Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 999 · 40 questions

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.

1. 1.True or false: one friend’s guess is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
2. 2.True or false: “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
3. 3.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
4. 4.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
5. 5.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
6. 6.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
7. 7.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
8. 8.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
9. 9.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) old and vague (b) relevant and reliable (c) loud and long (d) funny and short
10. 10.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
11. 11.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
12. 12.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
13. 13.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
14. 14.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) True (b) False
15. 15.True or false: In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
16. 16.True or false: “Some people say it helps somehow.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
17. 17.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
18. 18.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
19. 19.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) make it bigger (b) round it to 100 (c) check where it came from (d) hide the source
20. 20.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) a chat forward (b) a guess (c) an unsigned poster (d) the city water board
21. 21.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
22. 22.True or false: “I saw it on a random poster once.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
23. 23.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
24. 24.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
25. 25.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
26. 26.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
27. 27.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I think I dreamt it.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
28. 28.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
29. 29.True or false: a story you are not sure about is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
30. 30.True or false: In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
31. 31.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
32. 32.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
33. 33.True or false: “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
34. 34.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
35. 35.True or false: a story you are not sure about is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
36. 36.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
37. 37.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Some people say it helps somehow.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
38. 38.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
39. 39.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
40. 40.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence

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