Identifying Logical Fallacies

A parent argues, “The school should cancel all exams. Everyone knows that tests are unfair.”

• Red Herring

• Hasty Generalization

• Straw Man

• False Dilemma

A student argues, “You’re saying I should do my homework? I bet you were a perfect student when you were younger!”

• Ad Hominem

• Straw Man

• Red Herring

• Circular Reasoning

A teacher tells a student, “You must be wrong because I am the teacher, and I have more experience than you.”

• Appeal to Authority

• Ad Hominem

• False Dilemma

• Straw Man

A student says, “If my friend failed the math test after wearing a blue shirt, then blue shirts must bring bad luck.”

• Bandwagon Fallacy

• False Dilemma

• Post Hoc

• Hasty Generalization

A parent tells the teacher, “Either you pass my child, or you’re proving that you don’t care about students.”

• False Dilemma

• Straw Man

• Appeal to Authority

• Ad Hominem

A student says, “You have to agree with my opinion because all my classmates believe the same thing.”

• Straw Man

• Circular Reasoning

• Bandwagon Fallacy

• Red Herring

A teacher asks, “Why are you complaining about the amount of homework when there are students in other schools who have even more assignments?”

• Ad Hominem

• Red Herring

• False Dilemma

• Appeal to Authority

A student argues, “If we don’t get new uniforms this year, then soon the school will stop caring about any rules at all.”

• Circular Reasoning

• Slippery Slope

• Hasty Generalization

• Bandwagon Fallacy

A teacher tells a student, “You must be wrong because I have been teaching for 20 years.”

• Appeal to Authority

• Straw Man

• Red Herring

• False Dilemma

A student says, “I always study before tests, and I passed my last three exams. Studying must be the only reason I pass.”

• Ad Hominem

• False Dilemma

• Post Hoc

• Circular Reasoning