| Fallacy | Description | Example |
|---|
| Ad Hominem | attacking the person arguing rather than responding to that person's argument | politicians attacking each other's credibility rather than debating campaign issues |
| Ad Populum | playing on the prejudices of the audience | using patriotism to sell products, especially post 9-11 |
| Appeal to Tradition | arguing that something should continue because it has traditionally existed or been that way | flying the Confederate Flag because it's tradition, without thinking of the possible implications or statements being made by such an act |
| Begging the Question | making a statement that assumes the issue being argued has already been decided | arguing that an absence from class should not affect your grade because the attendance policy is too strict; you need to prove that the attendance policy is too strict, first |
| False Analogy | assuming without sufficient proof that if objects or processes are similar in some ways, then they are similar in other ways as well | raquetball and tennis both use raquets and balls, but it's not necessarily true that if you know how to play one, you can also play the other |
| False Authority | misrepresenting sources or failing to acknowledge disagreement among experts | an argumemt omitting scientific data that supports an opposing argument, while providing data that supports the first argument; or, taking a quote out of context to support your argument |
| False Dilemma | simplifying a complex debate into two stances, when multiple stances exist | people are often forced into simplifiying their stance on abortion as "Pro-Choice" or "Pro-Life," when other possible viewpoints exist |
| False Emotional Appeals | supporting an argument mainly with emotions, especially pity or fear, often in an effort to divert attention from the actual argument or conceal another purpose | asking for an extension on a paper because you just found out you failed a test, when the real issue is that you simply procrastinated and didn't do your work |
| Hasty Generalization | drawing conclusions from insufficient evidence | treating someone you've never met according stereotypes of that person's gender, sexual orientation, race, religion, etc. |
| Non Sequitur | using irrelevant proof to support a claim | just because a bunch of people went to see Old School does not mean it was a good movie |
| Post Hoc (Doubtful Cause) | mistakenly inferring that because one event followed another that they have a causal relation | assuming that someone's use of marijuana in high school was what led to that person's use of cocaine in college |
| Slippery Slope | predicting without justification that one action will undoubtedly lead to a second, often undesired, action | assuming that marijuana use will lead to use of cocaine |
| Straw Man | disputing a view similar to—but not the actual view—that of an opponent | Nixon's response to the accusation that he was campaign funds: that his family was given a dog, and they were going to keep it; failing to address the $18,000 in question |
