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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 972 · 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: In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  2. 2.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) 30 of 40 students (b) lots of students
  3. 3.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  4. 4.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  5. 5.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A website with no name says so.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  6. 6.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) a guess (b) the city water board (c) an unsigned poster (d) a chat forward
  7. 7.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
  8. 8.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  9. 9.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  10. 10.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  11. 11.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “My neighbour heard it from someone.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  12. 12.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  13. 13.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  14. 14.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  15. 15.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  16. 16.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A forwarded message says so.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  17. 17.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  18. 18.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  19. 19.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  20. 20.True or false: “A website with no name says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  21. 21.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  22. 22.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  23. 23.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  24. 24.🔎 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
  25. 25.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  26. 26.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) not relevant (b) very specific (c) very strong
  27. 27.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  28. 28.True or false: “Some people say it helps somehow.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  29. 29.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  30. 30.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) loud and long (b) old and vague (c) funny and short (d) relevant and reliable
  31. 31.True or false: In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  32. 32.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) True (b) False
  33. 33.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is strong 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: 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
  36. 36.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  37. 37.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
  38. 38.True or false: a story you are not sure about is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  39. 39.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  40. 40.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable

Answer key

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

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