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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 929 · 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: “Lots of people think so.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  2. 2.True or false: In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  3. 3.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  4. 4.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  5. 5.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  6. 6.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) the city water board (b) a chat forward (c) a guess (d) an unsigned poster
  7. 7.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  8. 8.True or false: “Some people say it helps somehow.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  9. 9.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  10. 10.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  11. 11.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  12. 12.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very strong (b) very specific (c) not relevant
  13. 13.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  14. 14.True or false: figures from the city water board is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  15. 15.True or false: “Some people say it helps somehow.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  16. 16.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “My neighbour heard it from someone.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  17. 17.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  18. 18.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  19. 19.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  20. 20.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  21. 21.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  22. 22.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  23. 23.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  24. 24.True or false: a story you are not sure about is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  25. 25.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  26. 26.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  27. 27.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  28. 28.True or false: “It is good for many reasons.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (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.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) False (b) True
  31. 31.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I think I dreamt it.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  32. 32.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Studies show things.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  33. 33.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) hide the source (b) check where it came from (c) make it bigger (d) round it to 100
  34. 34.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) loud and long (b) old and vague (c) funny and short (d) relevant and reliable
  35. 35.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  36. 36.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
  37. 37.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  38. 38.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  39. 39.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  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) True (b) False

Answer key

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

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