Recognizing Argumentation Fallacies

Front 1

Fallacies

Back 1

Illogical statements that may sound reasonable or true but are actually deceptive and dishonest

Front 2

Begging the Question

Back 2

logical fallacy assumes that a statement is true when it actually requires proof.

Asks the reader to agree that certain points are self-evident when in fact they are not.

Front 3

Arguments from Analogy

Back 3

ignores important dissimilarities between the two things being compared and/or places too much emphasis on periphery comparisons

Front 4

Personal Attack

Argument Ad Hominem

Back 4

Tries to divert attention away from the facts of the argument by attacking the motives or character of the person making the argument

Front 5

Jumping to a Conclusion

Hasty Generalization
Sweeping Generalization

Back 5

A conclusion is reached with too little evidence

Front 6

False Dilemma

Either/Or Fallacy

Back 6

Suggesting that there are only two alternative solutions exist when there may be others

Front 7

Equivocation

Back 7

The key term changes at some point in the argument

The conclusion sounds logical but the definition of a key term has changed.

Front 8

Red Herring

Back 8

the focus of an argument is shifted to divert the audience from the actual issue

"Changing the Subject"

Front 9

You Also

Tu Quoque

Back 9

asserts that the opponent's argument has no value because the opponent does not follow his own advice

Front 10

Appeal to Doubtful Authority

Back 10

when the individuals cited have no real authority on the issue

Front 11

Misleading Statistics

Back 11

statistics are misrepresented, distorted, or overemphasized in order to influence an audience

Front 12

Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc

After This, Therefore Because of This

Back 12

two events occurred close together in time; therefore, the first must have caused the second

Front 13

Non-Sequitur

It Does Not Follow

Back 13

when a statement of fact does not logically follow the previous statement