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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 918 · 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? “My neighbour heard it from someone.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  2. 2.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  3. 3.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I saw it on a random poster once.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  4. 4.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  5. 5.True or false: “It is good for many reasons.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  6. 6.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  7. 7.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) check where it came from (b) hide the source (c) round it to 100 (d) make it bigger
  8. 8.True or false: figures from the city water board is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  9. 9.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Some people say it helps somehow.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  10. 10.True or false: one friend’s guess is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  11. 11.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  12. 12.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  13. 13.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Studies show things.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  14. 14.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  15. 15.🔎 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
  16. 16.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  17. 17.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  18. 18.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  19. 19.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  20. 20.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) lots of students (b) 30 of 40 students
  21. 21.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  22. 22.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  23. 23.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A forwarded message says so.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  24. 24.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  25. 25.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) relevant and reliable (b) loud and long (c) funny and short (d) old and vague
  26. 26.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  27. 27.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
  28. 28.True or false: figures from the city water board is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  29. 29.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  30. 30.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  31. 31.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  32. 32.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  33. 33.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  34. 34.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  35. 35.🔎 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
  36. 36.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) not relevant (b) very strong (c) very specific
  37. 37.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  38. 38.True or false: “A website with no name says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  39. 39.True or false: a story you are not sure about is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  40. 40.True or false: “A website with no name says so.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True

Answer key

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

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