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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 909 · 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.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Studies show things.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  2. 2.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  3. 3.🔎 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
  4. 4.True or false: “Some people say it helps somehow.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  5. 5.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  6. 6.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  7. 7.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is weak evidence. (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.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  10. 10.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) hide the source (b) check where it came from (c) round it to 100 (d) make it bigger
  11. 11.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  12. 12.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very specific (b) not relevant (c) very strong
  13. 13.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) lots of students (b) 30 of 40 students
  14. 14.True or false: “It is good for many reasons.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  15. 15.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  16. 16.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  17. 17.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I think I dreamt it.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  18. 18.True or false: In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  19. 19.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  20. 20.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  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: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  23. 23.True or false: one friend’s guess is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  24. 24.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  25. 25.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  26. 26.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) relevant and reliable (b) funny and short (c) loud and long (d) old and vague
  27. 27.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  28. 28.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
  29. 29.True or false: figures from the city water board is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  30. 30.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  31. 31.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  32. 32.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  33. 33.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  34. 34.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  35. 35.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
  36. 36.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  37. 37.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  38. 38.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  39. 39.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  40. 40.True or false: In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True

Answer key

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

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