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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 815 · 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.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) make it bigger (b) round it to 100 (c) hide the source (d) check where it came from
  2. 2.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
  3. 3.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  4. 4.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  5. 5.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  6. 6.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) old and vague (b) funny and short (c) relevant and reliable (d) loud and long
  7. 7.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Some people say it helps somehow.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  8. 8.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very specific (b) very strong (c) not relevant
  9. 9.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  10. 10.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  11. 11.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  12. 12.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  13. 13.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I saw it on a random poster once.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  14. 14.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  15. 15.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  16. 16.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  17. 17.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) a guess (b) an unsigned poster (c) a chat forward (d) the city water board
  18. 18.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
  19. 19.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
  20. 20.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  21. 21.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  22. 22.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  23. 23.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  24. 24.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  25. 25.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  26. 26.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  27. 27.🔎 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
  28. 28.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  29. 29.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
  30. 30.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  31. 31.True or false: a story you are not sure about is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  32. 32.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  33. 33.True or false: figures from the city water board is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  34. 34.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “My neighbour heard it from someone.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  35. 35.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  36. 36.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) lots of students (b) 30 of 40 students
  37. 37.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  38. 38.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  39. 39.🔎 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
  40. 40.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False

Answer key

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

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