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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 756 · 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? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  2. 2.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Studies show things.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  3. 3.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A forwarded message says so.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  4. 4.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  5. 5.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  6. 6.True or false: “A website with no name says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  7. 7.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) 30 of 40 students (b) lots of students
  8. 8.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  9. 9.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  10. 10.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) the city water board (b) a chat forward (c) a guess (d) an unsigned poster
  11. 11.True or false: “I saw it on a random poster once.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  12. 12.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  13. 13.True or false: “It is good for many reasons.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  14. 14.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  15. 15.True or false: a story you are not sure about is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  16. 16.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  17. 17.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  18. 18.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  19. 19.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  20. 20.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  21. 21.True or false: “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  22. 22.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A website with no name says so.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  23. 23.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  24. 24.True or false: “I saw it on a random poster once.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  25. 25.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
  26. 26.True or false: a story you are not sure about is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  27. 27.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  28. 28.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) not relevant (b) very strong (c) very specific
  29. 29.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  30. 30.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  31. 31.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  32. 32.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  33. 33.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  34. 34.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  35. 35.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) False (b) True
  36. 36.True or false: “A forwarded message says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  37. 37.True or false: “It is good for many reasons.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  38. 38.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  39. 39.True or false: In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  40. 40.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False

Answer key

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

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