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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 902 · 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: a survey of 300 students in our school is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  2. 2.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very strong (b) not relevant (c) very specific
  3. 3.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  4. 4.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  5. 5.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
  6. 6.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  7. 7.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “My neighbour heard it from someone.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  8. 8.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  9. 9.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) funny and short (b) loud and long (c) old and vague (d) relevant and reliable
  10. 10.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  11. 11.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) 30 of 40 students (b) lots of students
  12. 12.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  13. 13.True or false: “A website with no name says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  14. 14.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  15. 15.True or false: “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” — 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 reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  17. 17.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  18. 18.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  19. 19.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Studies show things.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  20. 20.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
  21. 21.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
  22. 22.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  23. 23.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  24. 24.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  25. 25.True or false: figures from the city water board is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  26. 26.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  27. 27.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  28. 28.True or false: In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  29. 29.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  30. 30.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) the city water board (b) a chat forward (c) a guess (d) an unsigned poster
  31. 31.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  32. 32.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A website with no name says so.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  33. 33.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  34. 34.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  35. 35.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  36. 36.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  37. 37.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  38. 38.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  39. 39.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  40. 40.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I think I dreamt it.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant

Answer key

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

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