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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 843 · 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: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  2. 2.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
  3. 3.True or false: “Some people say it helps somehow.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  4. 4.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  5. 5.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  6. 6.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  7. 7.True or false: one friend’s guess is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  8. 8.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Some people say it helps somehow.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  9. 9.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  10. 10.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I saw it on a random poster once.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  11. 11.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  12. 12.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) round it to 100 (b) make it bigger (c) check where it came from (d) hide the source
  13. 13.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  14. 14.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  15. 15.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  16. 16.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A forwarded message says so.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  17. 17.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  18. 18.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “My neighbour heard it from someone.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  19. 19.True or false: In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  20. 20.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very specific (b) very strong (c) not relevant
  21. 21.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  22. 22.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  23. 23.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  24. 24.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  25. 25.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
  26. 26.True or false: “A forwarded message says so.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  27. 27.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  28. 28.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) lots of students (b) 30 of 40 students
  29. 29.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  30. 30.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  31. 31.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A website with no name says so.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  32. 32.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Studies show things.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  33. 33.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  34. 34.True or false: figures from the city water board is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  35. 35.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
  36. 36.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  37. 37.True or false: “A website with no name says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  38. 38.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  39. 39.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  40. 40.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence

Answer key

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

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