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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 719 · 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.True or false: “It is good for many reasons.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  2. 2.True or false: one friend’s guess is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  3. 3.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  4. 4.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  5. 5.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  6. 6.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) funny and short (b) loud and long (c) old and vague (d) relevant and reliable
  7. 7.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  8. 8.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  9. 9.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  10. 10.True or false: “A website with no name says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  11. 11.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  12. 12.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  13. 13.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  14. 14.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  15. 15.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  16. 16.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  17. 17.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very strong (b) not relevant (c) very specific
  18. 18.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  19. 19.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  20. 20.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  21. 21.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  22. 22.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Studies show things.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  23. 23.True or false: In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  24. 24.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  25. 25.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) an unsigned poster (b) a chat forward (c) the city water board (d) a guess
  26. 26.True or false: “A forwarded message says so.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  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.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  29. 29.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  30. 30.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  31. 31.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I saw it on a random poster once.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  32. 32.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  33. 33.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  34. 34.True or false: In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  35. 35.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A website with no name says so.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  36. 36.True or false: “Some people say it helps somehow.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  37. 37.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) 30 of 40 students (b) lots of students
  38. 38.True or false: “A forwarded message says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  39. 39.True or false: “I saw it on a random poster once.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  40. 40.True or false: a story you are not sure about is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False

Answer key

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

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