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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 907 · 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 forwarded message says so.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  2. 2.True or false: a story you are not sure about is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  3. 3.True or false: one friend’s guess is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  4. 4.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) relevant and reliable (b) old and vague (c) funny and short (d) loud and long
  5. 5.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  6. 6.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) 30 of 40 students (b) lots of students
  7. 7.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
  8. 8.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  9. 9.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  10. 10.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  11. 11.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  12. 12.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  13. 13.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  14. 14.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) not relevant (b) very specific (c) very strong
  15. 15.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  16. 16.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  17. 17.True or false: “A website with no name says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  18. 18.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  19. 19.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) an unsigned poster (b) a chat forward (c) the city water board (d) a guess
  20. 20.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  21. 21.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  22. 22.True or false: In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  23. 23.True or false: one friend’s guess is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  24. 24.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  25. 25.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  26. 26.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
  27. 27.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  28. 28.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  29. 29.True or false: figures from the city water board is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  30. 30.🔎 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
  31. 31.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  32. 32.True or false: In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  33. 33.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  34. 34.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  35. 35.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I think I dreamt it.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  36. 36.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  37. 37.True or false: “A forwarded message says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  38. 38.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Studies show things.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  39. 39.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
  40. 40.True or false: “It is good for many reasons.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False

Answer key

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

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