← Strong and weak evidence lesson New set →

Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 930 · 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? “I saw it on a random poster once.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  2. 2.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  3. 3.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A website with no name says so.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  4. 4.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  5. 5.True or false: a story you are not sure about is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  6. 6.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) True (b) False
  7. 7.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) old and vague (b) loud and long (c) funny and short (d) relevant and reliable
  8. 8.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  9. 9.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very strong (b) not relevant (c) very specific
  10. 10.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) False (b) True
  11. 11.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  12. 12.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  13. 13.True or false: “I saw it on a random poster once.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  14. 14.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  15. 15.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  16. 16.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  17. 17.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) make it bigger (b) check where it came from (c) round it to 100 (d) hide the source
  18. 18.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) 30 of 40 students (b) lots of students
  19. 19.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  20. 20.🔎 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
  21. 21.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  22. 22.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) False (b) True
  23. 23.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  24. 24.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  25. 25.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
  26. 26.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  27. 27.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  28. 28.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  29. 29.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A forwarded message says so.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  30. 30.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  31. 31.True or false: “A forwarded message says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  32. 32.True or false: “I saw it on a random poster once.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  33. 33.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  34. 34.True or false: one friend’s guess is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  35. 35.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  36. 36.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  37. 37.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  38. 38.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  39. 39.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  40. 40.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence

Answer key

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

Free debate lessons, practice and worksheets at talentjr.in/debate-for-students