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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 764 · 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 specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  2. 2.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  3. 3.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  4. 4.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  5. 5.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  6. 6.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  7. 7.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very specific (b) not relevant (c) very strong
  8. 8.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  9. 9.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  10. 10.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  11. 11.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
  12. 12.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  13. 13.True or false: “Some people say it helps somehow.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  14. 14.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  15. 15.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  16. 16.True or false: In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  17. 17.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  18. 18.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  19. 19.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  20. 20.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  21. 21.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) False (b) True
  22. 22.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  23. 23.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) funny and short (b) relevant and reliable (c) loud and long (d) old and vague
  24. 24.🔎 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
  25. 25.🔎 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
  26. 26.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  27. 27.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  28. 28.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) 30 of 40 students (b) lots of students
  29. 29.🔎 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
  30. 30.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  31. 31.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  32. 32.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  33. 33.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I saw it on a random poster once.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  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? “I think I dreamt it.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  36. 36.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  37. 37.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  38. 38.True or false: In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  39. 39.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  40. 40.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “My neighbour heard it from someone.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific

Answer key

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

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