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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 749 · 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? “A forwarded message says so.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  2. 2.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  3. 3.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  4. 4.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  5. 5.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  6. 6.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) True (b) False
  7. 7.True or false: In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  8. 8.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  9. 9.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
  10. 10.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) old and vague (b) funny and short (c) loud and long (d) relevant and reliable
  11. 11.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  12. 12.True or false: In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  13. 13.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) the city water board (b) a guess (c) an unsigned poster (d) a chat forward
  14. 14.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  15. 15.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  16. 16.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  17. 17.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) lots of students (b) 30 of 40 students
  18. 18.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  19. 19.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  20. 20.True or false: figures from the city water board is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  21. 21.🔎 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
  22. 22.True or false: In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  23. 23.True or false: a story you are not sure about is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  24. 24.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
  25. 25.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  26. 26.True or false: “It is good for many reasons.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  27. 27.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “My neighbour heard it from someone.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  28. 28.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  29. 29.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  30. 30.True or false: a story you are not sure about is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  31. 31.True or false: “A forwarded message says so.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  32. 32.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  33. 33.True or false: one friend’s guess is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  34. 34.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  35. 35.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) round it to 100 (b) hide the source (c) make it bigger (d) check where it came from
  36. 36.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  37. 37.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
  38. 38.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  39. 39.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  40. 40.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence

Answer key

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

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