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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 809 · 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: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  2. 2.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  3. 3.True or false: “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  4. 4.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  5. 5.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) not relevant (b) very specific (c) very strong
  6. 6.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  7. 7.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  8. 8.True or false: “It is good for many reasons.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  9. 9.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  10. 10.True or false: In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  11. 11.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A forwarded message says so.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  12. 12.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  13. 13.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  14. 14.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  15. 15.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) check where it came from (b) hide the source (c) make it bigger (d) round it to 100
  16. 16.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A website with no name says so.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  17. 17.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  18. 18.True or false: In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  19. 19.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  20. 20.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  21. 21.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  22. 22.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  23. 23.True or false: figures from the city water board is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  24. 24.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) lots of students (b) 30 of 40 students
  25. 25.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  26. 26.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) funny and short (b) old and vague (c) relevant and reliable (d) loud and long
  27. 27.True or false: “It is good for many reasons.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  28. 28.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  29. 29.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  30. 30.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  31. 31.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  32. 32.True or false: a story you are not sure about is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  33. 33.True or false: “I saw it on a random poster once.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  34. 34.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  35. 35.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  36. 36.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
  37. 37.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) the city water board (b) a guess (c) a chat forward (d) an unsigned poster
  38. 38.True or false: “It is good for many reasons.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  39. 39.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Studies show things.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  40. 40.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I think I dreamt it.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant

Answer key

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

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