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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 995 · 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.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very strong (b) very specific (c) not relevant
  2. 2.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  3. 3.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  4. 4.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  5. 5.True or false: “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  6. 6.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  7. 7.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  8. 8.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
  9. 9.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  10. 10.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
  11. 11.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  12. 12.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “My neighbour heard it from someone.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  13. 13.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  14. 14.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I saw it on a random poster once.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  15. 15.True or false: In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  16. 16.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  17. 17.🔎 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
  18. 18.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  19. 19.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
  20. 20.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
  21. 21.True or false: figures from the city water board is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  22. 22.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  23. 23.🔎 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
  24. 24.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) the city water board (b) a guess (c) an unsigned poster (d) a chat forward
  25. 25.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  26. 26.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  27. 27.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  28. 28.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
  29. 29.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  30. 30.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
  31. 31.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  32. 32.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  33. 33.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  34. 34.True or false: a story you are not sure about is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  35. 35.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A website with no name says so.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  36. 36.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  37. 37.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  38. 38.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  39. 39.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  40. 40.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence

Answer key

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

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