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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 936 · 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.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  2. 2.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Some people say it helps somehow.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  3. 3.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) False (b) True
  4. 4.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  5. 5.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A website with no name says so.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  6. 6.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  7. 7.True or false: “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  8. 8.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very strong (b) very specific (c) not relevant
  9. 9.True or false: a story you are not sure about is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  10. 10.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  11. 11.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) an unsigned poster (b) a guess (c) a chat forward (d) the city water board
  12. 12.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I think I dreamt it.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  13. 13.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) lots of students (b) 30 of 40 students
  14. 14.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  15. 15.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  16. 16.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) loud and long (b) old and vague (c) relevant and reliable (d) funny and short
  17. 17.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  18. 18.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  19. 19.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  20. 20.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) hide the source (b) make it bigger (c) round it to 100 (d) check where it came from
  21. 21.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
  22. 22.True or false: In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  23. 23.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  24. 24.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
  25. 25.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  26. 26.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  27. 27.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  28. 28.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  29. 29.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  30. 30.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) weak evidence (b) strong 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.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  33. 33.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  34. 34.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  35. 35.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  36. 36.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  37. 37.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  38. 38.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  39. 39.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  40. 40.True or false: figures from the city water board is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True

Answer key

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

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