← Strong and weak evidence lesson New set →

Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 812 · 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 library’s record of books borrowed? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  2. 2.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  3. 3.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  4. 4.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I think I dreamt it.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  5. 5.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “My neighbour heard it from someone.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  6. 6.True or false: figures from the city water board is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  7. 7.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) 30 of 40 students (b) lots of students
  8. 8.True or false: In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  9. 9.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  10. 10.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  11. 11.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) funny and short (b) loud and long (c) old and vague (d) relevant and reliable
  12. 12.True or false: figures from the city water board is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  13. 13.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) a chat forward (b) a guess (c) the city water board (d) an unsigned poster
  14. 14.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  15. 15.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  16. 16.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  17. 17.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
  18. 18.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  19. 19.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  20. 20.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  21. 21.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  22. 22.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  23. 23.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  24. 24.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  25. 25.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  26. 26.True or false: “I saw it on a random poster once.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  27. 27.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
  28. 28.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
  29. 29.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very strong (b) very specific (c) not relevant
  30. 30.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  31. 31.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  32. 32.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I saw it on a random poster once.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  33. 33.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  34. 34.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  35. 35.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  36. 36.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  37. 37.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  38. 38.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  39. 39.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  40. 40.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A forwarded message says so.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable

Answer key

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

Free debate lessons, practice and worksheets at talentjr.in/debate-for-students