RHETORICAL DEVICES

The technique of delivering your message or persuasion to

make it more appealing, convincing, and effective

RHETORICAL
EUPHEMISM JARGON BUZZWORD
QUESTIONS

LITOTES HYPERBOLE PARALEPSIS SMOKESCREEN

 RHETORICAL
QUESTIONS
A question asked in order to
create a dramatic effect or to
make a point rather than to get an
answer.
 EUPHEMISM
A milder or more indirect word or
expression substituted for one
considered to be too harsh or
blunt when referring to something
unpleasant or embarrassing.
 LITOTES
Verbal irony in which
understatement i used to
emphasize a point by stating a
negative to affirm a positive, often
incorporating double negatives for
effect.
 JARGON
Specialized words or phrases used
by professionals.
 BUZZWORD
A word or phrase, often an item of
jargon, that is fashionable or
widely used in current context.
 HYPERBOLE
Exaggerated statements or claims
not meant to be taken literally.
 PARALIPSIS
Stating and drawing attention to
something by pretending to pass
over it. Also known as
“apophasis”.
 INFORMAL FALLACIES

FALLACIES OF FALSE FAULTY

RED HERRING AD HOMINEM
AMBIGUITY DILEMMA GENERALIZATION

SLIPPERY LOADED
BANDWAGON MATERIAL
SLOPE QUESTION
FALLACY FALLACY
FALLACY FALLACY
 AD HOMINEM
Attacking the person making the
argument, instead of addressing
the argument itself.
 FALLACY OF
AMBIGUITY
An argument using ambiguous
words or phrases, whose meaning
shifts and changes (to various
degrees of subtlety) during the
course of argument.
 FALSE DILEMMA
A logical fallacy that gives you only
two choices. Also known as
“either/or fallacy”.
 FAULTY
GENERALIZATION
(HASTY
GENERALIZATION)
A claim that is made based on very
little evidence. Also known as
“generalization fallacy”.
 FAULTY
GENERALIZATION
(ANECDOTAL
FALLACY)
Using personal experience or an
isolated example to support or
refute a claim.
 BANDWAGON
FALLACY
Believing something is true or
acceptable only because it is
popular. Also known as “ad
populum”.
 SLIPPERY SLOPE
FALLACY
When someone argues that a
certain action will lead to an
undesirable outcome via a series
of events, without providing
adequate evidence.
 MATERIAL FALLACY
Assuming that one event is caused
by another. The premises
‘presume’ too much- they either
assume the conclusion or avoid
the issue in view. Also known as
“fallacies of presumption”.
LOADED QUESTION
FALLACY
A question that contains a
controversial assumption. The
question attempts to limit direct
replies to be those that serve the
questioner’s agenda.