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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 790 · 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: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  2. 2.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  3. 3.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  4. 4.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) old and vague (b) loud and long (c) funny and short (d) relevant and reliable
  5. 5.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  6. 6.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  7. 7.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  8. 8.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  9. 9.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  10. 10.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  11. 11.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  12. 12.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  13. 13.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “My neighbour heard it from someone.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  14. 14.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  15. 15.True or false: “A website with no name says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  16. 16.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very specific (b) not relevant (c) very strong
  17. 17.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  18. 18.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  19. 19.True or false: In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  20. 20.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) lots of students (b) 30 of 40 students
  21. 21.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Studies show things.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  22. 22.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  23. 23.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A website with no name says so.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  24. 24.True or false: “A forwarded message says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  25. 25.True or false: In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  26. 26.🔎 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
  27. 27.True or false: “A forwarded message says so.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  28. 28.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I saw it on a random poster once.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  29. 29.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  30. 30.🔎 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
  31. 31.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  32. 32.True or false: figures from the city water board is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  33. 33.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  34. 34.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  35. 35.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  36. 36.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  37. 37.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  38. 38.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  39. 39.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group 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 specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable

Answer key

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

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