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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 862 · 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) 30 of 40 students (b) lots of students
  2. 2.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) the city water board (b) a chat forward (c) an unsigned poster (d) a guess
  3. 3.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  4. 4.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  5. 5.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  6. 6.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  7. 7.True or false: figures from the city water board is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  8. 8.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  9. 9.True or false: one friend’s guess is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  10. 10.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very specific (b) not relevant (c) very strong
  11. 11.True or false: In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  12. 12.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
  13. 13.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  14. 14.True or false: “Some people say it helps somehow.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  15. 15.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  16. 16.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  17. 17.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  18. 18.True or false: “A website with no name says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  19. 19.True or false: a story you are not sure about is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  20. 20.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  21. 21.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  22. 22.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  23. 23.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  24. 24.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  25. 25.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  26. 26.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) old and vague (b) loud and long (c) funny and short (d) relevant and reliable
  27. 27.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  28. 28.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) hide the source (b) make it bigger (c) round it to 100 (d) check where it came from
  29. 29.True or false: one friend’s guess is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  30. 30.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  31. 31.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  32. 32.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  33. 33.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A website with no name says so.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  34. 34.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  35. 35.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  36. 36.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
  37. 37.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  38. 38.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
  39. 39.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Some people say it helps somehow.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  40. 40.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence

Answer key

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

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