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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 773 · 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 specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  2. 2.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) not relevant (b) very specific (c) very strong
  3. 3.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  4. 4.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  5. 5.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  6. 6.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  7. 7.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  8. 8.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  9. 9.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) a guess (b) the city water board (c) an unsigned poster (d) a chat forward
  10. 10.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) make it bigger (b) round it to 100 (c) hide the source (d) check where it came from
  11. 11.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  12. 12.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  13. 13.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  14. 14.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) False (b) True
  15. 15.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A website with no name says so.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  16. 16.True or false: “It is good for many reasons.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  17. 17.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  18. 18.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  19. 19.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
  20. 20.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I saw it on a random poster once.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  21. 21.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) 30 of 40 students (b) lots of students
  22. 22.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  23. 23.True or false: “I saw it on a random poster once.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  24. 24.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I think I dreamt it.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  25. 25.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  26. 26.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
  27. 27.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  28. 28.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
  29. 29.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  30. 30.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  31. 31.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  32. 32.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  33. 33.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  34. 34.True or false: one friend’s guess is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  35. 35.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  36. 36.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  37. 37.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) loud and long (b) old and vague (c) funny and short (d) relevant and reliable
  38. 38.🔎 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
  39. 39.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  40. 40.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific

Answer key

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

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