Logical Fallacies EXIT Continue… A logical fallacy is a statement that contains faulty reasoning. Don’t give your reader a reason to doubt your information. Persuasive writing especially requires sound logic to support opinions. MENU

Logical Fallacies EXIT What is wrong with this statement? Either we make snowmobiles in Yellowstone National Park illegal, or the park will be ruined. Click to see an analysis A logical fallacy is a statement that contains faulty reasoning. Don’t give your reader a reason to doubt your information. Persuasive writing especially requires sound logic to support opinions. PREVIOUS MENU

Logical Fallacies EXIT This statement sets up only two options when in fact there are other strategies for allowing some snowmobiles without ruining the park. It is too extreme to seem reasonable. Either we make snowmobiles in Yellowstone National Park illegal, or the park will be ruined. A logical fallacy is a statement that contains faulty reasoning. Don’t give your reader a reason to doubt your information. Persuasive writing especially requires sound logic to support opinions. Next PREVIOUS MENU

Common logical fallacies include the following. Click to choose the fallacy you want to explore. EXIT MENU Logical Fallacies MENU Overgeneralization Circular reasoning False analogy Either/or reasoning Single cause False cause

EXIT Logical Fallacies Continue… Overgeneralization An overgeneralization is a statement so broad that it can easily be disproved. Look for words like all, everyone, no one, always, never, none, when you revise. MENU

EXIT Logical Fallacies Overgeneralization An overgeneralization is a statement so broad that it can easily be disproved. Look for words like all, everyone, no one, always, never, none, when you revise. What is the overgeneralization in this sentence? The weather report is always wrong. Click to see the overgeneralization PREVIOUS MENU

EXIT Logical Fallacies Overgeneralization An overgeneralization is a statement so broad that it can easily be disproved. Look for words like all, everyone, no one, always, never, none, when you revise. What is the overgeneralization in this sentence? The weather report is always wrong. Click to see a revision PREVIOUS MENU

EXIT Logical Fallacies Overgeneralization An overgeneralization is a statement so broad that it can easily be disproved. Look for words like all, everyone, no one, always, never, none, when you revise. The weather report is always wrong. ORIGINAL The weather report is often wrong. REVISED Menu PREVIOUS MENU

EXIT Continue… Logical Fallacies Circular Reasoning An attempt to prove a statement by simply repeating it in different words is circular reasoning. MENU

EXIT Logical Fallacies Click to see the repeated idea Circular Reasoning An attempt to prove a statement by simply repeating it in different words is circular reasoning. Where is the repeated idea in this sentence? Snow leopards are endangered because they are dying out. PREVIOUS MENU

EXIT Logical Fallacies Circular Reasoning An attempt to prove a statement by simply repeating it in different words is circular reasoning. What is the repeated idea in this sentence? Snow leopards are endangered because they are dying out. Continue… PREVIOUS MENU

EXIT Logical Fallacies Circular Reasoning An attempt to prove a statement by simply repeating it in different words is circular reasoning. How would you revise to avoid this circular reasoning? Snow leopards are endangered because they are dying out. Click to see a revision PREVIOUS MENU

EXIT Logical Fallacies Circular Reasoning An attempt to prove a statement by simply repeating it in different words is circular reasoning. Snow leopards are endangered because they are dying out. PREVIOUS MENU they are dying out.

EXIT Logical Fallacies Circular Reasoning An attempt to prove a statement by simply repeating it in different words is circular reasoning. Snow leopards are endangered because PREVIOUS MENU

EXIT Logical Fallacies Circular Reasoning An attempt to prove a statement by simply repeating it in different words is circular reasoning. Snow leopards are endangered because PREVIOUS MENU so many have been killed for their fur.

EXIT Logical Fallacies Circular Reasoning An attempt to prove a statement by simply repeating it in different words is circular reasoning. This revised sentence gives specific information about why snow leopards are endangered rather than repeating that they are dying out. Menu PREVIOUS MENU Snow leopards are endangered because so many have been killed for their fur.

EXIT Logical Fallacies Continue… False Analogy A false analogy is a comparison between two things that are different in some essential way. MENU

EXIT Logical Fallacies False Analogy A false analogy is a comparison between two things that are different in some essential way. What is wrong with this comparison? Fishing without a license is like driving a car without a license. Click to see an analysis PREVIOUS MENU

EXIT Logical Fallacies False Analogy A false analogy is a comparison between two things that are different in some essential way. This argument compares fishing to driving. The two are not comparable. Fishing without a license is merely illegal; no one will get hurt. Driving without a license implies the driver isn’t trained, which can be dangerous. Fishing without a license is like driving a car without a license. Menu PREVIOUS MENU

EXIT Logical Fallacies Continue… Either/Or Reasoning An either/or fallacy is a statement suggesting that there are only two possible ways to view a situation or only two options to choose from. MENU

EXIT Logical Fallacies Either/Or Reasoning An either/or fallacy is a statement suggesting that there are only two possible ways to view a situation or only two options to choose from. What other possibilities can you imagine for this example? Either I get a private coach or I’ll never make the soccer team. Click to see an analysis PREVIOUS MENU

EXIT Logical Fallacies Either/Or Reasoning An either/or fallacy is a statement suggesting that there are only two possible ways to view a situation or only two options to choose from. The speaker probably has other options besides getting a private coach. Either I get a private coach or I’ll never make the soccer team. Click to see a revision PREVIOUS MENU

EXIT Logical Fallacies Either/Or Reasoning An either/or fallacy is a statement suggesting that there are only two possible ways to view a situation or only two options to choose from. Either I get a private coach or I’ll never make the soccer team. ORIGINAL If I want to make the soccer team, I need to practice more and maybe get a private coach. REVISED Menu This revision removes the limited options and presents a more reasonable statement. PREVIOUS MENU

EXIT Logical Fallacies Continue… Single Cause In a single cause fallacy, the writer assumes that an event has just one cause when there are actually multiple causes. MENU

EXIT Logical Fallacies Single Cause In a single cause fallacy, the writer assumes that an event has just one cause when there are actually multiple causes. Can you think of other possible causes for why people are overweight? Some people are overweight because they eat too much fatty food. Click to see a revision PREVIOUS MENU

EXIT Logical Fallacies Single Cause In a single cause fallacy, the writer assumes that an event has just one cause when there are actually multiple causes. Some people are overweight because they eat too much fatty food. ORIGINAL Some people are overweight because they eat too much fatty food, eat too much food in general, and don’t exercise enough. REVISED Menu PREVIOUS MENU

EXIT Logical Fallacies Continue… False Cause Just because one event occurred after another in time, the first event may not have caused the second event. Don’t let that kind of false cause reasoning show up in your writing. MENU

EXIT Logical Fallacies False Cause Just because one event occurred after another in time, the first event may not have caused the second event. Don’t let that kind of false cause reasoning show up in your writing. What might be the true causes for this outcome? Jason lost the race because he didn’t get those new running shoes. Click to see an analysis PREVIOUS MENU

EXIT Logical Fallacies False Cause Just because one event occurred after another in time, the first event may not have caused the second event. Don’t let that kind of false cause reasoning show up in your writing. While it’s true new running shoes might have helped, it’s more likely that several other factors caused him to lose the race. Jason lost the race because he didn’t get those new running shoes. Click to see a revision PREVIOUS MENU

EXIT Logical Fallacies False Cause Just because one event occurred after another in time, the first event may not have caused the second event. Don’t let that kind of false cause reasoning show up in your writing. Jason lost the race because he didn’t get those new running shoes. ORIGINAL Jason lost the race because he didn’t train hard enough, didn’t eat breakfast, and didn’t get enough sleep the night before the race. REVISED Menu PREVIOUS MENU