ELA midterm review

Logos (appeal to reason/logic)

This is persuasive writing that appeals to the part of humans that likes to think. It tries to persuade us by giving what appears to be good, solid reasons to share the authors point of view. It uses facts, definitions, cause and effect, etc.

Pathos (appeal to emotion)

When the writer appeals to powerful emotions such as our love of our country, family, peace, and justice, as well as to our fear and hatred of the thing that threaten us.

Ethos (appeal to authority)

This is when writers rely on their authority, credibility, or general character.  They present themselves as trustworthy.  They may have education or personal experience that makes them an authority, or they may get their information from others who do, mentioning experts as sources to lend credibility.

Analogy 

a comparison of similar ideas, often used to explain a complex situation by showing how it is like a simple one

Cause and effect

This technique demonstrates that two or more things are connected by stating that one causes another.

Overstatement

 a deliberate exaggeration for emphasis or effect

Repetition

occurs when words are repeated in order to make a stronger impact on the reader

Rhetorical question

a question that prompts the reader to think, but which the writer does not answer because the answer is usually obvious to the reader

Sentence variety

occurs when the length and structure of sentences is varied in order to make certain statements stand out more

Understatement

the deliberate expression of an ideas as less important than it actually is

Level 1

Evidence - looks directly at what is in the text.

-quotes (direct or indirect)

-found in the text

-answers 4 of the W’s (who,what,when,where,why)

-references

Level 2

Analysis - what is learned because of the text

-inference

-analysis

-supported but not stated

-dives deeper 

Level 3

Theme - looks at concepts beyond the text

-abstract

-theme

-motifs

-beyond the text

Fallacies 

A failure in reasoning which renders an argument invalid

Overgeneralization

CONCLUSION IS DRAWN ABOUT A PARTICULAR GROUP BASED ON TOO SMALL OF A SAMPLE SIZE

Oversimplification

When a contributing factor is assumed to be the cause, or when a problem is complex with many factors but the event is reduced down to educed to a single cause. It is a form of simplistic thinking that implies something is either a cause, or it is not.

False causality

DTHE REASON FOR SOMETHING OCCURING IS SIMPLY BASED ON SOMETHING OCCURING BEFORE IT - Correlation may be apparent but not causation

AD hominem

“AGAINST THE MAN” OR AGAINST THE PERSON  - A PERSONAL ATTACK ON THE PERSON RATHER THAN THEIR ARGUMENT

Red herring

PRESENTS IRRELEVANT INFO TO DISTRACT FROM THE ORIGINAL ARGUMENT, THEREIN “WINNING” BUT NOT ON THE ORIGINAL TOPIC

Straw man

DISTORTING /ALTERING ONE SIDE OF THE ARGUMENT TO MISREPRESENT WHAT THE PERSON WAS ARGUING

Self-contradiction

When the argument progresses to state reasoning that is in opposition to the previous reasons presented.

Circular reasoning

BASIS OF THE ARGUMENT IS ALREADY BASED ON THE FACT THAT THE CONCLUSION IS TRUE

Slippery slope

THAT ONE EVENT WILL INEVITABLY CAUSE A SERIES OF OTHER EVENTS TO OCCUR W/OUT ACTUAL EVIDENCE

Bandwagon 

The belief that an argument is valid because a majority of people accept it.

Hasty generalization

A GENERAL STATEMENT THAT IS APPLIED TO A SPECIFIC CASE