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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 880 · 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: a survey of 300 students in our school? (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) True (b) False
  3. 3.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  4. 4.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  5. 5.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  6. 6.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Studies show things.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  7. 7.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  8. 8.True or false: In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  9. 9.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “My neighbour heard it from someone.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  10. 10.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  11. 11.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  12. 12.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  13. 13.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  14. 14.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  15. 15.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
  16. 16.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  17. 17.True or false: figures from the city water board is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  18. 18.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) make it bigger (b) round it to 100 (c) check where it came from (d) hide the source
  19. 19.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  20. 20.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) an unsigned poster (b) a chat forward (c) a guess (d) the city water board
  21. 21.True or false: “A website with no name says so.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  22. 22.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  23. 23.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  24. 24.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  25. 25.🔎 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
  26. 26.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  27. 27.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  28. 28.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  29. 29.True or false: figures from the city water board is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  30. 30.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  31. 31.True or false: a story you are not sure about is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  32. 32.True or false: one friend’s guess is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  33. 33.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I saw it on a random poster once.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  34. 34.True or false: In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  35. 35.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  36. 36.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I think I dreamt it.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  37. 37.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  38. 38.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  39. 39.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  40. 40.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) old and vague (b) funny and short (c) loud and long (d) relevant and reliable

Answer key

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

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