Speech Activity #1 “Analyzing Faulty Reasoning”
Chapter 4: “Listening and Evaluating”
Assignment Sheet
Activity Purpose =
 to understand the various kinds of faulty reasoning
 to recognize faulty reasoning
According to your textbook, an important part of being an effective listener is evaluating
a speaker’s logical thinking.
Statements that seem reasonable, even well-reasoned, are very based on mistakes in logic.
This is called faulty reasoning, and it is very common. Good listeners are able to
recognize statements that are illogical—good listeners are able to recognize faulty
reasoning when they hear it.
There are 5 different kinds of faulty reasoning. Here they are:
1. Hasty Generalizations = These are conclusions or opinions that are drawn from
very few observations or that ignore exceptions. Remember that valid
generalizations are successful because they are based on sufficient evidence and
carry words such as most, some, and usually.
Example: Seeing John turn in his paper late today, a classmate might make the
hasty generalization that John never submits work on time.
Today may have been the only time that John had a late assignment. Basing a
conclusion on only one observation is faulty reasoning.
2. Begging the Question = This means assuming the truth of a statement before it is
proven. Listeners must be careful to see that speakers have actually proven what
they claim as fact.
Example: A speaker says, “With my plan, this country’s failed and ineffective
health care system can be remedied in a decade.”
The speaker has no proof that the country’s health-care system is an ineffective
failure.
3. False Premises = This is a stated or implied starting point for an argument that is
untrue or distorted.
Example: “We’re bound to have a winning team this year. Five of our starters
are back.”
This sentence is built on the premise that experience ensures skill and success.
What if the five returning players are just average as far as talent goes? This just
isn’t a good argument.
4. False Analogies = This is a form of reasoning by comparison that draws invalid
conclusions from weak or often farfetched comparisons.
Example: A band member says to a friend, “I wish you’d learn to play the
saxophone so you could join the marching band. Since you play the violin so
well, I’m sure you could learn the sax easily.”
Playing the violin doesn’t ensure that one could also play the saxophone because
the instruments are nothing alike…it is silly to compare the two.
5. Irrelevant Information = This is information that has nothing to do with the
argument being made.
Example: The merchandise at the Ultra Store is top quality. The manager has
clothing shipped in from all over the world.
The fact that the clothes come from all over the world is an irrelevant detail that
doesn’t support the conclusion that the merchandise is top quality. The manager
could be searching worldwide for cheap goods.
Activity #1
Scoring Guide
Evaluation Scale:
4=A
3=B
2=C
1=D
0=F