Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 917 · 40 questions

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.

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

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