scare tactics
achieving purpose by scaring people and exaggerating possible dangers
either or choices
reducing complicated issues to just two options, one obviously preferable to the other
slippery slope
stating that because/if one thing happened it will be followed by a series of others, usually to scare the audience
overly emotional appeals
use tender emotions excessively to distract readers from facts
bandwagon appeals
urge people to follow the same path everyone else is taking
appeals to false authority
when writers offer themselves or others as sufficient evidence to support a claim
dogmatism
assuming that a particular position is the only one that is conceivably acceptable
ad hominem
arguments that attack the character of the person rather than the claims he or she makes
stacking the deck
only showing one side of an argument, the one in the arguer's favor
hasty generalization
inferences drawn from insufficient evidence
begging the question
assuming as true the very claim in dispute
post hoc
a faulty assumption that because one event or action follows another, the first caused the second
red herring
changing the subject to throw readers or listeners off
non sequitur
an argument whose claims, reasons and warrants don't connect logically
equivocation
half truth or arguments that give lies as an honest appearance by using tricks in language
straw man
attacking an argument that isn't really there
faulty analogy
an analogy is an extended comparison that is made to clarify the unknown by relating them to things that are known
faulty assumption
making an argument that is supported by an assumption that is false