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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 818 · 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.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  2. 2.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) a chat forward (b) the city water board (c) a guess (d) an unsigned poster
  3. 3.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  4. 4.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  5. 5.True or false: figures from the city water board is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  6. 6.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  7. 7.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) loud and long (b) old and vague (c) funny and short (d) relevant and reliable
  8. 8.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  9. 9.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
  10. 10.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  11. 11.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very strong (b) not relevant (c) very specific
  12. 12.True or false: a story you are not sure about is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  13. 13.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  14. 14.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  15. 15.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  16. 16.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I saw it on a random poster once.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  17. 17.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  18. 18.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I think I dreamt it.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  19. 19.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  20. 20.True or false: figures from the city water board is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  21. 21.True or false: “A website with no name says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  22. 22.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  23. 23.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  24. 24.True or false: In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  25. 25.True or false: “A website with no name says so.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  26. 26.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
  27. 27.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) lots of students (b) 30 of 40 students
  28. 28.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  29. 29.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  30. 30.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) True (b) False
  31. 31.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  32. 32.True or false: “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  33. 33.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  34. 34.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  35. 35.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  36. 36.True or false: In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  37. 37.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  38. 38.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  39. 39.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  40. 40.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False

Answer key

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

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