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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 952 · 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: one friend’s guess? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  2. 2.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) check where it came from (b) make it bigger (c) round it to 100 (d) hide the source
  3. 3.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  4. 4.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  5. 5.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very specific (b) very strong (c) not relevant
  6. 6.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  7. 7.True or false: “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  8. 8.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  9. 9.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
  10. 10.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A website with no name says so.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  11. 11.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
  12. 12.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  13. 13.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A forwarded message says so.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  14. 14.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  15. 15.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  16. 16.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  17. 17.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  18. 18.True or false: In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  19. 19.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I saw it on a random poster once.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  20. 20.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  21. 21.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  22. 22.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) a chat forward (b) the city water board (c) a guess (d) an unsigned poster
  23. 23.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  24. 24.True or false: figures from the city water board is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  25. 25.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  26. 26.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  27. 27.True or false: “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  28. 28.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  29. 29.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
  30. 30.True or false: a story you are not sure about is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  31. 31.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
  32. 32.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  33. 33.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  34. 34.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  35. 35.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  36. 36.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  37. 37.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Studies show things.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  38. 38.True or false: “Some people say it helps somehow.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  39. 39.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) old and vague (b) loud and long (c) relevant and reliable (d) funny and short
  40. 40.True or false: In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True

Answer key

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

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