1. Propaganda and Logical Fallacies
An Introduction to the Art of Argument

2. Propaganda
Propaganda is information, esp. of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote or publicize a particular political cause or point of view.

3. Bandwagon
Bandwagon: makes the appeal that “everyone else is doing it, and so should you.”

4. Glittering Generalities
Glittering Generalities: use of virtue words; the opposite of name calling, i.e., links a person, or idea, to a positive symbol.

5. Begging the Question
Begging the Question: a type of informal fallacy in which an implicit premise would directly entail the conclusion; in other words, basing a conclusion on an assumption that is as much in need of proof or demonstration as the conclusion itself.

6. Cardstacking
Cardstacking: Manipulating information to make a product appear better than it is often by unfair comparison or omitting facts.

7. Plain Folks
Plain Folks: attempt to convince the audience that a prominent person and his ideas are “of the people.”

8. Fear
Fear: plays on deep-seated fears; warns the audience that disaster will result if they do not follow a particular course of action.

9. Logical Fallacies
Fallacies are common errors in reasoning that will undermine the logic of your argument. Fallacies can be either illegitimate arguments or irrelevant points, and are often identified because they lack evidence that supports their claim. Avoid these common fallacies in your own arguments and watch for them in the arguments of others.

10. Slippery Slope
Slippery Slope: This is a conclusion based on the premise that if A happens, then eventually through a series of small steps, through B, C,..., X, Y, Z will happen, too, basically equating A and Z. So, if we don't want Z to occur, A must not be allowed to occur either.

11. Either/Or
Either/or: This is a conclusion that oversimplifies the argument by reducing it to only two sides or choices.

12. False Authority
False Authority is a tactic used by many writers, especially in advertising. An authority in one field may know nothing of another field. Being knowledgeable in one area doesn’t constitute knowledge in other areas.

13. Post Hoc
Post hoc ergo propter hoc: This is a conclusion that assumes that if 'A' occurred after 'B' then 'B' must have caused 'A.’

14. Circular Argument
Circular Argument: This restates the argument rather than actually proving it.

15. Ad Hominem
Ad hominem: This is an attack on the character of a person rather than his or her opinions or arguments.

16. Reductio Ad Absurdum
Reductio Ad Absurdum: a method of disproving a proposition by showing that its inevitable consequences would be absurd

17. Straw Man
Straw Man: This move oversimplifies an opponent's viewpoint and then attacks that hollow argument.