English

• Relevance


  How appropriate something is to what is being said at a given time
• Truth


  Something that has been proven by facts or sincerity
• Spot Factual or Truthful Information

  1. Consider the source

  2. Read beyond

  3. Check the author

  4. Verify supporting sources

  5. Check the date

  6. Check your biases
• Consider the source


  • Investigate the site you are viewing or reading
• Read beyond


  • Headlines can be outrageous to get clicks, so you should focus on the whole story
  • Read and look for details such as statistics, date, name, etc
• Check the author


  • Do a quick search on the author to find out if they are real and credible
• Verify supporting sources


  • Determine if the given information supports the story
• Check the date


  • Reposting old news stories does not mean they're relevant to current events; it should be updated
• Check your biases

  • Consider if your own beliefs could affect your judgment
• Evidence


  Available body of facts or information indicating whether a belief or proposition is true or valid
• Types of evidence

  • Statistical evidence
  • Testimonial evidence
  • Anecdotal evidence
  • Analogical evidence
• Statistical evidence


  Strongest type of evidence, comes in the form of number, percentage, or surveyed type data
• Statistical evidence


  • 75% of women in Tayabas City...
  • 8 out of 10 pediatricians recommend ...
  • 16 members of the legislative agreed upon...
• Testimonial evidence


  Use of celebrities is the core of this type, experts and authorities can also be used
• Testimonial evidence


  • Heart Evangelista, a well-known actress and fashion buff, recommends that Olay lotion is good on our skin
• Anecdotal evidence


  Often dismissed as untrustworthy and meaningless, when the speaker does storytelling
• Anecdotal evidence


  • After living for decades in Quezon, I can honestly say that the people there are kind and hospitable
• Analogical evidence


  Weakest evidence, when information about something is scarce and little is known, often used in a formal argument to increase credibility of the proof
• Analogical evidence


  • If we are going to ban firearms, we should also ban cars because they cause many more deaths than firearms do
• Argument


  Tries to convince us that something is true, consists of a conclusion and premise
• Conclusion


  The idea we are convinced to believe, indicated by words like therefore, hence, implies that, it follows that, so, thus, consequently
• Premise


  The support or reason showing that the conclusion is true, indicated by words like since, for, given that, for the reason that, because, as, is shown by the fact that
• Argument


  • Conclusion: Socially media bring a lot of benefits...
  • Premise: ...because it makes communication and information dissemination a lot easier
• Logical fallacy

  • Hasty generalization
  • Post hoc
  • Slippery slope
  • Appeal to authority
• Hasty generalization


  Occurs when an arguer draws a general conclusion from a sample that is either biased or too small
• Hasty generalization


  • Librarians are quiet people and disciplinarians
  • My roommate said her philosophy class was hard, and the one I'm in is hard, too. I warn you, all philosophy classes are hard!
  • I've hired three business majors as student help in the past year. All three were lazy and shiftless. Obviously, all business majors are lazy and shiftless
• Post hoc fallacy


  Occurs when an arguer assumes, without adequate reason, that because one event precedes another, the first event was the cause of the second
• Post hoc fallacy


  • How do I know that ginseng tea is a cure for the common cold? Last week I had a bad case of the sniffles. I drank a cup of ginseng tea, and the next morning my sniffles were gone
• Slippery slope


  When they claim, sufficient reason, that a seemingly harmless action will lead to a disastrous outcome
• Slippery slope


  • Newt Gingrich Says we must vigorously oppose any legalization of same-sex marriage. lagree. Once we allow same-sex couples to marry next we will be permitting marriages among three or more people. Next, we will allow people to marry their dogs, cats, and pet boa constrictors. Finally, people will want to marry their iPhones, BMWs, and Johnnie Walker Black Label, leading to rampant materialism and alcohol abuse. Clearly, same-sex marriage is a threat to the sanctity of traditional marriage
• Appeal to authority


  When an arguer cites an authority who, there is good reason to believe, is unreliable
• Appeal to authority


  • Hi, I'm former heavyweight boxing champ Mike Tyson. After a tough night in the ring, my face needs some tender loving care. Lather-X Sensitive Skin Shaving Gel. You can't get a smoother, closer shave
• Argumentative essay


  Persuade readers to understand and support your point of view about a topic by stating your reasoning and providing evidence to back it up
• Types of argument

  • Fact
  • Definition
  • Value
  • Cause and effect
  • Policy
• Fact


  Whether the statement is true or false
• Definition


  Dictionary definition of what you're arguing, plus your own personal interpretation of it
• Value


  Importance of what you're arguing
• Cause and effect


  What causes the problem and what effects it has
• Policy


  Why you should care and what you should do about it after reading
• Issues


  Subject that people discuss or argue about