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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 747 · 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 reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  2. 2.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) 30 of 40 students (b) lots of students
  3. 3.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  4. 4.True or false: figures from the city water board is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  5. 5.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  6. 6.True or false: In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  7. 7.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  8. 8.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  9. 9.True or false: “A forwarded message says so.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  10. 10.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Studies show things.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  11. 11.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) loud and long (b) old and vague (c) relevant and reliable (d) funny and short
  12. 12.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very strong (b) not relevant (c) very specific
  13. 13.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  14. 14.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  15. 15.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  16. 16.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  17. 17.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  18. 18.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  19. 19.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  20. 20.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  21. 21.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I saw it on a random poster once.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  22. 22.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) the city water board (b) a chat forward (c) an unsigned poster (d) a guess
  23. 23.True or false: one friend’s guess is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  24. 24.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  25. 25.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  26. 26.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  27. 27.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  28. 28.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  29. 29.True or false: “It is good for many reasons.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  30. 30.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  31. 31.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A forwarded message says so.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  32. 32.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  33. 33.True or false: “I saw it on a random poster once.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  34. 34.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  35. 35.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) hide the source (b) round it to 100 (c) check where it came from (d) make it bigger
  36. 36.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
  37. 37.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  38. 38.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  39. 39.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  40. 40.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True

Answer key

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

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