Analyzing Arguments

Which of these is true of a counterargument but NOT true of an argument?

• A counterargument never contains a logical fallacy.

• A counterargument always includes an emotional appeal.

• A counterargument is presented so the opposing viewpoint can be refuted.

• A counterargument is made so an opposing viewpoint can be proven true.

Which of the two below are persuasive techniques? What type of appeals do authors use?

• logical appeals

• opinionated appeals

• emotional appeals

• strong appeals

In the paragraph below, which of the sentences is the author's CLAIM?

• Sentence 1

• Sentence 3

• Sentence 5

• Sentence 6

Which statement below is an emotional appeal?

• Making the wrong financial choices can have devastating, life-altering effects.

• Expanding our advertising for the annual street fair will increase attendance.

• Quieter study locations would help students retain more information.

• If we renovate the neglected homes, our neighborhood will be more attractive to potential home buyers.

Which type of evidence is used in the following example: A credible national survey found that 75 percent of households believe that CleanUp can handle tough stains better than the other leading brands.

• statistic

• anecdotal

• opinion

• quotation

What is the logical fallacy in the following statement: 'If you don't support the new Supreme Court nomination, then you must not care about justice or the legal system'?

• Slippery slope fallacy

• Ad hominem fallacy

• Appeal to authority fallacy

• False dilemma or black-and-white fallacy

Identify the rhetorical strategy used in the following argument: 'You should support this Supreme Court decision because everyone else does.'

• Bandwagon appeal

• Appeal to emotion

• Appeal to authority

• Appeal to tradition

Analyze the structure of the argument in the following statement: 'If the Supreme Court imposes stricter regulations on campaign financing, then political candidates will rely less on large donations. Therefore, imposing stricter regulations on campaign financing is an effective way to reduce the influence of big money in politics.'

• The argument is a comparison statement followed by a recommendation. It uses the form of 'If A, then B. Therefore, A is better than C.'

• The argument is a conditional statement followed by a hypothesis. It uses the form of 'If A, then B. Therefore, A might lead to C.'

• The structure of the argument is a cause and effect statement followed by a prediction. It uses the form of 'If A, then B. Therefore, A will result in C.'

• The structure of the argument is a conditional statement followed by a conclusion. It uses the form of 'If A, then B. Therefore, A is effective for C.' This is a valid deductive argument.

What logical fallacy is present in the argument: 'You can't prove that the Supreme Court's decisions are always just, so they must be inherently fair'?

• Appeal to ignorance

• Ad hominem

• Circular reasoning

• False cause

Recognize the rhetorical strategy used in the statement: 'If the Supreme Court does not act on climate change regulations now, our future generations will suffer the consequences.'

• Appeal to consequences

• False dilemma

• Ad hominem

• Appeal to authority