1. Turn in your Socratic seminar followup.
1. Take out your Huck Finn books and I’ll
collect them while you write the journal.
2. Write Journal #28 (15 minutes):
 Freewrite…what is on your
mind today?
Please take out the following handouts:
“Corn Pone Opinions”
CARRDSS – Process for Evaluating Sources
Controversial Social Issue Library research
Upcoming assignment: Controversial
Issue Research and Persuasive Speech
 SITUATION: In today’s world, we face many
difficult situations that organizations and
governments try desperately to improve. Mark
Twain’s writings addressed some of the
important social problems of its time in his books
and essays. In America, we still struggle with
many social problems: homelessness, partisan
politics, poverty, violence, invasion of privacy,
and immigration policy, to name a few. Many of
us feel strongly about what the “perfect world”
would or should look like. What becomes a
problem is that we do not all agree on the
solutions.
Upcoming assignment: Controversial
Issue Research and Persuasive Speech
 ASSIGNMENT: Write and deliver a well-developed
persuasive speech that explores a viable solution to a
major, controversial social problem.
 Explain the controversial issue (problem) and the impact it has
on society.
 Propose a solution and support your solution with researchbased evidence.
 Acknowledge the concerns, biases and counterclaims about this
issue and the reasons people would disagree with your solution.
 Carefully refute these opposing viewpoints by arguing the validity
of your claim and addressing the value and credibility of your
gathered sources in support of your argument.
Content Standards: Listening and speaking strategies
 Organization and delivery of oral communications
1.6 Use logical, ethical,
and emotional appeals
that enhance the specific
tone and purpose.
LOGOS
(Logic)
PATHOS (Emotion)
ETHOS (Ethics)
Types of Appeals
 LOGOS (Logical argument): Appeals to the
rational intellect
 Appeals using facts, statistics, and other logical arguments.
 PATHOS (Emotional argument): Appeals to
emotional passions, needs and will
 Appeals to deeply held values, feelings and needs.
 ETHOS (Ethical argument): Appeals to the
kind of person you are
Appeals to sense of what is right or wrong based on life
experience, education, honesty, reputation
California Content Standards
Analysis and Evaluation of Oral and Media
Communications
1.13 Analyze the four basic types of
persuasive speech (i.e. propositions of
fact, value, problem or policy) and
understand the similarities and
differences in their patterns of
organization and the use of persuasive
language, reasoning and proof.
Types of Persuasive Speech
Propositions of fact
Propositions of value
Propositions of problem
Propositions of policy
Propositions of Fact (fact claims)
 A proposition of fact is a statement about
how things were in the past, how they are in
the present, or how they will be in the future.
 A fact claim is not always a fact; it only claims
to be a fact.
For example, "The Earth is round" is a proven
fact.
"In our right-handed world, left-handed people
are discriminated against" is a fact claim.
Can you prove that? That’s what research is
for…is there research that backs up this fact
claim?
Write one propositions of fact (fact claims)
for your persuasive speech topic here:
Propositions of Value (value claims)
 A proposition of value is an arguable
statement concerning the value (merit) of
something which is measured subjectively.
“Los Angeles is a better place to go for summer
vacation than San Diego."
 What makes a value claim arguable is that
different people may disagree on the criteria
used to evaluate something (e.g., weather,
live entertainment, water sports).
 Differing propositions of value may be
used to argue the value of a variety of topics
(e.g., movies, styles of living, community
organizations, or the value of a proposed
solution to a problem).
Write one propositions of value (value claim)
for your persuasive speech topic here:
Propositions of Problem (problem claims)
 A proposition of problem is when the main point
or viewpoint that the speaker/writer sets out to
establish or defend is put in terms of a problem
that needs solving.
 Presenting a problem claim requires that the
speaker offer one or more viable solutions.
 It is not the same as propositions of fact or value
or policy in that it centers on a problem and
follows a problem/solution organizational format.
Propositions of Problem (problem claims)
Your persuasive speech will
begin with a problem claim,
which is really your thesis.
You claim something is a
problem…and you offer
evidence to prove it is a
problem.
Write a proposition of problem (problem
claim) for your persuasive speech topic here:
Proposition of Policy (policy claim)
 A proposition of policy is a statement
regarding the merits of one course of action as
opposed to other courses of action--it sets out a
policy to act upon.
 What makes proposition of policy arguable is
that, even though people and institutions may
not be totally certain about the proper course of
action to take, they still must act.
 To argue in defense of a policy claim is to state
that, given the knowledge we have at the
present time, it is best to act in the manner
proposed rather than in some alternative way.
Proposition of Policy (policy claim)
Your persuasive speech, your proposed
solution is a proposition of policy.
You propose a solution and then offer evidence
regarding the merits of your recommended
course of action over other courses of action.
To argue in defense of your policy claim
you set out to prove that, given the
knowledge we have at the present time, it
is best to act in the manner YOU propose
rather than in some alternative way.
Write one propositions of policy (policy
claim) for your persuasive speech topic here
(this would be your proposed solution stated
as a policy proposal):
Content Standards
1.12 Identify logical fallacies
used in oral addresses (e.g.
attack ad hominem, false
causality, red herring,
overgeneralization, bandwagon
effect).
California Content Standards
Reading – Expository Critique
2.6 Critique the power, validity, and
truthfulness of arguments set forth in
public documents; their appeal to both
friendly and hostile audiences; and the
extent to which the arguments
anticipate and address reader concerns
and counterclaims (e.g., appeal to
reason, to authority, to pathos and
emotion).
Vocabulary word
(definitions from freeonlinedictionary.com)
fallacy (noun)
plural is fallacies
1. A false notion.
2. A statement or an argument based on a
false or invalid inference.
3. Incorrectness of reasoning or belief;
erroneousness.
4. The quality of being deceptive.
LOGICAL FALLACY
incorrect, invalid or deceptive
logic
An argument presented as
true but is either not true, not
credible or not provable—in
other words, not logically
sound.
Logical Fallacies: Ad Hominem
 "Ad Hominem" means "against the man" or "against
the person."
 An Ad Hominem is when a claim or argument is
rejected on the basis of some irrelevant fact about
the author or the person presenting the claim or
argument.
“Example: "Andrea Dworkin has written several
books arguing that pornography harms women.
But Dworkin is an ugly, bitter person, so you
shouldn't listen to her."
Dworkin's appearance and character, which the
arguer has characterized so ungenerously,
have nothing to do with the strength of her
argument, so using them as evidence is
fallacious.”
 http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/fallacies.html#12
Logical Fallacies: Ad Hominem
An ad hominem attack
is usually used when
one can’t win with
logic–it attacks the
character or credibility
of the person instead.
Ad Hominem
 This type of "argument" has the following
form:
1.
Person A makes claim X.
2.
Person B makes an attack on person A.
3.
Therefore A's claim is false.
The reason why an Ad Hominem (of any kind) is a
fallacy is that the character, circumstances, or
actions of a person do not (in most cases) have a
bearing on the truth or falsity of the claim being
made (or the quality of the argument being
made).
Logical Fallacies: Appeal to Authority
 An appeal to authority is when an argument is made
that something is valid because an authority says it
is.
 What type of authority you use is what makes the
claim more or less valid:
 A person who is actually an authority on the topic makes
more a more valid claim:
 A doctor making a claim that something is good or bad for your
health is more valid than if a celebrity claims something is good
or bad for your health.
 It is a FALLACY that the celebrity is a credible authority.
 "We should abolish the death penalty. Many respected people,
such as actor Guy Handsome, have publicly stated their
opposition to it." While Guy Handsome may be an authority on
matters having to do with acting, there's no particular reason
why anyone should be moved by his political opinions—he is
probably no more of an authority on the death penalty than the
person writing the paper.”

http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/fallacies.html#12
Red Herring
A Red Herring is a fallacy in which an
irrelevant topic is presented in order to
divert attention from the original issue. The
basic idea is to "win" an argument by
leading attention away from the argument
and to another topic.
“For example, if the topic is a new regulation to control
air pollution one person may claim that taxes are too
high and that there are already too many regulations”
(from http://info-pollution.com/herring.htm).
Possible origins of the phrase “Red Herring”
1.
2.
3.
In the 1800s, fugitives in Britain supposedly rubbed a herring
across their trail, thereby diverting bloodhounds that were hot in
pursuit.
“The Word Detective explains that the curing process turns the
fish a red color and lends it a distinctive smell. The fish was tied to
a string and dragged through the woods to teach hunting dogs to
follow a trail. Later, red herrings may also have been used to
confuse the hounds in order to prolong a foxhunt or to test their
ability to stay with a scent.
Another handy etymology source, Wilton's Word and Phrase
Origins offers a similar explanation, but attributes the use of the
herring to poachers, who used the scent to throw the dogs off the
trail of game so they could claim the prize for themselves.”
1.
Excerpted from http://ask.yahoo.com on May 12, 2010
REGARDLESS OF THE ORIGIN…A red herring is smelly
and certainly distracts attention (which is the point).
Beware the RED HERRING!
Red Herring
 This sort of "reasoning" has the following
form:
 1.
Topic A is under discussion.
 2.
Topic B is introduced under the guise of being
relevant to topic A (when topic B is actually not
relevant to topic A).
 3.
Topic A is abandoned.
 This sort of "reasoning" is fallacious because
merely changing the topic of discussion
hardly counts as an argument against a
claim.
Examples of Red Herring
 "We admit that this measure is popular. But
we also urge you to note that there are so
many bond issues on this ballot that the
whole thing is getting ridiculous."
 "I think there is great merit in making the
requirements stricter for the graduate
students. I recommend that you support it,
too. After all, we are in a budget crisis and we
do not want our salaries affected."
• http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/fallacies.html#12
Overgeneralization (or “hasty generalization”)
 A generalization that goes beyond the evidence.
 Extending the argument to include broad,
unsubstantiated claims.
 “All” or “none” or “always” are usually
overgeneralizations.
 “Writers and speakers can exaggerate in a number of
ways. Statements that make sweeping generalizations
tend to exaggerate and oversimplify reality, ignoring
important details” (http://ksuweb.kennesaw.edu/).
Examples:
“In times of crisis, every American supports his President.”
“All women love to go shoe shopping.”
Bandwagon Effect
The observation that people often do (or
believe) things just because many other
people do (or believe) the same.
“Jump on the bandwagon…agree with us
because everyone else agrees with us…”
An effort to win an argument by ignoring
relevant facts and logic and instead
appealing to a person’s desire to feel or
act like everyone else around him.
Think “Corn Pone Opinions”
Bandwagon Effect
Origin of the phrase (from wikipedia.com)
 “Literally, a bandwagon is a wagon which carries the
band in a parade, circus or other entertainment.
 “The phrase "jump on the bandwagon" first appeared in
American politics in 1848 when Dan Rice, a famous and
popular circus clown of the time, used his bandwagon
and its music to gain attention for campaign
appearances. As campaigns became more successful,
more politicians strove for a seat on the bandwagon,
hoping to be associated with the success.
 Later, during the time of Willian Jennings Bryan’s 1900
presidential campaign, bandwagons had become
standard in campaigns, and "jump on the bandwagon"
was used as a derogatory term, implying that people
were associating themselves with the success without
considering what they associated themselves with.”
Bandwagon Effect
Bandwagon Effect editorial cartoons
Bandwagon Effect editorial cartoons