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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 766 · 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 reliable (c) not relevant
  2. 2.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
  3. 3.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  4. 4.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) make it bigger (b) hide the source (c) check where it came from (d) round it to 100
  5. 5.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
  6. 6.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  7. 7.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) lots of students (b) 30 of 40 students
  8. 8.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Studies show things.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  9. 9.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) a guess (b) an unsigned poster (c) a chat forward (d) the city water board
  10. 10.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  11. 11.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  12. 12.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  13. 13.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) funny and short (b) loud and long (c) old and vague (d) relevant and reliable
  14. 14.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  15. 15.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  16. 16.True or false: In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  17. 17.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  18. 18.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  19. 19.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  20. 20.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  21. 21.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  22. 22.True or false: In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  23. 23.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  24. 24.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  25. 25.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
  26. 26.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  27. 27.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  28. 28.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  29. 29.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I saw it on a random poster once.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  30. 30.True or false: a story you are not sure about is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  31. 31.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  32. 32.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  33. 33.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  34. 34.True or false: figures from the city water board is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  35. 35.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  36. 36.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  37. 37.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  38. 38.True or false: “Some people say it helps somehow.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  39. 39.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A forwarded message says so.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  40. 40.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False

Answer key

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

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