← Strong and weak evidence lesson New set →

Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 988 · 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.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) old and vague (b) funny and short (c) loud and long (d) relevant and reliable
  2. 2.True or false: In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  3. 3.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  4. 4.True or false: In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  5. 5.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  6. 6.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  7. 7.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  8. 8.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  9. 9.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) 30 of 40 students (b) lots of students
  10. 10.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  11. 11.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  12. 12.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  13. 13.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) make it bigger (b) check where it came from (c) round it to 100 (d) hide the source
  14. 14.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  15. 15.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  16. 16.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
  17. 17.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very strong (b) very specific (c) not relevant
  18. 18.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) False (b) True
  19. 19.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  20. 20.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  21. 21.True or false: In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  22. 22.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A website with no name says so.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  23. 23.True or false: figures from the city water board is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  24. 24.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
  25. 25.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  26. 26.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I think I dreamt it.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  27. 27.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  28. 28.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  29. 29.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
  30. 30.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) a guess (b) a chat forward (c) an unsigned poster (d) the city water board
  31. 31.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  32. 32.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  33. 33.True or false: figures from the city water board is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  34. 34.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  35. 35.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  36. 36.True or false: “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  37. 37.True or false: one friend’s guess is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  38. 38.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
  39. 39.True or false: “A forwarded message says so.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  40. 40.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True

Answer key

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

Free debate lessons, practice and worksheets at talentjr.in/debate-for-students