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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 734 · 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: “A forwarded message says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  2. 2.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) make it bigger (b) round it to 100 (c) hide the source (d) check where it came from
  3. 3.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  4. 4.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Some people say it helps somehow.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  5. 5.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) old and vague (b) loud and long (c) relevant and reliable (d) funny and short
  6. 6.True or false: In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  7. 7.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  8. 8.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  9. 9.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  10. 10.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  11. 11.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  12. 12.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  13. 13.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  14. 14.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  15. 15.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I think I dreamt it.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  16. 16.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  17. 17.True or false: a story you are not sure about is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  18. 18.True or false: “A website with no name says so.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  19. 19.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) a guess (b) an unsigned poster (c) the city water board (d) a chat forward
  20. 20.True or false: “I saw it on a random poster once.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  21. 21.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  22. 22.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) lots of students (b) 30 of 40 students
  23. 23.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  24. 24.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  25. 25.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  26. 26.True or false: one friend’s guess is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  27. 27.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  28. 28.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A forwarded message says so.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  29. 29.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A website with no name says so.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  30. 30.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  31. 31.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  32. 32.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  33. 33.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very specific (b) very strong (c) not relevant
  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) True (b) False
  35. 35.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  36. 36.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  37. 37.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  38. 38.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Studies show things.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  39. 39.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  40. 40.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant

Answer key

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

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