The four elements
Name one of the four things a central claim should be.
Debatable, a matter of opinion, specific, supported by evidence
Nearly 25% of all work related accidents are caused by OSHA violations.
Logos - argument uses researchable statistics to back up its claim
Well, you're a high school dropout, so why does your opinion on how colleges should work matter anyway?
Ad hominem - the response is a direct attack on the arguer and not on the argument itself
Either we cut all funding for medical research, or our country will collapse into chaos.
False choice - the argument attempts to make the issue into an either/or situation where one outcome is clearly better than another, when in reality a broad spectrum of possibilities exist
What year did World War I begin?
1914
What does the call to action do?
Tells the audience what to do next
By donating only 25 cents a day, you can help give a injured seals robotic flippers.
Pathos - the claim relies on the emotion of sympathy people might feel for the seals; it also ties in some guilt, as the amount per day is low enough to make the audience feel guilty for not doing it.
People that don't support the increase to school budgets just hate education and want to see kids go uneducated.
Straw man - the arguer attempts to reduce the complex issue of school budgeting into an issue of whether or not people want to see kids educated
How can you prove that aliens don't exist? Until you can, I’m going to assume they do.
Burden of proof - the arguer makes an outrageous claim (aliens exist) and leaves it to the opposition to disprove it rather than giving any actual evidence
What is the approximate distance from the Earth to the Sun (in miles)?
93 million
Which of the four elements is the writing below an example of?
Education World reports that “students who use newspapers [in class] tend to score higher on standardized achievement tests—particularly in reading, math, and social studies—than those who don't use them.”
Reasoning and evidence
Listerine is recommended most by dental professionals.
Ethos - the claim relies on the good character and authority of dentists on the matter to support itself
Why are we even discussing gas prices when there are so many people on the streets without homes?
Red herring - the arguer attempts to shift the argument away from the current issue to a different issue that they are more prepared to talk about
People who want prison reform just want to let all criminals go free and destroy the justice system.
Straw man - the arguer makes the opponent sound like they want lawlessness rather than what they actually want: simple reforms.
In a quest to replace rubber, James Wright accidentally invented what common toy?
Silly putty
Which of the four elements is the text below an example of?
The studies are clear: walking is good for your heart. So, to extend your lifespan and get the most out of life, try to incorporate walking into your daily habits.
Call to action
Michael Jordan is better than LeBron James because Jordan won six championships and James has only won four.
Logos - the argument uses factual data to support its claim
If we allow students to retake exams, next they'll want to choose their own grades, and eventually, there will be no standards at all.
Slippery slope - the arguer begins connecting ideas that are only semi related and implies there is a direct cause/effect relationship
Yes, it's true our company has a huge environmental impact, but what about the issue of unemployment? If you shut down our factories, our employees will end up on the streets with no food.
Red herring and false choice - the arguer attempts to shift the environmental issue to the issue of unemployment, and they also make the issue a false choice by stating that their employees will become homeless if the factory shuts down.
Who was the youngest U.S. president?
Theodore Roosevelt (42)
Which of the four elements is the text below an example of?
Virtual reality technology could greatly improve astronauts' emotional well-being on trips to space.
Central claim
As a leading expert in nutrition with over 20 years of research, I urge you to prioritize a balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables because scientific studies consistently show that this approach significantly reduces the risk of chronic diseases, allowing you to live a healthier and happier life.
All three - ethos for the credibility factor of being a researcher for 20 years, logos for the scientific studies, and pathos for the appeal to fear of not living a healthy/happy life.
My phone is missing, and the last place I had it was in the living room. I also remember seeing the cat in the living room at that time, too. Now my phone is gone. Obviously, the cat stole the phone.
Correlation vs causation - the arguer takes two events that happened in tandem (the cat and the phone being in the same room) and determines that the cat caused the phone to go missing when in reality the events merely correlated (happened at the same time with no connection).
If we allow schools to start later in the day, next thing you know, students will want to shorten the school year, and soon education will be completely irrelevant. Plus, studies show that schools with later start times also have higher test scores, which the later start time obviously caused.
Slippery slope and correlation vs causation - The arguer both connects a series of unlikely, only slightly connected events as being a likely outcome and also states two events that are correlated (late start and higher scores) have a definite cause and effect relationship.
According to Instacart, what the most disliked food in America?
Anchovies