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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 794 · 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 rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  2. 2.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) an unsigned poster (b) a chat forward (c) the city water board (d) a guess
  3. 3.True or false: In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  4. 4.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  5. 5.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  6. 6.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) 30 of 40 students (b) lots of students
  7. 7.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  8. 8.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) False (b) True
  9. 9.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  10. 10.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  11. 11.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “My neighbour heard it from someone.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  12. 12.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I saw it on a random poster once.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  13. 13.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  14. 14.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  15. 15.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  16. 16.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  17. 17.True or false: “A forwarded message says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  18. 18.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  19. 19.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  20. 20.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  21. 21.True or false: a story you are not sure about is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  22. 22.True or false: “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  23. 23.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) not relevant (b) very specific (c) very strong
  24. 24.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  25. 25.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
  26. 26.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) relevant and reliable (b) old and vague (c) funny and short (d) loud and long
  27. 27.True or false: one friend’s guess is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  28. 28.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  29. 29.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  30. 30.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  31. 31.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  32. 32.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  33. 33.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  34. 34.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  35. 35.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  36. 36.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  37. 37.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  38. 38.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  39. 39.True or false: In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  40. 40.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence

Answer key

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

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