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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 91 · 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: In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  2. 2.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  3. 3.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  4. 4.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  5. 5.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  6. 6.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I think I dreamt it.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  7. 7.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  8. 8.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  9. 9.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  10. 10.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  11. 11.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) 30 of 40 students (b) lots of students
  12. 12.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) check where it came from (b) hide the source (c) make it bigger (d) round it to 100
  13. 13.True or false: In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  14. 14.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  15. 15.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I saw it on a random poster once.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  16. 16.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “My neighbour heard it from someone.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  17. 17.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  18. 18.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  19. 19.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  20. 20.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  21. 21.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  22. 22.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Some people say it helps somehow.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  23. 23.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  24. 24.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
  25. 25.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) not relevant (b) very strong (c) very specific
  26. 26.True or false: one friend’s guess is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  27. 27.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) False (b) True
  28. 28.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) True (b) False
  29. 29.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  30. 30.🔎 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
  31. 31.True or false: “I saw it on a random poster once.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  32. 32.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Studies show things.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  33. 33.True or false: a story you are not sure about is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  34. 34.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  35. 35.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  36. 36.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A website with no name says so.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  37. 37.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  38. 38.True or false: In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  39. 39.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  40. 40.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False

Answer key

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

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