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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 752 · 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 sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  2. 2.🔎 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
  3. 3.True or false: one friend’s guess is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  4. 4.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
  5. 5.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  6. 6.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  7. 7.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  8. 8.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A forwarded message says so.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  9. 9.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  10. 10.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
  11. 11.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  12. 12.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  13. 13.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) old and vague (b) relevant and reliable (c) loud and long (d) funny and short
  14. 14.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  15. 15.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  16. 16.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  17. 17.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  18. 18.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  19. 19.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) lots of students (b) 30 of 40 students
  20. 20.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  21. 21.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very strong (b) very specific (c) not relevant
  22. 22.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  23. 23.True or false: a story you are not sure about is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  24. 24.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  25. 25.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  26. 26.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  27. 27.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  28. 28.True or false: “A website with no name says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  29. 29.True or false: In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  30. 30.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) round it to 100 (b) check where it came from (c) hide the source (d) make it bigger
  31. 31.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
  32. 32.True or false: figures from the city water board is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  33. 33.True or false: “I saw it on a random poster once.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  34. 34.True or false: “It is good for many reasons.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  35. 35.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  36. 36.🔎 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
  37. 37.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  38. 38.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  39. 39.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  40. 40.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I think I dreamt it.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable

Answer key

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

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