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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 75 · 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: In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  2. 2.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  3. 3.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  4. 4.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  5. 5.True or false: In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  6. 6.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  7. 7.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very specific (b) not relevant (c) very strong
  8. 8.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
  9. 9.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  10. 10.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  11. 11.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  12. 12.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  13. 13.True or false: figures from the city water board is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  14. 14.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) check where it came from (b) make it bigger (c) round it to 100 (d) hide the source
  15. 15.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  16. 16.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) an unsigned poster (b) a chat forward (c) a guess (d) the city water board
  17. 17.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  18. 18.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  19. 19.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  20. 20.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  21. 21.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  22. 22.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  23. 23.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  24. 24.True or false: “A forwarded message says so.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  25. 25.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  26. 26.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I think I dreamt it.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  27. 27.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  28. 28.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) relevant and reliable (b) funny and short (c) loud and long (d) old and vague
  29. 29.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  30. 30.True or false: “I saw it on a random poster once.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  31. 31.True or false: figures from the city water board is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  32. 32.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “My neighbour heard it from someone.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  33. 33.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
  34. 34.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  35. 35.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A website with no name says so.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  36. 36.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  37. 37.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) 30 of 40 students (b) lots of students
  38. 38.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  39. 39.True or false: In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  40. 40.True or false: “A forwarded message says so.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False

Answer key

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

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