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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 822 · 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.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) lots of students (b) 30 of 40 students
  2. 2.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  3. 3.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  4. 4.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  5. 5.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  6. 6.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
  7. 7.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) relevant and reliable (b) loud and long (c) funny and short (d) old and vague
  8. 8.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  9. 9.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  10. 10.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) False (b) True
  11. 11.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  12. 12.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  13. 13.🔎 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
  14. 14.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Some people say it helps somehow.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  15. 15.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  16. 16.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is weak 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) the city water board (d) a chat forward
  18. 18.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  19. 19.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I think I dreamt it.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  20. 20.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  21. 21.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) make it bigger (b) hide the source (c) check where it came from (d) round it to 100
  22. 22.True or false: figures from the city water board is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  23. 23.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I saw it on a random poster once.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  24. 24.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  25. 25.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  26. 26.True or false: In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  27. 27.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  28. 28.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  29. 29.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  30. 30.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very strong (b) very specific (c) not relevant
  31. 31.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  32. 32.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  33. 33.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A website with no name says so.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  34. 34.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  35. 35.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  36. 36.True or false: a story you are not sure about is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  37. 37.True or false: “A website with no name says so.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  38. 38.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) False (b) True
  39. 39.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  40. 40.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False

Answer key

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

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