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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 886 · 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.True or false: “It is good for many reasons.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  2. 2.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) 30 of 40 students (b) lots of students
  3. 3.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) funny and short (b) old and vague (c) loud and long (d) relevant and reliable
  4. 4.True or false: “A website with no name says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  5. 5.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  6. 6.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  7. 7.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  8. 8.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  9. 9.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  10. 10.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  11. 11.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I saw it on a random poster once.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  12. 12.True or false: figures from the city water board is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  13. 13.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  14. 14.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  15. 15.True or false: “A website with no name says so.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  16. 16.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very strong (b) very specific (c) not relevant
  17. 17.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  18. 18.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  19. 19.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  20. 20.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  21. 21.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  22. 22.True or false: one friend’s guess is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  23. 23.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  24. 24.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  25. 25.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  26. 26.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  27. 27.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  28. 28.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  29. 29.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  30. 30.True or false: a story you are not sure about is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  31. 31.True or false: figures from the city water board is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  32. 32.True or false: In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  33. 33.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  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.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  36. 36.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  37. 37.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  38. 38.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  39. 39.True or false: In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  40. 40.True or false: one friend’s guess is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False

Answer key

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

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