Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 85 · 40 questions

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.

1. 1.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A website with no name says so.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
2. 2.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) the city water board (b) a guess (c) an unsigned poster (d) a chat forward
3. 3.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
4. 4.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
5. 5.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
6. 6.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
7. 7.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
8. 8.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Studies show things.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
9. 9.True or false: a story you are not sure about is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
10. 10.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
11. 11.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
12. 12.True or false: “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
13. 13.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) old and vague (b) relevant and reliable (c) loud and long (d) funny and short
14. 14.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
15. 15.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
16. 16.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
17. 17.True or false: figures from the city water board is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
18. 18.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I saw it on a random poster once.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
19. 19.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
20. 20.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
21. 21.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) check where it came from (b) round it to 100 (c) hide the source (d) make it bigger
22. 22.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Some people say it helps somehow.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
23. 23.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) 30 of 40 students (b) lots of students
24. 24.True or false: figures from the city water board is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
25. 25.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
26. 26.True or false: “Some people say it helps somehow.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
27. 27.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I think I dreamt it.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
28. 28.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
29. 29.True or false: “I saw it on a random poster once.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
30. 30.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
31. 31.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
32. 32.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
33. 33.True or false: “I saw it on a random poster once.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
34. 34.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
35. 35.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very specific (b) not relevant (c) very strong
36. 36.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
37. 37.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
38. 38.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (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 specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
40. 40.True or false: “A forwarded message says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True

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