Comparing Arguments

This is a fallacy that occurs when a speaker chooses a deliberately poor or oversimplified example in order to ridicule and refute an idea

• the tin man

• straw man

• Dorothy

• Auntie Em

this term refers to the diversionary tactic of switching the argument from the issue at hand to the character of the other speaker; Latin for "against the man"

• ad populum

• appeal to false authority

• ad hominem

• circular reasoning

This fallacy occurs when evidence is boiled down to "everybody's doing it, so it must be right:"

• ad populum

• circular reasoning

• claim of value

• faulty analogy

These are potential vulnerabilities or weaknesses in an argument

(usually involves failure to adequately support a claim):

• induction

• syllogism

• faulty analogy

• logical fallacy

What is a Straw man?

• Assuming that because two things happened, one caused the other

• Misrepresenting the original argument and then arguing against the misrepresentation

• Talking badly about people instead of addressing their argument

• Flaws in someone's logic or reasoning

What is a False analogy?

• Making it seem that one side of the argument opens the door to a slide toward a worst possible scenario

• Flaws in someone's logic or reasoning

• Comparing two things that really aren't the same

• Talking badly about people instead of addressing their argument

What is a key element to look for when evaluating evidence in an argument?

• The length of the argument

• The use of persuasive language

• The presence of logical fallacies

• The number of details provided in the summary

When comparing and contrasting a summary and an argument, what is true about their intentions?

• Both aim to persuade the reader to a particular point of view

• A summary intends to inform, while an argument intends to persuade

• Both are subjective interpretations of a text

• A summary intends to persuade, while an argument intends to inform

What is an essential component of an argument that is typically not present in a summary?

• A clear and concise recapitulation of the original text

• A thesis statement or main claim

• A neutral point of view

• A brief overview of the topic

What distinguishes an argument from a summary in terms of the writer's voice and tone?

• An argument typically uses a subjective tone, while a summary is objective

• A summary often uses a persuasive tone, while an argument is neutral

• Both an argument and a summary are written in a critical tone

• There is no difference in tone between an argument and a summary