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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 780 · 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.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  2. 2.True or false: “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  3. 3.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  4. 4.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  5. 5.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) funny and short (b) loud and long (c) relevant and reliable (d) old and vague
  6. 6.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  7. 7.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  8. 8.True or false: “A forwarded message says so.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  9. 9.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  10. 10.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  11. 11.True or false: In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  12. 12.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  13. 13.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  14. 14.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  15. 15.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) lots of students (b) 30 of 40 students
  16. 16.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  17. 17.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  18. 18.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  19. 19.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  20. 20.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  21. 21.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  22. 22.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) make it bigger (b) check where it came from (c) round it to 100 (d) hide the source
  23. 23.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  24. 24.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  25. 25.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  26. 26.True or false: one friend’s guess is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  27. 27.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  28. 28.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  29. 29.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  30. 30.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very strong (b) very specific (c) not relevant
  31. 31.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  32. 32.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  33. 33.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  34. 34.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  35. 35.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) True (b) False
  36. 36.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A forwarded message says so.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  37. 37.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
  38. 38.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  39. 39.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  40. 40.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False

Answer key

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

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