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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 990 · 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: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  2. 2.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  3. 3.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  4. 4.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
  5. 5.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very specific (b) very strong (c) not relevant
  6. 6.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Studies show things.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  7. 7.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A website with no name says so.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  8. 8.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  9. 9.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  10. 10.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  11. 11.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
  12. 12.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) make it bigger (b) hide the source (c) round it to 100 (d) check where it came from
  13. 13.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  14. 14.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  15. 15.True or false: a story you are not sure about is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  16. 16.True or false: “I saw it on a random poster once.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  17. 17.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  18. 18.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  19. 19.True or false: figures from the city water board is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  20. 20.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  21. 21.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  22. 22.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  23. 23.True or false: In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  24. 24.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) 30 of 40 students (b) lots of students
  25. 25.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  26. 26.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “My neighbour heard it from someone.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  27. 27.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  28. 28.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) a guess (b) an unsigned poster (c) a chat forward (d) the city water board
  29. 29.True or false: “Some people say it helps somehow.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  30. 30.True or false: figures from the city water board is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  31. 31.True or false: “I saw it on a random poster once.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  32. 32.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  33. 33.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  34. 34.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  35. 35.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
  36. 36.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) funny and short (b) loud and long (c) relevant and reliable (d) old and vague
  37. 37.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  38. 38.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  39. 39.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  40. 40.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence

Answer key

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

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