Academic Argument
Appeals to pathos are which of the following?
a. Appeals to emotions
When using Toulmin's schema to organize an argument, it's important to include a claim, data, and a warrant. Which of the following is the best example of a claim?
b. Abortion should be illegal in America.
Which of the following is BEST illustrates deductive reasoning?
b. Apples are a fruit. Honeycrisps are apples. Therefore, honeycrisp apples are a fruit.
Which is the BEST example of a thesis for a proposal argument?
b. Obesity among children in America increases every year, threatening their health and quality of life. In order to combat these threats, schools should increase physical education and decrease the number of sugar-rich snacks available.
Appeals to logos are which of the following?
b. Appeals to logic or reasoning.
Which of the following is the most effective argumentative thesis statement?
b. The problem of homeless youth can best be solved by private charities.
In her paper about the benefits of public school, Mandi wants to strengthen her argument by including information about those who withdraw from public school to homeschool because they believe public school to be harmful. In one part of her rebuttal, she states, "All homeschooled children lack socialization and are socially awkward." On her first draft, her professor circles this sentence in red, suggesting revision. How does this claim in her rebuttal compromise the success of her argument?
d. It is too broad a claim.
Jared is writing a paper arguing for free parking on campus. What kind of support would NOT be an appeal to logos?
d. Testimony from students about the hardships of having to pay dozens of parking tickets a semester.
Consider the following poll question: "Which political party do you think is best equipped to bring the federal government's reckless spending under control? Which of the following is a suppressed premise of this question, with a misleading underlying assumption?
c. The federal government's spending is reckless.
When you evaluate an appeal to ethos, you should consider each of the following areas EXCEPT:
d. The emotions the writing evokes.
While writing about the impact of divorce on children, you find an article that cites a study that concluded a small percentage of children of divorced couples are later diagnosed with depression. Which measure of the STAR criteria does this statistic NOT meet?
c. Typicality
Sophomore student Marcus is writing a paper for his philosophy course on Plato. He has never studied Plato before. Which of the following is a good way for him to establish ethos in the paper?
c. Incorporate evidence from well-regarded philosophy journals.
Which question would you ask yourself to determine if a piece of evidence meets the Sufficiency measure of the STAR method?
c. Is there enough cited evidence to support the conclusion?
Which logical fallacy occurs in the passage below? This was a tough election. Dave Roberts ran a great campaign, and in the end he impressed enough voters in the district to win. I hope our district is better off with him in office.
c. No fallacy
Josh has been assigned to write an essay evaluating whether a book in his Young Adult Literature class is fit to be taught in high schools. What will make his argument the most effective?
d. listing three specific criteria he'll use to evaluate the book as good or bad
In a political speech, the candidate argued that if you don't vote for her, then you don't support children. This is an example of a false dilemma type of
d. logical fallacy.
Concluding that vaccines cause autism is true because many celebrities believe it is
Bandwagon
Which is an example of a logical fallacy?
d. If you had been here on time, we wouldn't have gotten in an accident.
Kim is writing an essay for her freshman English class. In the introduction of her essay she argues, "School uniforms equalize students and reduce distractions to learning, therefore public schools should require their students to wear uniforms." What is the conclusion of her argument?
a. Schools should require their students to wear uniforms.
You are reading an opinion piece on collegiate education versus technical training in your social studies course. The author states, "Universites provide both practical experience and as well as an opportunity for their students to broaden their world view through required general education courses, therefore a universities provide better education than technical training." What are the premises in his argument?
a. Universities provide pratical experience and an opportunity to broaden the world view
Arthur is preparing an argument to present for his class debate about addressing climate change, and he chooses to go with a classical framework in which he presents his case that climate change can be significantly slowed if meat consumption were lower. What should he do next?
a. addressing the opposing viewpoint
While researching for his paper, Claude came across an article that opposed the main claim in his paper. The article made strong reasonable claims. Claude doesn't want to include them in his rebuttal because he cannot prove the opposing claims completely wrong. Why should he reconsider?
a. Acknowledging opposing views demonstrates a solid, well-rounded understanding of the argument
You read an essay analyzing the methods used by codebreakers in World War II. Later you learn that the book's author exaggerated her credibility as an expert source. Which of the following would be most damaged by your discovery?
c. Your opinion of the author's appeal to ethos
Concluding that all dogs are vicious because one dog snarls and bites is a
c. hasty generalization
Emmett was reading a paper about the importance of using water purifiers and read that people should use water filters because city water is always contaminated. The author jumped to this conclusion without providing evidence. This is an example of a hasty generalization type of
c. logical fallacy.
Indicator words like therefore, thus, hence, and consequently help you find an argument's
conclusion
Maude is writing a paper arguing for a campus smoking ban. Which kind of support would be an appeal to logos?
d. Data from university landscaping about the volume of cigarette butts collected from the ground.
What kind of rhetorical appeal is illustrated in this example? "Never trust someone who doesn't like pets," he said. "Moral, ethical people take care of the weak and needy; pets are weak and often needy. Most importantly, dogs and cats have been bred to look like our own children--what kind of jerk hates children?"
b. Emotional Appeal (Pathos)
When you evaluate an appeal to ethos, you are considering:
b. How successfully the author establishes credibility.
Which of the following is the BEST description of an argumentative essay?
b. Lexi writes a paper about the causes of World War I. She claims that it was mostly caused by rising nationalism and militarism among countries, and provides evidence to support her assertions.
What are the supporting claims in an argument?
premises
Assuming that because a mosquito infestation came after the building of a dam, the building of the dam caused the mosquito infestation is
c. Post hoc
Which logical fallacy occurs in the passage below?. The votes are in, and Roberts ran away with the election. This district usually votes Republican, so that is why he won.
c. Post hoc
Each of the following is a way to establish your ethos as a writer EXCEPT:
a. Linking the opposition with an unpopular group.
In a Toulmin argument, Sheena presents the claim that bike helmets should be required on campus. Her warrant is that people want to be safe and avoid injury. What is the rebuttal to this argument?
b. Lots of people are unconcerned about minor bike injuries.
Evaluate these two thesis statements. Which one is stronger, and why? The local government is comprised of the mayor, the people he elects to help him, and the police, who work hard in the community to keep the peace. While e-learning has been criticized for isolating learners and not letting them make the social connections essential for real learning, most recent studies show that e-learning actually strengthens learners' social skills.
B, because it is a claim that is provable by research, while A's claim is much too vague.
Read the following passage. Determine whether it demonstrates deductive or inductive reasoning. Wendy first noticed the shadow on her wall one night while reading a bedtime story to her brothers Michael and John. John was already asleep, but Michael was fascinated by her story of a far-off land where pixies and pirates fought battles with swords. The shadow appeared the next night, then the next, every time she read stories about this far-off place, a Neverland, if you will. Since the shadow appeared every night at story time, and only at story time, Wendy concluded that the shadow on her wall, which looked quite like a boy, was attracted by the stories.
Inductive reasoning, because Wendy starts with a specific observation, looks for additional examples, and makes a conclusion with a theory.
Hannah is writing an argument paper on why cosmetic companies should stop testing products on animals. She read a source that provided clear evidence showing how animal testing has saved thousands of human lives because scientists have been able to determine what products might cause illness or death in humans before they are sold to people. Which of the following options below is Hannah's best way to rebut or refute the source?
She should acknowledge that there may be truth to the source's claim but then offer realistic and credible alternatives to animal testing that would still benefit people.
After analyzing the arguments in an editorial essay, you find that there is a common pattern in the type of reasoning of the author. He uses Straw Man, Ad Hominem, and Red Herring logical fallacies. Explain the similarity between these fallacies.
b. Each fallacy could be applied to a person or thing as a distractor from the main argument.
She wants to claim that the ad relies on a false appeal to ethos to sell pills. What is her best evidence for this claim?
The quotations in the bottom panel by reputable citizens (and witnessed by the sheriff) give the ad's claims an inflated sense of credibility.
What kind of rhetorical appeal is illustrated in this example? "Before I went back to school," she said, "I used to work in the food industry. I spent 20 years as a prep cook and then a chef. The best way to chop an onion is to make sure that it is washed. Also, make sure that you wash your hands afterwards. I once wiped my watering eyes with my oniony hands, temporarily blinding myself in the process!"
b. Authoritative Appeal (Ethos)
Which of the following is a key component of rebuttal/refutation?
Using a tone that doesn't offend readers, even those who disagree with your claim
You read a sociological study of marriage rituals in rural India. Later you learn that the study's authors had fabricated some of the data. Which of the following would be most damaged by your discovery?
a. Accuracy
Which logical fallacy occurs in the passage below? Don't be worried about the game. The Steelers are the most clutch team in pro sports history. There is no chance they will lose Sunday.
a. Begging the question
Which of the following is not a way in which an author may try to connect with an audience in an attempt to appeal to pathos?
a. Connecting through critical reasoning
Which of the following statements meets all the criteria of an argumentative thesis?
a. Legalizing undocumented immigrants benefits the economy.
Which of the following is not normally a part of rebuttal/refutation in an academic argument?
a. Omission of facts that support a view opposing your main claim
Read the following passage from "Can 8 Servings of Fruits and Veggies Make You Happier?" A study of 12,000 people published in the scholarly journal American Journal of Public Health found that those who started eating more fruits and vegetables felt much happier. On the basis of the study's findings, health professionals at the University of Queensland are developing an ambitious and costly educational program to persuade people to consume more fruits and vegetables. Suppose you are on the university board and have been asked to review the study yourself and decide whether the educational program should receive funding. Which of the following questions will be most important to your assessment of the study's conclusions?
b. Are there other explanations for the participants' increased happiness besides fruits and vegetables?
What kind of rhetorical appeal is illustrated in this example? Making improvements to the local public transportation system is vital to the economic growth of our region. Ridership has risen 12% in the past year, even though some routes have been eliminated and others decreased in frequency in that time. Surveys of local businesses demonstrate increased revenue when new bus route service is introduced in their area.
b. Logical Appeal (Logos)
Which logical fallacy occurs in the passage below? My opponent argues that funding for schools should be the number one priority of the next legislative session. I am surprised that my opponent hates the military so much. I didn't realize he was anti-soldier. I, personally, am a huge fan of our brave soldiers abroad and at home.
b. Straw man
The following is an argumentative thesis: Federal aid to Head Start programs should be increased to address the kindergarten readiness issue affecting children in poverty.
b. True
Which logical fallacy occurs in the passage below? The literature on the links between smoking and lung cancer seems so clear. But I think medical research is fallible. Take my grandmother for example. She smoked a pack a day and lived to 90. How harmful can smoking really be?
b. hasty generalization
Which logical fallacy occurs in the passage below? You know, that Virginia Starr may be a nice person and all, helping the orphans, feeding the stray cats, and building houses for the homeless, but she has got those tacky flamingos in her front yard and she wears those ridiculous hats. I just can't be around her and I told the preacher to talk her out of coming to the church ladies' league.
c. Ad hominem
Read the following passage. Determine whether it demonstrates deductive or inductive reasoning. Carrie was convinced that the rest of the students didn't like her. She was surprised when one of the popular girls took her under her wing before the dance. The most handsome senior then asked her out on a date. While getting out of the house was difficult because her mother was a little obsessive, Carrie went to the dance with the handsome young man and was crowned Queen. Immediately after, a bucket of pig's blood was dumped on her head. The whole auditorium laughed. Based on their reactions to this rather messy trick, Carrie concluded that she was disliked after all and proceeded to enhance the decorations in the auditorium with various flying students.c. Carrie used deductive reasoning, because she tested a hypothesis against the specific series of reactions of her classmates.
c. Carrie used deductive reasoning, because she tested a hypothesis against the specific series of reactions of her classmates.
Which logical fallacy occurs in the passage below? This election boils down to whether you want to make your community better. We have crime problems, we have too much poverty, and we don't have enough local investment. Your choice is clear: You either vote for Dave Roberts or you vote against lifting up your community.
c. False dichotomy
Sarah is working on her argument paper on why her campus should offer a pet-friendly dorm. Her friend at a different university posted online that she has her cat with her at school, which prompted Sarah to do some research. She found over twenty .edu websites online with pet-friendly housing options, but she couldn't find any numbers suggesting the total number of four-year schools with such policies. She is now working on her section where she is refuting/rebutting claims that pets are a distraction to students, especially in the first year of their post-secondary education, and are a bad idea on campuses. Which of the following is her best option for phrasing in her paper?
c. Many colleges and universities in America offer pet-friendly living options for students.
Which logical fallacy occurs in the passage below? Colorado, California, Washington, Oregon, and D.C. have legalized marijuana. Popular sentiment seems to be moving in that direction. I worry, though, that if we vote to legalize marijuana in every state, the next thing you know, we'll be talking about legalizing heroin. We already have a huge opioid epidemic in the country. Do we want even more heroin addicts?
c. Slippery Slope
Which of the following statements meets all the criteria of an argumentative thesis?
c. The no-kill policy at the local shelter needs to be reconsidered because the increasing stray dog population is proving a hazard to the community.
Which of the following statements meets all the criteria of an argumentative thesis?
c. While they are often seen as threats or pests, bees play an important role in pollination, and a look at the collapse of bee colonies around the country indicates we should invest in beekeeping in urban areas.
She thinks the figures in the four corners of the ad represent an appeal to pathos. Is she correct?
c. Yes, the drunken figures are meant to look ridiculous, and remind viewers of the ad that they do not want to be drunkards.
Which logical fallacy occurs in the passage below? That is a funny picture you took while driving on the highway. You could put it on your InstaCam, but everyone else in school is on FlashChat. You really should put it on your FlashChat story if you care about getting any new followers.
c. bandwagon
Analyze the statement and then choose the fallacy. All widgets are spiky. All porcupines are spiky. Therefore, all porcupines are widgets.
d. Non sequitur because the relationship is neither causal nor directly following.
Proposing that legalizing marijuana will lead to a higher murder rate is
d. Slippery slope
Xavier is revising his argument paper because he received feedback that his coverage of counterargument is insufficient. His thesis statement is that football stadiums in his conference (the SEC) should be allowed to feature alcohol sales. He just found a credible source with numbers proving that the frequency of fights and arrests is higher at college sporting events where alcohol is sold. The source goes on to suggest that no additional college stadiums should feature alcohol sales because of the findings. Which of the following is the best way for Xavier to incorporate but rebut/refute the source?
d. Xavier should include the numbers from the source, acknowledging that an increase in drunkenness and rowdy behavior may result from alcohol sales, but suggest the extra revenue could cover increased security and still include large profits for the schools.