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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 864 · 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: figures from the city water board? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  2. 2.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  3. 3.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  4. 4.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) old and vague (b) funny and short (c) relevant and reliable (d) loud and long
  5. 5.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A forwarded message says so.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  6. 6.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  7. 7.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
  8. 8.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Some people say it helps somehow.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  9. 9.True or false: “Some people say it helps somehow.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  10. 10.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  11. 11.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Studies show things.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  12. 12.🔎 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
  13. 13.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  14. 14.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  15. 15.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  16. 16.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  17. 17.True or false: figures from the city water board is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  18. 18.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  19. 19.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  20. 20.True or false: In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  21. 21.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  22. 22.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  23. 23.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  24. 24.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “My neighbour heard it from someone.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  25. 25.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I think I dreamt it.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  26. 26.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  27. 27.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) 30 of 40 students (b) lots of students
  28. 28.True or false: “It is good for many reasons.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  29. 29.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  30. 30.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  31. 31.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  32. 32.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  33. 33.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  34. 34.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) the city water board (b) an unsigned poster (c) a guess (d) a chat forward
  35. 35.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) not relevant (b) very strong (c) very specific
  36. 36.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  37. 37.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  38. 38.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  39. 39.🔎 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
  40. 40.True or false: figures from the city water board is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False

Answer key

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

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