Phoenix PHL 320 Rhetorical Strategies and Fallacies

Rhetorical Strategies and Fallacies Worksheet

The following are some common rhetorical strategies:

· Innuendo: a leading suggestion

· Stereotype: generalized statements relating to a group of people

· Loaded questions: questions based on unjustified assumptions

· Hyperbole: an extreme exaggeration

Identify the rhetorical strategy in each of the following statements:

· Bobby may be a good bookkeeper, but you’ll notice he has a ton of bills. ______________

· If the Superintendent is so committed to increasing the scores in public schools, why are so many students failing and teachers resigning? ____________________

· All college students will graduate. __________________

· I simply won’t go into that department store; it’s full of snobbish people who disguise their happiness with designer handbags and shoes. _________________ 

The following are some common rhetorical fallacies:

· Slippery slope: If A happens, then B–Z will follow. Therefore, to prevent B–Z from happening, do not allow A to occur.

· Hasty generalization: rushing to form a conclusion based on assumptions; not based on clear evidence

· Post hoc ergo propter hoc: If A occurs after B, then B caused A.

· Either/or: looking at a situation from only two sides or oversimplifying the situation

· Ad hominem: attacking the person rather than attacking the argument

· Red herring or smoke screen: introducing an unrelated topic as a diversionary tactic

Identify the rhetorical fallacy in each of the following statements.

· Sally had a hamburger for dinner and does not feel well. It was the hamburger that made her not feel well. ___________________

· Although she is the top-performing cheerleader and captain of the team, we know she, like all cheerleaders, was selected for the squad because of her good looks. __________________

· I received a bonus within my first six weeks on the job, so I know I am going to receive a bonus often. __________________

· You can start exercising or die at a young age. _____________________

· He knows diamond mining is a dangerous job; however, how else can he earn his paycheck to care for his family? ______________________

· If you like to clean every day, it could lead to you becoming OCD, so you probably should not clean every day. ___________________

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