Glossary

Argument Using reasons to support a point of view, so that known or unknown audiences may be persuaded to agree.  

Assertions Statements which are made without providing any supporting evidence or justification. These may turn out to be true or untrue. 

Conclusion Reasoning should lead towards an end point, which is the conclusion. In critical thinking, a conclusion is usually a deduction drawn from the reasons, or evidence.  

Consistency - internal consistency. An argument is internally consistent when all parts of the line of reasoning contribute to the conclusion.  

Deductive arguments These aim  to prove that their conclusions are true - that the argument is valid. 

Fallacies Flawed argumentation, where the logic or validity of an argument is undermined by faulty reasoning.  

Inductive arguments These aim to show that a conclusion is 'probable' or 'strong' (rather than 'valid').  

Inference Drawing a conclusion based on evidence or previous steps in an argument. 

Line of reasoning This is established through the order in which reasons and evidence are presented.  

Logical order Good arguments present reasons and evidence in a structured way, so that information builds on what has already been said. 

Position A point of view, supported by reasoning.

Predicate The foundation of the argument; the aims of the argument; an underlying point of view; the assumption that underlies the argument. 

Premises Propositions believed to be true and used as the bases for the argument; the basic building blocks for the argument - that is, the reasons for believing that the conclusion is true. 

Propositions Statements believed to be true and presented as arguments or reasons for consideration by the audience. 

Reasons Contributing arguments put forward to support the overall argument or line of reasoning. 

Rhetorical ploys These attempt to persuade by using words in a way that sounds good, but which does not stand up to scrutiny.  

Salience This means 'relevant to the argument'. 

Substantive point The central point that is being made, or the core of the argument. 

Syllogism A process of reasoning where all steps in the argument are explicit, such that no other conclusion is possible (assuming that one accepts the premises underlying each step to be true).  

Tautology Unnecessary repetition, when the author makes the same point but in different words.