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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 779 · 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: “My cousin said so.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  2. 2.True or false: one friend’s guess is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  3. 3.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
  4. 4.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  5. 5.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  6. 6.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  7. 7.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) the city water board (b) an unsigned poster (c) a guess (d) a chat forward
  8. 8.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) 30 of 40 students (b) lots of students
  9. 9.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) check where it came from (b) make it bigger (c) round it to 100 (d) hide the source
  10. 10.True or false: figures from the city water board is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  11. 11.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  12. 12.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  13. 13.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  14. 14.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  15. 15.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  16. 16.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  17. 17.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very specific (b) not relevant (c) very strong
  18. 18.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  19. 19.🔎 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
  20. 20.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  21. 21.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  22. 22.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  23. 23.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  24. 24.True or false: “I saw it on a random poster once.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  25. 25.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  26. 26.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  27. 27.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
  28. 28.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  29. 29.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
  30. 30.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  31. 31.True or false: “A website with no name says so.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  32. 32.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  33. 33.True or false: figures from the city water board is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  34. 34.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  35. 35.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  36. 36.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  37. 37.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  38. 38.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  39. 39.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  40. 40.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) loud and long (b) funny and short (c) relevant and reliable (d) old and vague

Answer key

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

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