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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 921 · 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 story you are not sure about is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  2. 2.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  3. 3.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) not relevant (b) very strong (c) very specific
  4. 4.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  5. 5.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) a chat forward (b) a guess (c) an unsigned poster (d) the city water board
  6. 6.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  7. 7.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  8. 8.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  9. 9.True or false: “Some people say it helps somehow.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  10. 10.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  11. 11.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  12. 12.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  13. 13.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
  14. 14.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  15. 15.True or false: figures from the city water board is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  16. 16.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Some people say it helps somehow.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  17. 17.True or false: In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  18. 18.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
  19. 19.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  20. 20.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  21. 21.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  22. 22.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  23. 23.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  24. 24.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  25. 25.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  26. 26.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  27. 27.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) relevant and reliable (b) loud and long (c) old and vague (d) funny and short
  28. 28.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  29. 29.True or false: In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  30. 30.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) lots of students (b) 30 of 40 students
  31. 31.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  32. 32.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  33. 33.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  34. 34.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  35. 35.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  36. 36.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  37. 37.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  38. 38.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  39. 39.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  40. 40.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False

Answer key

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

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