COMM 104 Exam 2

Plato

believed that education should focus on a search for truth rather than persuasion skills

address

which part of the "public" best represents the difference between how we speak to our professors v our closest friends?

Forensic

For the following scenario, determine which type of rhetoric is being employed: During an informative speech about climate change, a speaker discusses how past mistakes in production techniques have led to high levels of...

Deliberative

For the following scenario, determine which type of rhetoric is being employed: During a persuasive speech about climate change, a speaker details how an individual's everyday actions can have a lasting impact on the fut

Epideitic

For the following scenario, determine which type of rhetoric is being employed: During a wedding toast, a groomsman raises a glass to celebrate the wedding of his close friends.

Delivery

For the following scenario, determine which of Cicero's five canons is being used: The preacher's voice grows in volume as he becomes excited about his sermon.

Memory

For the following scenario, determine which of Cicero's five canons is being used: The speaker at the TED talk uses no slideshow or note cards when delivering their speech.

Invention

For the following scenario, determine which of Cicero's five canons is being used: When trying to convince their parents to go to the beach for vacation, the children gathered evidence that they knew their parents liked

Value

Determine which type of pre-invention claim (proposition) is being demonstrated: Cheesecake is delicious.

Policy

Determine which type of pre-invention claim (proposition) is being demonstrated: You should make your bed every morning.

Fact

Determine which type of pre-invention claim (proposition) is being demonstrated: People need food to survive.

False

A lawyer demonstrated kairos when she discussed her favorite coffee shop with the judge during the trial.

Self-actualization

For the following scenario, determine which need is being addressed: A self-help speaker provides tips for reaching one's full potential.

Safety

For the following scenario, determine which need is being addressed: A cop provides tips for preventing break-ins on the news.

Attitude

Determine which psychographic a communicator is considering when creating their message: Pop music is the worst genre of music.

Demographics

Which audience analysis factor is being considered in the following scenario? The speaker notices that her audience consists of middle-class older adults.

Value

Determine which psychographic the communicator is considering when creating their message: Christians should help others.

Psychographics

Which audience analysis factor is being considered in the following scenario? The politician tailors their message to match the popular opinions of their audience.

True

A bird watcher spots a bird and is trying to determine what type of bird it is. But since robins don't typically inhabit the area that they're in, they determine it is not a robin. This is deductive reasoning.

True

A person notices that their food is always burnt, and makes changes to their cooking to remedy this problem. This exemplifies inductive reasoning.

Disjunctive Syllogism

Which deductive statement is the following an example of? The object is either small or large. It is not large. Therefore, it is small.

Affirming the antedent

Which deductive template is the follwing an example of? If it is a cow, then it moos. It is a cow. Therefore, it moos.

applying a generalization

Which deductive template is the follwing an example of? Every person in our COMM 104 is an undergradute student at WVU. Jamie is in our COMM 104 class. Therefore, Jamie is undergraduate student at WVU.

applying an exception

Which deductive template is the follwing an example of? Every person who has a debit card has a bank account. Lauren does not have a debit card. Therefore, Lauren does not have a bank accout.

transivity

Which deductive template is the follwing an example of? Alex is in Winfield, and Winfield is in West Virginia. So, Alex is in West Virginia.

reflexivity

Which deductive template is the follwing an example of? If Aaron is a classmate of Antione, then Antione is a classmate of Aaron's.

misuse of authority

Which logical fallacy does the following exemplify? A famous actress claims a product will clear your skin.

appeal to mob

Which logical fallacy does the following exemplify? An college student expereinces peer pressure to drink.

Strawman Fallacy

Which logical fallacy does the following exemplify? An arguing couple starts to list all their problems with one another instead of addressing the problem at hand.

appeal to ignorance

Which logical fallacy does the following exemplify? A person claims to have seen bigfoot. Another person argues that bigfoot doesn't exist. The first person claims that the second person cannot prove that bigfoot exists.

appeal to emotion

Which logical fallacy does the following exemplify? A commercial for pet food shows pictures of pets who are overweight to convince consumers to switch pet foods.

ad hominem attack

Which logical fallacy does the following exemplify? One member of an arguing couple starts to list off all the things they dislike about their partner.

example

What type of evidence is this? Abby is a chatty person, as is evidenced by her tendency to not leave a conversation in less than 20 minutes.

representative sample

Which criterion best explains why this piece of evidence is weak? WVU is the best school, according to a small group of WVU seniors.

cause

Determine if the following piece of evidence is a correlation, cause, or coincidence. The more clouds are in the sky, the more likely it is to rain.

coincidence

Determine if the following piece of evidence is a correlation, cause, or coincidence. Nick had ice cream for dessert. Nick then got into a car accident.

physiological

For the following scenario, determine which need is being addressed: A dietician discusses the importance of eating regularly.

arrangement

For the following scenario, determine which of Cicero's five canons is being used: During a persuasive speech about the necessity of a four-year college degree, a speaker saves their most impactful point for the end.

denying the consequent

Which deductive template is the follwing an example of? If it is a cat, it does not bark. It does not bark. Therefore, it is not a cat.

statistic

What type of evidence is this? The world population is 8 billion people.

testimonial

What type of evidence is this? An expert on dolphin behavior claims that dolphins are social animals.

playing with words

Which logical fallacy does the following exemplify? There's a big difference between "let's eat, grandma!" and "let's eat grandma."

Rhetoric

The foundation of public communication and persuasion

Sophists

I have the power to manipulate messages

Plato

Find truth, don't manipulate

Aristotle

Persuade ethically. Rhetoric is creative.

Cicero

How can you make a good speech?

Forensic

Past

Elicit guilt or innocence

Ex) justifying actions, put blame on others, past events

Epideitic

Present

Praise, blame, instill values

Ex) funeral speeches, toasts or roasts

Deliberative

Future

Persuade to act

Ex) political speeches

Invention

Evidence, arguments, proof

Arrangement

Organizing, proof, evidence, arguments

Style

Particular language or words to drive point

Memory

Recalling information

Delivery

Physically and vocally presentinf

Proposition of fact

A claim that something is true or false, which then can be verified

Ex) "it's 95 degrees in WV"

Proposition of value

A claim that something is good or bad or right/wrong which can NOT be objectively verified

Ex) "cashews are the best type of nut"

Proposition of policy

A claim that something deals with "what SHOULD be done"

Ex) I SHOULD lose 15 pounds

Importance of "should"

audience analyis

Researching who is listening and crafting your message to them

Their interests, understanding, attitudes, beliefs and values

Demographics

Ethnicity, gender, occupation, socioeconomic, age, religion, education

Values

Measure of worth

Ex) freedom, honesty, family

Beliefs

Statements that are true/false

Ex) "buckling saves lives"

Attitudes

Approval or disapproval

Ex) "I prefer"

Kairos

"There is a right time to deliver a message"

Logos

An appeal to logic using arguments that are supported by proofs and evidence

Deductive reasoning

1. Theory
2. Hypothesis
3. Pattern
4. Observation

Inductive reasoning

1. Theory
2. Hypothesis
3. Pattern
4. Observation

Logical strength and deductive validity

does each element line up coherently?

Relevance

Other explanations for the relationship between the claim and reasons?

Non-circularity

do the reasons just repeat the claim?

affirming the atecedent

If A, then B

A - therefore, B

Ex) if the cheese has a past expiration date, it will be moldy

denying the consequent

If A, then B

Not B, therefore not A

Ex) if I am hungry, I will eat

I am not eating, therefore, I am still hungry

Disjunctive syllogism

Either A or B

Not A, Therefore B

Ex) someone is younger or older than me.

They are not younger. Therefore, they are older.

Applying a generalization

Premise #1: every member of F is a member of G

Premise #2: individual case X is a member of F

Conclusion: so, X is a member of G

ex: g - part of Greek life

f - everyone in a sorority

x would be both then^

Applying an exception

Premise #1: Every member of F is a member of G

Premise #2: Individual case X is not a member of G

Conclusion: X is not a member of F

Ex) G - NFL

F - Eagles team

X - tiger woods is in neither

Transivity

If a=b and b=c, then a=c

Ex) if drake is a rapper and rappers are musicians, then drake is a musician

Reflexivity

if x=y then y=x

Ex) if dogs are huskies, then huskies are dogs

Common fallacies

deceptive arguments that appear logical and may seem persuasive; however, with logical reasoning, they fall apart

Appeals to ignorance

person (audience) mistakenly believes something to be true that is not, since they do not know enough about the topic

Appeals to mob

assumes that because others are doing it, its correct

Appeals to emotion

reliance on an emotional response as the best guide for forming judgement, without using logical means

Adhominem Attack

personally attacking an individual rather than their ideas

straw man fallacy

Distorting the opponents argument or attacking an argument they did not make

Playing with words

exploits problematic vagueness, ambiguity, stereotyping, and slanted language

Misuse of authority

believing a claim because a powerful or respected person says it

Examples

illustrate ideas, experiences, and conditions

Statistics

Quotations of paraphrases from someone who is an expert on a topic

Testimonials

Numerical data to prove a point

Clarity

Is the source easy to understand?

Accuracy

Does the evidence match up?

Relevance

Does it support argument? Is it recent?

Precision

Is it straight and to the point?

Depth

How expensive is the info?

Breadth

How MUCH info does it provide?

Logic

Contains fallacies? Weak reasoning?

Fairness

Egocentric? Biased?

Sample population

was the correct group sampled?

Data collection methods

How were the facts obtained? Is it a valid way?

\# of cases

enough cases to prove a point?

Representation

Enough diversity in the sample?