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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 986 · 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: a story you are not sure about? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  2. 2.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I saw it on a random poster once.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  3. 3.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) 30 of 40 students (b) lots of students
  4. 4.True or false: one friend’s guess is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  5. 5.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  6. 6.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  7. 7.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  8. 8.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Some people say it helps somehow.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  9. 9.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very specific (b) not relevant (c) very strong
  10. 10.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  11. 11.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  12. 12.True or false: “A forwarded message says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  13. 13.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  14. 14.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  15. 15.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  16. 16.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) False (b) True
  17. 17.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  18. 18.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) round it to 100 (b) check where it came from (c) hide the source (d) make it bigger
  19. 19.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
  20. 20.True or false: a story you are not sure about is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  21. 21.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) relevant and reliable (b) old and vague (c) funny and short (d) loud and long
  22. 22.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  23. 23.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  24. 24.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  25. 25.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  26. 26.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  27. 27.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  28. 28.True or false: In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  29. 29.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  30. 30.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Studies show things.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  31. 31.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  32. 32.True or false: In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  33. 33.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A website with no name says so.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  34. 34.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  35. 35.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  36. 36.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  37. 37.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  38. 38.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  39. 39.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  40. 40.True or false: “It is good for many reasons.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True

Answer key

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

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