Notes for the Exam
is just a fancy way of saying that you're stating your main point. A claim tells what you think is true about a topic based on your knowledge and your research. Ex: All high schools should have dress code policies.
tells why. A reason makes someone care and tells the importance of the claim and the argument. Claim: All high schools should have a dress code policy… Reason: …because it will lead to fewer distractions in the classroom…
Is the view that is against or opposite your own Ex: Your view-the death penalty should be legal. Opposing view-the death penalty should not be legal.
is a viewpoint that opposes your main argument.
Top down approach Starts with a conclusion & then explains the facts, details, and examples that support it. A type of logic in which one goes from a general statement to a specific instance. Its conclusion is certain. If all premises are true & clear, the conclusion must also be true. Ex: All dogs are mammals. All mammals have hearts. All dogs must have hearts. Ex: All birds can fly. An ostrich is a bird. All ostriches can fly.
Bottom up approach Starts with facts and details and moves to a general statement. Is based on probability Is strong or weak Can be proven false Ex: Basketball players are tall. Ms. Tamayo is a basketball player. Ms. Tamayo must be tall.
A form of argument based on character or authority. Credibility Ex: If you wanted to learn how to bake a cake, who are you more likely to ask? Katy Perry or Martha Stewart? Why?
A form of argument based on logic, facts, and figures.
A form of argument based on emotions, fear, desire, sympathy, anger, etc.
Notes for the Exam
Fallacies are common errors in reasoning that will undermine the logic of your argument. Fallacies can be either illegitimate arguments or irrelevant points, and are often identified because they lack evidence that supports their claim. Avoid these common fallacies in your own arguments and watch for them in the arguments of others.
This is a conclusion based on the premise that if A happens, then eventually through a series of small steps, through B, C,..., X, Y, Z will happen, too, basically equating A and Z. So, if we don't want Z to occur, A must not be allowed to occur either. Ex: If you fail this test, it will severely affect your semester grade. If you get a poor semester grade, you are likely to do poorly this year. If you do poorly this year, you will very likely not get into university and then you will be a beggar for the rest of your life.
is a tactic used by many writers, especially in advertising. An authority in one field may know nothing of another field. Being knowledgeable in one area doesn’t constitute knowledge in other areas.
Propaganda is information, esp. of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote or publicize a particular political cause or point of view. The following you are about to see are examples of propaganda.
makes the appeal that “everyone else is doing it, and so should you.” Ex: “Everyone else is doing the Quan, so I’ll do it too.
This is an attack on the character of a person rather than his or her opinions or arguments.
This restates the argument rather than actually proving it. Ex: Only intelligent people use our product, because they're smart. Ex: Those who criticize the government are unpatriotic and only unpatriotic people criticize their government
This is a conclusion that assumes that if 'A' occurred after 'B' then 'B' must have caused 'A.’ Ex: Sheldon’s mom prayed for him to return home safely. Sheldon returned home safely. Therefore, hi is mom’s prayers led to is safe return. Ex: The rooster crowed, the sun came up. Therefore the rooster made the sun come up.
plays on deep-seated fears; warns the audience that disaster will result if they do not follow a particular course of action. If you don’t use the new Anti-germ Febreeze spray in your home, your baby will get sick from germs.
This is a conclusion that oversimplifies the argument by reducing it to only two sides or choices. Ex: Either we build a new school or it will be destroyed in three years.