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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 950 · 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 it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  2. 2.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  3. 3.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  4. 4.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  5. 5.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  6. 6.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  7. 7.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  8. 8.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  9. 9.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A website with no name says so.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  10. 10.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) old and vague (b) loud and long (c) relevant and reliable (d) funny and short
  11. 11.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  12. 12.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  13. 13.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) lots of students (b) 30 of 40 students
  14. 14.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  15. 15.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very strong (b) very specific (c) not relevant
  16. 16.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) check where it came from (b) make it bigger (c) hide the source (d) round it to 100
  17. 17.True or false: a story you are not sure about is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  18. 18.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  19. 19.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  20. 20.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  21. 21.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
  22. 22.True or false: “A website with no name says so.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  23. 23.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  24. 24.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  25. 25.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) a chat forward (b) a guess (c) the city water board (d) an unsigned poster
  26. 26.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  27. 27.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  28. 28.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  29. 29.True or false: “I saw it on a random poster once.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  30. 30.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  31. 31.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  32. 32.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  33. 33.True or false: In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  34. 34.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  35. 35.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  36. 36.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  37. 37.True or false: figures from the city water board is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  38. 38.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  39. 39.True or false: figures from the city water board is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  40. 40.True or false: one friend’s guess is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False

Answer key

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

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