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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 769 · 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.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
  2. 2.True or false: “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  3. 3.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  4. 4.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) True (b) False
  5. 5.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
  6. 6.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) check where it came from (b) round it to 100 (c) hide the source (d) make it bigger
  7. 7.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  8. 8.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  9. 9.True or false: “A website with no name says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  10. 10.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I saw it on a random poster once.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  11. 11.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) a guess (b) a chat forward (c) the city water board (d) an unsigned poster
  12. 12.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very specific (b) very strong (c) not relevant
  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.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  15. 15.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  16. 16.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  17. 17.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  18. 18.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  19. 19.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  20. 20.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  21. 21.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  22. 22.🔎 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
  23. 23.True or false: “Some people say it helps somehow.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  24. 24.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  25. 25.True or false: one friend’s guess is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  26. 26.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  27. 27.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  28. 28.True or false: a story you are not sure about is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  29. 29.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  30. 30.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  31. 31.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  32. 32.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
  33. 33.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A website with no name says so.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  34. 34.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  35. 35.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) relevant and reliable (b) loud and long (c) old and vague (d) funny and short
  36. 36.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) lots of students (b) 30 of 40 students
  37. 37.True or false: “It is good for many reasons.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  38. 38.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  39. 39.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  40. 40.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False

Answer key

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

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