Literary Analysis and
Composition 2014-2015
Tuesday, November 11
Composition 3.4
Study Island!
Composition 3.4
• What are our lesson objectives?
• Identify and use the steps in the writing process:
prewriting, writing, and revising.
• Identify logical fallacies.
• Identify logical and emotional appeals.
• Recognize the effect of logical fallacies and
emotional appeals.
Keywords and Pronunciation
•
bandwagon appeal : a statement that something must be right
because so many people agree on it
•
circular reasoning : a logical fallacy in which support for a
statement is a restatement of the same idea in different words
•
connotation : a shade of meaning in a word or phrase that makes it
different from other words or phrases with similar meanings
•
denotation : the dictionary meaning of a word or phrase
•
emotional appeal : an argument that tries to persuade by affecting
people’s feelings
•
false cause-effect statement : the false claim that because Event A
comes before Event B, Event A has caused Event B
•
false either-or argument : the false claim that there are only two
possible sides to a given problem
•
generalization : a statement that usually applies to an entire group
of things
Keywords and Pronunciation
•
loaded language : biased words used to stir up positive or negative
feelings
•
logical fallacy : false logic caused by an error in reasoning
•
name-calling : an argument that relies on insulting the opponent
rather than on logic
•
overgeneralization : a statement that is too broad or general to be
true all the time
•
plain folks appeal : an attempt to persuade readers to think or do
something because the mass of ordinary people think it or do it
•
snob appeal : an attempt to persuade readers to think or do
something because it may increase their status
•
tone : the writer's attitude toward the topic or subject
•
voice : the way a piece of writing sounds
Logical Fallacies
•
Persuasive writing needs to be logically sound in order to persuade
readers effectively. When an argument is not logical, the illogic
often arises from the presence of specific logical fallacies, or
common mistakes in logic.
•
False either-or argument
•
Explanation: Sometimes, writers try to claim that there are only
two sides to an issue, or only two possible solutions, when actually
there are more. They do this because they feel that the solution
they favor is the more attractive of the two they present. They
hope that readers will overlook other possibilities.
•
Example: “Either you will go to the movies with me, or you will go
with someone else.”
•
The statement is false because there are alternatives to the two
choices presented. It is possible to go alone, or not to go to the
movies at all.
Logical Fallacies
• False cause-effect statement
• Explanation: This occurs when a writer claims that Event A
caused Event B, when in fact Event A merely came before
Event B without causing it.
• Example: “The television was working fine until she changed
the channel. Because of her, the set broke.”
• It is false to say that changing a channel can in itself cause a
television to break. The set must have been ready to break
for some other reason.
Logical Fallacies
•
Snob appeal
•
Explanation: A snob is someone who thinks he or she is better than
other people, usually for false reasons such as having more money
or wearing a different brand of clothing. When writers use snob
appeal, they try to convince readers that agreeing with the writer
will make the reader better than other people.
•
Example: “I know you’ll want to join our club, because we hardly
let anybody in.”
•
The speaker implies that the club is especially desirable because it
is exclusive. It turns many people down. That has nothing to do
with whether the club is fun or worth joining, however.
Logical Fallacies
•
Plain folks appeal
•
Explanation: Plain folks appeal is the opposite of snob appeal.
Plain folks appeal asks people to believe or do something because
ordinary, humble people believe or do it. Actually, plain folks
appeal is reverse snobbery. It relies on the belief that ordinary
folks are better than upper-class people.
•
Example: “Eat at Auntie Lou’s Home Cookin’, where we don’t have
to explain our food. We make the same old-fashioned dishes your
mom did.”
•
The statement implies that appealing to simple tastes makes
Auntie Lou’s a good restaurant. Actually, simple food may be either
good, bad, or in between.
Logical Fallacies
•
Name-calling
•
Explanation: Name-calling is another logical fallacy in which an
argument relies on insulting the opponent rather than on logic.
Opposing views are attacked instead of analyzed to show how they
are wrong.
•
Example: “This paper is the work of someone who obviously doesn’t
know the first thing about the subject.”
•
Someone who obviously doesn’t know the first thing about the
subject may be a long example of name-calling, but it certainly is
one.
Logical Fallacies
•
Here are three other important logical fallacies to avoid. You may
already know some of them.
•
Overgeneralization
•
Explanation: An overgeneralization is a statement that is too broad
or general to be true all the time.
•
Example: “The trouble with pet shops is that they get their dogs
from puppy mills.”
•
The writer is claiming that all pet shops buy from puppy mills, but
common sense tells you that this can’t be true.
Logical Fallacies
•
Circular reasoning
•
Explanation: Circular reasoning is a logical fallacy in which support for a
statement is a restatement of the same idea in different words.
•
Example: “Adopting an abandoned pet from the shelter is a good idea
because the animals don’t have homes.”
•
If you suspect circular reasoning is being used, summarize the sentence
content in your own words. You can rephrase that sentence as “Adopting
homeless pets is a good idea because they don’t have homes.”
•
Bandwagon appeal
•
Explanation: Bandwagon appeal is a statement that something must be
right because so many people agree on it.
•
Example: “I can’t imagine anyone who wouldn’t prefer a purebred pet.”
This faulty reasoning strategy is meant to appeal to a normal human
desire to fit into a group by doing what “everyone else” is doing.
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