21.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  22. 22.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A website with no name says so.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  23. 23.True or false: “A website with no name says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  24. 24.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  25. 25.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  26. 26.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  27. 27.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  28. 28.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  29. 29.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) False (b) True
  30. 30.True or false: figures from the city water board is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  31. 31.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  32. 32.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I think I dreamt it.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  33. 33.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  34. 34.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  35. 35.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  36. 36.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  37. 37.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  38. 38.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  39. 39.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  40. 40.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I saw it on a random poster once.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable

Answer key

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

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