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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 744 · 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: one friend’s guess is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  2. 2.True or false: “A forwarded message says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  3. 3.True or false: “A website with no name says so.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  4. 4.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  5. 5.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  6. 6.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) a guess (b) a chat forward (c) an unsigned poster (d) the city water board
  7. 7.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Studies show things.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  8. 8.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
  9. 9.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  10. 10.True or false: “I saw it on a random poster once.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  11. 11.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  12. 12.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  13. 13.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  14. 14.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) funny and short (b) relevant and reliable (c) loud and long (d) old and vague
  15. 15.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  16. 16.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  17. 17.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  18. 18.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  19. 19.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  20. 20.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) not relevant (b) very strong (c) very specific
  21. 21.🔎 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
  22. 22.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I think I dreamt it.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  23. 23.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  24. 24.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  25. 25.True or false: one friend’s guess is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  26. 26.True or false: “Some people say it helps somehow.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  27. 27.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  28. 28.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
  29. 29.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) 30 of 40 students (b) lots of students
  30. 30.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  31. 31.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  32. 32.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  33. 33.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I saw it on a random poster once.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  34. 34.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  35. 35.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  36. 36.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  37. 37.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  38. 38.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  39. 39.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
  40. 40.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence

Answer key

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

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