ad hominem
Latin for "to the man" this fallacy refers to the specific diversionary tactic of switching the argument from the issue at hand to the character of the other speaker
ad populum
this fallacy occurs when evidence boils down to "everybody is doing it, so it must be a good thing to do" (bandwagon appeal)
appeal to false authority
This fallacy occurs when someone who has no expertise to speak on an issue is cited as an authority.
argument
A process of reasoned inquiry; a persuasive discourse resulting in a coherent and considered movement from claim to conclusion.
assumption
see warrent
begging the question
A fallacy in which a claim is based on evidence or support that is in doubt. It "begs" a question whether the support itself is sound
circular reasoning
a fallacy in which the writer repeats the claim as a way to provide evidence
claim
Also called an assertion or proposition, a claim states the argument's main idea or position. A claim differs from a topic or subject in that a claim has to be arguable.
claim of fact
asserts that something is true or not true
claim of policy
proposes a change
claim of value
argues that something is good or bad, right or wrong
classical oration
five part argument structure used by classical rhetroicians
Exordium
Web
narration
Background
Partition
Thesis
Confirmation
Claim
Refutation
Counter argument
peroration
So what
closed thesis
a statement of the main idea of the argument that also previews the main points the writes intends to make
deduction
a logical process whereby one reaches a conclusion by starting with a general principle or universal truth and applying it to a specific case. Usually demonstrated in the form of a syllogism
either/or (false dilemma)
A fallacy in which the speaker presents two extreme options as the only possible choices
faulty analogy
A fallacy that occurs when an analogy compares two things that are not comparable.
first-hand evidence
evidence based on something the writer knows, whether it's from personal experience, observations, or general knowledge of events
hasty generalization
a fallacy in which a faulty conclusion is reached because of inadequate evidence
induction
a logical process whereby the writer reasons from particulars to universals, using specific cases in order to draw a conclusion, which is also called a generalization.
logical fallacy
potential vulnerabilities or weaknesses in an argument. They often arise from a failure to make a logical connection between the claim and the evidence to support it
open thesis
does not list all the points the writer intends to cover in the essay
post hoc ergo propter hoc
This fallacy is Latin for "after which therefore which because of which.," meaning it is incorrect to always claim that something is a cause just because it happened earlier. Correlation does not imply causation
quantitative evidence
includes things that can be measured, counted, or otherwise represented in numbers - for instance, statistics, surveys, polls, census information.
Rogerian Arguments
Developed by psychiatrist Carl Rogers, they are based on the assumption that having a full understanding of an opposing position is essential to responding to it persuasively and refuting it in a way that is accommodating rather than alienating
second-hand evidence
evidence that is accessed through research, reading, and investigation. It includes factual and historical information, expert opinion, and quantitative data
straw man
a fallacy that occurs when a speaker chooses a deliberately poor or oversimplified example in order to ridicule and refute an idea
syllogism
a logical structure that uses the major premise and minor premise to reach a necessary conclusion