Analysis of an Argument

Argument Parts
• Claim- writer’s position on a problem/issue
• Support- reasons and evidence to help justify claim
• Counterargument- brief argument negating objections
other side will raise
 Strategies for Evaluating Argument

• Check the claim- do the reasons actually support what

they’re claiming?
• Examine the evidence- from trustworthy source?
Enough?
• Look for logic- fallacies/errors*
• Consider the counterargument- how strong are the likely
objections?
Logical Fallacies- sound good, but
don’t actually make sense
 Types
• Glittering Generalities- sounds good, no concrete
argument
• Hasty generalization- conclusions from too little
evidence
• Post hoc (or false cause)- because B comes after A, A
caused B
• Slippery slope- claim a dire chain reaction
will happen, with little evidence
• Weak analogy- comparing 2 things that
aren’t relevantly alike
• Straw man- set up weak/ different version of
opponents’ argument, then take down
• Red herring- going off on a tangent from argument to
distract
• False dichotomy (either-or)-makes it look like there are
only 2 choices, one of them bad
• Ad hominen (name-calling) – attack the other person
instead of the issue