This is when someone attacks an opponent instead of addressing the argument.
What is Ad Hominem (argumentum ad hominem or attacking the person)?
100
When someone misrepresents their opponent's view in a way that makes it look easier to defeat than it really is.
What is a straw man?
100
When someone turns an accusation around on their opponent instead of addressing the accusation.
What is accusing your opponent of doing what he/she is accusing you of (or worse, a.k.a. tu quoque)?
100
This standard deals with providing specific details.
What is precision?
100
This element of thought consists of presuppositions, axioms, and taking things for granted.
What are assumptions?
200
This is when someone emphasizes what seems to have passed the test of time, relying on social norms or traditional beliefs instead of providing reason-based arguments.
What is an appeal to tradition or faith?
200
When someone unfairly demands stipulations in their opponent in an attempt to discredit their opponent's position/argument.
What is a call for perfection (demand impossible conditions)?
200
When someone proposes that if an action is taken/not taken, it will lead to disaster when there really isn't any proof given.
What is a slippery slope?
200
This standard deals with elaboration of a point, expressing it different ways so it is easier to understand.
What is clarity?
200
This element of thought is about conclusions and solutions.
What are interpretation and inferences?
300
This is when someone uses humor to humiliate their opponent in an attempt to discredit or make him/her appear weak.
What is make your opponent look ridiculous (lost in the laugh)?
300
When someone uses a symbol or person in power to back their argument instead of relying on reasonable arguments.
What is an appeal to authority (argumentum ad verecundiam)?
300
When someone calls upon the shared (sacred) beliefs and values of their audience and the prejudices that are inherent with them instead of relying upon reasonable arguments.
What is an appeal to popular passions (argumentum ad populum)?
300
This standard deals with how ideas are connected and how that connection affects the topic.
What is relevance?
300
This element of thought refers to frames of reference, perspective, orientations, and world view.
What is point of view?
400
When someone holds to a position simply because they assert that it is the most correct one without legitimately explaining why.
What is assuming a posture of righteousness?
400
When someone presents an argument as an either/or situation, painting it as a black & white issue when in reality the issue is far more complex (and more options are viable.)
What is creating a false dilemma (false dichotomy)?
400
When someone weasels out of their mistakes, covers up their errors, and/or guards what they say with catch phrases instead of addressing their errors.
What is hedging what you say?
400
This standard deals with addressing the complexities of a topic.
What is depth?
400
This element of thought deals with theories, definitions, laws, principles, and models.
What are concepts?
500
When someone pays compliments to his/her audience in an attempt to charm them instead of relying on solid, reasonable arguments.
What is flattering your audience?
500
When someone attempts to undermine the faith of an audience by presenting facts that disagree with his/her argument as unreliable (without providing legitimate reasons as to why.)
What is attacking the evidence?
500
When someone justifies immoral/unethical behavior by claiming that it was a necessary evil due to harshness of the world in which we live.
What is the hard-cruel-world argument?
500
This standard deals with how well an argument fits together, makes sense, and how well-matched the evidence is with the reasoning it is attached to.
What is logic?
500
This element of thought focuses on the key problem or issue at hand.