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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 994 · 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.🔎 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
  2. 2.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) lots of students (b) 30 of 40 students
  3. 3.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  4. 4.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) True (b) False
  5. 5.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  6. 6.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  7. 7.True or false: In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  8. 8.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  9. 9.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I think I dreamt it.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  10. 10.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) an unsigned poster (b) a guess (c) a chat forward (d) the city water board
  11. 11.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very strong (b) very specific (c) not relevant
  12. 12.True or false: “A forwarded message says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  13. 13.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  14. 14.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  15. 15.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  16. 16.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  17. 17.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  18. 18.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  19. 19.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  20. 20.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  21. 21.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Some people say it helps somehow.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  22. 22.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  23. 23.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
  24. 24.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  25. 25.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) relevant and reliable (b) old and vague (c) funny and short (d) loud and long
  26. 26.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A forwarded message says so.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  27. 27.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I saw it on a random poster once.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  28. 28.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  29. 29.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  30. 30.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  31. 31.True or false: “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  32. 32.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  33. 33.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  34. 34.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  35. 35.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  36. 36.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  37. 37.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  38. 38.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  39. 39.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  40. 40.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence

Answer key

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

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