Baseline Flaw

Identification in the EVID

The following issues very commonly entail groups that may have differing starting points with respect to the focus of the CONC

• self-selecting groups

• experts dividing individuals into groups

Identification in the CONC

Typically contains nothing to point to a BL flaw

However causality and denied causality are common in the CONC when an ARG has a BL flaw

Group issues (self-selecting)

People who always take antacid before dinner

People who never take antacid before dinner

• do you suppose that pre-existing difference between the following groups of people leads the people take different actions

Group issues (Expert-Selected Groups)

People referred by their doctors to a foot surgeon

People referred by their doctors to an eye surgeon

Common Topics

TMs frequently use these topics

Roads- Imagine a busy five lane highway. Then, imagine a quiet, two lane rural road. These two roads will differ from the start.

• look out for comparisons that involve roadways, cross-walks, bike lanes, and so forth.

Doctors- If doctor selects selects a certain group for treatment and then selects another group for some other or no treatment, then the two groups will very likely differ from one another from the start.

Nature of the Flaw

A difference in the STARTING POINT for the two groups may explain the different (or similar) OUTCOMES of the two groups (in the EVID). But the speaker will attribute the difference in the OUTCOMES of the two groups to some other than the differing starting points.

Assumption

The STARTING POINT for each group is ROUGHLY THE SAME