1 Fallacies: Strategies used to intentionally mislead, misinform, or deceive.

2 Faulty Analogy  Definition  Compare 2 things that are not really alike  Faulty analogies are NOT similes, though they generally use “like” or “as.”  Example  Teaching teens about sex and birth control is like taking an alcoholic into a bar.

3 Ad Hominem “to the man”  Definition  Attack your opponent, not your opponent’s argument  Clues  Strong biased words that attack a person  Example  The editorial called the defendant “a criminal, a moral degenerate, a seducer of young women.”

4 Misuse of Humor  Definition  Funny at first but then deeply critical  Example  The joke about former President Clinton and his affair with Monica Lewinski: “Can’t we just impeach Clinton from the waist down?”

5 Quick Fix  Definition  Catchy phrase or empty slogan will solve a problem  Clue  slogans  Example  “When guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns.” (National Rifle Association)

6 Either/Or  Definition  Give only 2 choices in a fairly complex issue, one right and one wrong.  Example  “America: love it or leave it.”  “Are you part of the problem or part of the solution?”

7 Ad Populum “to the people”  Definition  Appeal to emotions of the reader  Clue  Emotions replace facts  Example  Positive: use of words such as “America,” “liberty,” “freedom.”  Negatives: “terrorists,” “insurgents”  Positives in ads: babies, pets, families

8 Contrary to Fact  Definition  Something in the past might have happened and then today things would be different  Clue  “if” and “then”  Example  “If I’d gotten better grades in Jr High, I’d be getting better grades today.”  “If he had not been drinking at the party, he’d be alive today.”

9 Snob Appeal  Definition  Use/believe this and you’ll be like the rich, famous, and beautiful.  Clue  Promises to make a desire come true  Example  Drink Mountain Dew and your life will be one big adventure.

10 Hasty Generalization  Definition  Base an argument on weak or insignificant evidence  Example  If we elect her, our taxes will surely go up.

11 Bandwagon  Definition  Everyone is doing it; everyone believes it.  Example  Popular teens wear _______.

12 Over-simplification  Definition  Give one simple cause to a complex effect  Clue  False cause- and-effect relationship.  Example  I failed the class because the teacher doesn’t like me.

13 Two Wrongs Make a Right  Definition  Argue that you are just doing what everyone else is doing, even if the action is wrong.  Example  Why did you stop me for speeding? I was going just as fast as everyone else on I 94!

14 Questions to ask as you begin looking for fallacies:

15 1. Is the purpose of the text to persuade?  Yes= text may contain fallacies  No= text probably does not contain fallacies

16 2. Is the information in the text true?  Yes= text probably does not contain fallacies  No= text may contain fallacies

17 3. Does the text contain facts to back up the generalizations?  Yes= text probably does not contain fallacies  No= text may contain fallacies

18 4. Is the language literal or figurative?  Literal= text may contain fallacies  Figurative= text probably does not contain fallacies