Rhetorical Devices and Fallacies

an idea or conclusion that does not follow logically based on the evidence

• False Dichotomy

• Non-Sequitur

• Ad Hominem

• Red Herring

repeats an idea rather than giving a valid reason

• Slippery Slope

• Bandwagon

• Circular Reasoning

• Ad Hominem

draws a conclusion about an entire group based on insufficient evidence

• Hasty Generalization

• False Dichotomy

• Straw-Man

• Red Herring

gives false characteristics to an argument and then attacks an argument based on those false characteristics

• False Dichotomy

• Non-Sequitur

• Straw-Man

• Appeal to Tradition

attacking the person rather than the argument

• Red Herring

• Non-Sequitur

• Hasty Generalization

• Ad Hominem

presents the false assumption that there are only two possibilities (think: either/or)

• False Dichotomy

• Slippery Slope

• Non-Sequitur

• Straw-Man

the focus is shifted to a side issue or something irrelevant

• Non-Sequitur

• Red Herring

• Slippery Slope

• Testimonial

relying on the emotional passion of the crowd in making an argument; playing on a group's fear or prejudices

• Appeal to Tradition

• Ad Hominem

• Bandwagon

• Loaded Language

this argument says something is good or correct because it is a tradition

• Testimonial

• Appeal to Tradition

• Hasty Generalization

• Slippery Slope

works by moving from a seemingly benign premise or starting point and working through a number of small steps to an improbable extreme

• Red Herring

• Hasty Generalization

• Slippery Slope

• Non-Sequitur