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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 755 · 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? “My neighbour heard it from someone.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  2. 2.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  3. 3.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  4. 4.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  5. 5.True or false: a story you are not sure about is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  6. 6.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  7. 7.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  8. 8.True or false: “Some people say it helps somehow.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  9. 9.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  10. 10.True or false: a story you are not sure about is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  11. 11.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  12. 12.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  13. 13.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  14. 14.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  15. 15.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  16. 16.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  17. 17.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  18. 18.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) funny and short (b) loud and long (c) old and vague (d) relevant and reliable
  19. 19.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
  20. 20.True or false: figures from the city water board is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  21. 21.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  22. 22.True or false: figures from the city water board is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  23. 23.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  24. 24.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  25. 25.🔎 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
  26. 26.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  27. 27.🔎 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
  28. 28.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
  29. 29.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  30. 30.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
  31. 31.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
  32. 32.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  33. 33.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  34. 34.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) True (b) False
  35. 35.True or false: “It is good for many reasons.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  36. 36.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  37. 37.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very strong (b) very specific (c) not relevant
  38. 38.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  39. 39.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  40. 40.True or false: one friend’s guess is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False

Answer key

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

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