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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 807 · 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.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) not relevant (b) very specific (c) very strong
  2. 2.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  3. 3.True or false: “I saw it on a random poster once.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  4. 4.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
  5. 5.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) check where it came from (b) round it to 100 (c) hide the source (d) make it bigger
  6. 6.True or false: one friend’s guess is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  7. 7.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
  8. 8.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  9. 9.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) loud and long (b) old and vague (c) funny and short (d) relevant and reliable
  10. 10.True or false: figures from the city water board is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  11. 11.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  12. 12.True or false: In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  13. 13.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  14. 14.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) 30 of 40 students (b) lots of students
  15. 15.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  16. 16.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  17. 17.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  18. 18.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  19. 19.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  20. 20.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A forwarded message says so.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  21. 21.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  22. 22.True or false: “Some people say it helps somehow.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  23. 23.True or false: a story you are not sure about is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  24. 24.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  25. 25.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) an unsigned poster (b) a chat forward (c) a guess (d) the city water board
  26. 26.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  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) True (b) False
  28. 28.True or false: a story you are not sure about is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  29. 29.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (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: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  32. 32.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  33. 33.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
  34. 34.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  35. 35.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  36. 36.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  37. 37.True or false: “A website with no name says so.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  38. 38.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  39. 39.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  40. 40.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Some people say it helps somehow.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific

Answer key

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

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