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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 946 · 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 forwarded message says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  2. 2.True or false: “Some people say it helps somehow.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  3. 3.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  4. 4.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
  5. 5.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  6. 6.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  7. 7.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  8. 8.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  9. 9.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) hide the source (b) check where it came from (c) round it to 100 (d) make it bigger
  10. 10.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very strong (b) not relevant (c) very specific
  11. 11.True or false: figures from the city water board is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  12. 12.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  13. 13.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  14. 14.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  15. 15.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  16. 16.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  17. 17.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  18. 18.🔎 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
  19. 19.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  20. 20.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  21. 21.True or false: a story you are not sure about is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  22. 22.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
  23. 23.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  24. 24.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  25. 25.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  26. 26.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I think I dreamt it.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  27. 27.True or false: In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  28. 28.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) funny and short (b) old and vague (c) loud and long (d) relevant and reliable
  29. 29.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  30. 30.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  31. 31.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  32. 32.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Some people say it helps somehow.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  33. 33.True or false: “A forwarded message says so.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  34. 34.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  35. 35.True or false: “A forwarded message says so.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  36. 36.True or false: one friend’s guess is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  37. 37.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  38. 38.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) True (b) False
  39. 39.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  40. 40.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

Answer key

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

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