Q&A Hero

Q: What kind of reasoning is exemplified in the following statement? According to a study by the University of Michigan, married men in the United States earn an average of 31 percent more money than unmarried men. It seems clear, then, that for many men being married is a major factor in financial success. a. causal reasoning b. analogical reasoning c. reasoning from principle d. statistical reasoning e. deductive reasoning

Q: According to your textbook, what kind of reasoning is used in the following statement? We do not have to look very far to find reasons for the explosion in the number of violent crimes committed by teenagers in the United States. Not only are guns readily available to teenagers, but todays teenagers have grown up in a culture that glamorizes violence in television and films. The average child in the U.S. has seen more than 20,000 murders on television by the time he or she turns eighteen. Is it any wonder that many of those children are now committing violent crimes themselves? a. analogical reasoning b. reasoning from principle c. causal reasoning d. reasoning from deduction e. analytical reasoning

Q: According to your textbook, what kind of reasoning is used in the following statement? U.S. children raised in two-parent families with incomes below the poverty line have a greater incidence of school absences, lower test scores, and less chance of finishing high school than do children raised in one-parent households with incomes at least 10 percent above the poverty line. We can see, therefore, that it is the economic stability of the family, not its family structure, that determines a childs ability to succeed in school. a. chain reasoning b. causal reasoning c. deductive reasoning d. analogical reasoning e. practical reasoning

Q: Which of the following does your textbook say about causal reasoning? a. Causal reasoning should be used only in persuasive speeches on a question of policy. b. When using causal reasoning, you should be especially careful to avoid the ad hominem fallacy. c. Causal reasoning should be supplemented with analogical reasoning. d. When using causal reasoning, you need to discuss the cause before the effect. e. Causal reasoning can be tricky because the relationship between causes and effects is not always clear.

Q: According to your textbook, what error in reasoning should a speaker watch out for when using causal reasoning in a persuasive speech? a. claiming a causal link between two events when they are merely coincidental b. assuming that events have only one cause when there may be multiple causes c. committing the post nobis fallacy of using inappropriate causal evidence d. all of the above e. a and b only

Q: What kind of reasoning is used in the following statement? Politicians who are guilty of corruption do not deserve to be reelected. Last year our U.S. representative was proved to be corrupt by using campaign donations for personal financial gain. Therefore, our U.S. representative does not deserve to be reelected. a. reasoning from specific instances b. causal reasoning c. reasoning by generalization d. analogical reasoning e. reasoning from principle

Q: In her speech on chewing tobacco, Catherine made the following argument: To be effective, laws governing chewing tobacco sales to minors must be enforced and must have adequate penalties for people who violate the law. My proposal will significantly increase both enforcement provisions and penalties for violators. Therefore, my plan will be effective. What kind of reasoning did Catherine use? a. reasoning from principle b. reasoning from analogy c. reasoning from specific instances d. reasoning from expediency e. reasoning from need

Q: What kind of reasoning is used in the following statement? We should be taking every step we can to protect our health. Getting vaccinated against bacterial meningitis will help protect our health. Therefore, each of us should get vaccinated against bacterial meningitis. a. reasoning from cause b. reasoning from prudence c. reasoning from specific instances d. reasoning from principle e. reasoning from safety

Q: As your textbook explains, when reasoning from principle in a persuasive speech, it is particularly important that you a. establish the credibility of your causal premise. b. draw your conclusion from a large and representative sample. c. assess whether you need to support your general principle with evidence. d. make sure your general principle and minor premise are analogous. e. balance the time spent on your minor premise and causal premise.

Q: According to your textbook, when you reason in a persuasive speech from a general principle to a specific conclusion, you are using a. analogical reasoning. b. reasoning from principle. c. reasoning by generalization. d. reasoning from premises. e. universal reasoning.

Q: What kind of reasoning is used in the following statement? The income of male accountants is 20 percent higher than the income of female accountants. There is a similar difference between the income of male and female lawyers. Even among doctors, we find an income gap of 20 percent or more within most medical specialties. It is clear that in many professions women continue to earn less than men. a. reasoning from gender b. reasoning from comparison c. reasoning from specific instances d. reasoning from general cases e. reasoning from principle

Q: What kind of reasoning is used in the following statement? In the 1770s, the American colonists boycotted British tea and had a big impact on British trade. In 1993, manufacturers in Bangladesh released 150,000 child laborers as a result of threatened boycotts against their products. More recently, Colgate has stopped animal testing for its personal care products in response to consumer boycotts. It is clear from these examples that boycotts have long been used as an instrument of social change. a. circular reasoning b. analogical reasoning c. deductive reasoning d. reasoning from specific instances e. reasoning from principle

Q: What kind of reasoning is used in the following statement? In recent years there have been a number of highly publicized cases of sexual harassment in business, government, and education. Thus we can conclude that sexual harassment continues to be a problem for women in the workplace. a. causal reasoning b. reasoning from principle c. reasoning from specific instances d. emotional reasoning e. analogical reasoning

Q: What kind of reasoning is used in the following statement? In recent months, newspapers have carried reports of vicious dogs attacking people in Los Angeles, St. Louis, Boston, and Orlando. These reports show that dog attacks are an increasingly serious problem nationwide. a. analogical reasoning b. reasoning from principle c. journalistic reasoning d. reasoning from specific instances e. causal reasoning

Q: According to your textbook, what kind of reasoning is used in the following statement? Last summer, a five-year-old boy in Seattle was killed by his brother when the two were playing with their fathers gun. Last month, four-year-old Dylan Jackson accidentally killed himself after finding a loaded gun at a friends home during a birthday party. In Tampa, Florida, a two-year-old shot himself in the chest with a pistol left in the family couch. Clearly, children in America are at risk from gun accidents. a. chain reasoning b. reasoning from principle c. deductive reasoning d. reasoning from specific instances e. analogical reasoning

Q: According to your textbook, when reasoning from specific instances in a persuasive speech, it is particularly important to a. cite specific instances that are familiar to your audience. b. state the conclusion before the specific instances that support it. c. reinforce the specific instances with statistics and testimony. d. use a hypothetical example to relate the specific instances to the audience. e. take care that the specific instances being compared are essentially alike.

Q: According to your textbook, when you reason from specific instances in a persuasive speech, you should a. reinforce your argument with statistics and testimony. b. include at least one extended example among your specific instances. c. avoid drawing conclusions from too few instances. d. all of the above. e. a and c only.

Q: When reasoning from specific instances in a persuasive speech, you should be careful to a. avoid the fallacy of post hoc, ergo propter hoc. b. use specific instances that are typical. c. state your conclusion before the specific instances that prove it. d. all of the above. e. b and c only.

Q: According to your textbook, as a persuasive speaker, your two major concerns with respect to reasoning are to a. establish credibility and reason correctly. b. make sure your reasoning is clear and credible. c. avoid fallacies and support reasoning with testimony. d. adapt reasoning to both hostile and favorable listeners. e. make sure your reasoning is sound and convincing.

Q: As your textbook explains, reasoning is a. the use of vivid language to create emotional appeal. b. the process of drawing a conclusion on the basis of evidence. c. the easiest way to establish common ground with your audience. d. the use of sources that are competent and credible. e. the least important aspect of persuasive speaking.

Q: According to your textbook, all of the following are tips for using evidence in a persuasive speech except a. Present evidence in specific rather than general terms. b. Balance the amount of evidence used to support each main point. c. Support ideas with evidence that is new to the audience. d. Make clear the point your evidence is supposed to prove. e. Rely on evidence from competent, credible sources.

Q: As your textbook explains, when you use evidence in a persuasive speech, you should a. use evidence from credible sources. b. tell the audience what the evidence proves. c. choose evidence that is familiar to the audience. d. all of the above. e. a and b only.

Q: As your textbook explains, studies have found that public speakers will usually be more persuasive when they a. use specific evidence. b. use evidence from credible sources. c. use evidence that is new to the audience. d. all of the above. e. a and b only.

Q: Studies have found that public speakers will usually be more persuasive when they a. use evidence that is already familiar to the audience. b. present evidence in specific rather than general terms. c. state evidence without drawing explicit conclusions from it. d. avoid emotional appeals when seeking action from the audience. e. speak slightly slower than normal when delivering the speech.

Q: According to your textbook, it is especially important to use evidence in a persuasive speech in order to a. reinforce your competence on the topic. b. establish common ground with your audience. c. answer listeners objections to your position. d. generate goodwill among your audience. e. reinforce your reasoning.

Q: When giving a persuasive speech to an audience that opposes your point of view, it is especially important that you use _________ to answer their objections to your views. a. visual aids b. syllogisms c. credibility statements d. emotional appeals e. evidence

Q: According to your textbook, using evidence in a persuasive speech can a. increase the speakers credibility. b. inoculate listeners against counterpersuasion. c. compensate for fallacious reasoning. d. all of the above. e. a and b only.

Q: Using evidence is especially critical in a persuasive speech when your target audience a. is apathetic about your point of view. b. is neutral toward your point of view. c. supports your point of view. d. opposes your point of view. e. is not sure of your point of view.

Q: Evidence and reasoning are the two major elements of persuasion that Aristotle called a. pathos. b. logos. c. credos. d. ethos. e. mythos.

Q: Audience members were unsure about the credibility of Jim Gilchrist, founder of the Minuteman Project border patrol group, when he came to speak on campus. As he spoke, he built his credibility by using high-quality evidence and relating to the concerns of his audience. After the speech, students agreed they would like to have him visit campus again for a roundtable discussion. According to your textbook, the credibility that Gilchrist produced by the end of his speech is called _________ credibility. a. steady b. perceived c. developed d. ongoing e. terminal

Q: Developer Martin Cray had low credibility when he began his speech to a neighborhood group opposed to a new shopping center he hoped to build. During the speech, his credibility increased because his audience was impressed with his command of the facts and his willingness to work with the neighborhood on plans for the shopping center. According to your textbook, the credibility produced by everything Martin said and did during the speech is called _________ credibility. a. derived b. functional c. perceived d. variable e. ongoing

Q: A local landlord with a reputation for failing to return security deposits at the end of a lease has been invited to present his viewpoint at a meeting of the local tenants union. To everyones surprise, the landlord accepts the invitation despite the fact that he will be facing an audience with a decidedly negative view of his integrity. What factor will the landlord have to overcome if his speech is to have any chance of being persuasive? a. low initial credibility b. low generated credibility c. low introductory credibility d. low terminal credibility e. low derived credibility

Q: Eframs audience was persuaded by his speech because they perceived him to be sincere, trustworthy, and to have their best interests at heart. Which factor of credibility influenced Eframs audience? a. dynamism b. charisma c. expertise d. character e. competence

Q: Which of the following statements about speaker credibility is true? a. A speakers credibility is affected above all by how the audience perceives the speakers personal appearance. b. A speakers credibility is affected above all by how the audience perceives the speakers competence and character. c. A speakers credibility is affected above all by how the audience perceives the speakers manner of delivery. d. A speakers credibility is affected above all by how the audience perceives the speakers personality and reputation. e. A speakers credibility is affected above all by how the audience perceives the speakers intelligence and prestige.

Q: Which of the following statements about speaker credibility is true? a. A speakers credibility is based on her or his reputation rather than on what happens during a speech. b. Credibility refers to the speakers true character and competence, not merely to the audiences perception of the speaker. c. A speakers credibility is affected by almost every aspect of the speech except delivery. d. Although credibility is an important factor for professional speakers, it does not matter in classroom speeches. e. The same speaker can have high credibility for one audience and low credibility for another audience.

Q: According to your textbook, research has shown that a. speakers with low initial credibility do not need to use as much evidence as speakers with high initial credibility. b. the credibility of a speaker is determined above all by how the audience perceives the speakers intelligence and prestige. c. speakers can enhance their credibility by delivering their speeches fluently and expressively. d. personal appearance is the most important factor in determining a speakers derived credibility. e. a speaker can begin with low terminal credibility and develop high initial credibility as the speech proceeds.

Q: Which of the following is recommended in your textbook as a way to enhance your credibility in a persuasive speech? a. Establish common ground with your audience. b. Avoid talking about your personal knowledge of the topic. c. Relate the topic to the audience in your introduction. d. all of the above e. a and b only

Q: Which of the following is recommended in your textbook as a way to enhance your credibility in a persuasive speech? a. Explain your expertise on the speech topic. b. Deliver your speeches fluently and expressively. c. Establish common ground with your audience. d. all of the above e. a and c only

Q: To create common ground with an audience in the introduction of a persuasive speech, your textbook recommends that you a. show the audience that you share their values. b. use statistics to show the extent of a problem. c. confront the audience for failing to do the right thing. d. all of the above. e. a and b only.

Q: According to your textbook, when is it especially important for a persuasive speaker to establish common ground with the audience? a. when presenting a plan b. at the end of the speech c. when reasoning from specific instances d. at the beginning of the speech e. when explaining visual aids

Q: According to your textbook, the credibility of a speaker produced by everything the speaker says or does during the speech itself is called a. contrived credibility. b. derived credibility. c. demonstrated credibility. d. generated credibility. e. terminal credibility.

Q: According to your textbook, the credibility of a speaker at the end of the speech is called _________ credibility. a. final b. derived c. concluding d. terminal e. acquired

Q: As explained in your textbook, the credibility of a speaker before he or she starts to speak is called _________ credibility. a. initial b. negative c. derived d. original e. terminal

Q: According to your textbook, the two most important factors affecting the credibility of a persuasive speaker are competence and a. logic. b. charisma. c. character. d. pathos. e. status.

Q: According to your textbook, the two most important factors affecting the credibility of a persuasive speaker are a. competence and character. b. prestige and charisma. c. character and reputation. d. popularity and intelligence. e. charisma and competence.

Q: What contemporary researchers term credibility, Aristotle termed a. ethics. b. logos. c. ethos. d. pathos. e. credos.

Q: T F Regardless of whether a persuasive speaker uses emotional appeal, he or she should always build the speech on a firm foundation of facts and logic. Multiple-Choice Questions (Students are to indicate the best answer for each question by circling the correct letter.)

Q: T F An advantage of using emotional appeal in a persuasive speech is that it frees you from using facts and logic.

Q: T F According to your textbook, the strongest source of emotional appeal in a persuasive speech is the sincerity and conviction of the speaker.

Q: T F As your textbook explains, it is unethical to use vivid, richly textured examples to generate emotional appeal in a persuasive speech on a question of policy.

Q: T F As your textbook explains, emotion-laden language is the strongest source of emotional appeal in a persuasive speech.

Q: T F According to your textbook, emotional appeals are often appropriate in persuasive speeches on questions of policy.

Q: T F According to your textbook, emotional appeals are usually inappropriate in persuasive speeches on questions of fact.

Q: T F Aristotle used the term pathos for what modern students of communication refer to as emotional appeals.

Q: T F The fallacy of appeal to novelty compares two familiar things in a new or unusual way.

Q: T F The fallacy of appeal to novelty assumes that something new is automatically better than something old.

Q: T F Appeal to tradition involves using examples or comparisons from history instead of from the present day.

Q: T F The slippery slope fallacy assumes that because something is popular, it is therefore good, correct, or desirable.

Q: T F The either-or fallacy forces listeners to choose between two alternatives when more than two alternatives exist.

Q: T F The either-or fallacy assumes that taking a first step will lead to subsequent steps that cannot be prevented.

Q: T F The red herring fallacy is often referred to as a false dilemma.

Q: T F The red herring fallacy is often known by its Latin name, post hoc, ergo propter hoc.

Q: T F The red herring fallacy refers to statements that introduce an irrelevant issue to divert attention from the subject under discussion.

Q: T F The bandwagon fallacy assumes that because something is popular, it is therefore good, correct, or desirable.

Q: T F The most important question to ask when assessing analogical reasoning is whether the two cases being compared are essentially alike.

Q: T F False cause, or post hoc ergo propter hoc, is an error in reasoning in which a speaker mistakenly assumes that because two things are similar in one respect, they are similar in all respects.

Q: T F False cause, or post hoc ergo propter hoc, is an error in reasoning in which a speaker mistakenly assumes that because one event follows another, the first event is the cause of the second.

Q: T F Hasty generalization occurs when a speaker draws a general conclusion on the basis of too few specific instances or instances that are atypical.

Q: T F Hasty generalization is a fallacy in reasoning from principle.

Q: T F An error in reasoning is called a syllogism.

Q: T F The following is an example of reasoning from analogy: The United Nations charter establishes the right of all people to live free of political oppression. The government of North Korea subjects its people to political oppression. Therefore, the government of North Korea is violating the U.N. charter.

Q: T F The following statement is an example of reasoning from analogy: If you can make great tacos, you can make great enchiladas.

Q: T F Analogical reasoning applies a general principle to a specific instance.

Q: T F When you use causal reasoning, you should avoid attributing complex events to a single causes.

Q: T F An advantage of using causal reasoning in a persuasive speech is that events usually have only one cause.

Q: T F One of the advantages of using causal reasoning in a persuasive speech is that the relationship between causes and effects is usually fairly obvious.

Q: T F Although causal reasoning is used a great deal in public speeches, it is seldom used in other situations.

Q: T F When you use causal reasoning in a persuasive speech, you seek to establish the relationship between a general principle and a specific conclusion.

Q: T F The following is an example of reasoning from principle: All infringements on the right of free expression are unconstitutional. Limitations on the lyrics of popular songs are infringements on the right of free expression. Therefore, all limitations on the lyrics of popular songs are unconstitutional.

Q: T F The following is an example of reasoning from principle: Places such as Singapore that allow caning and other forms of corporal punishment have exceedingly low crime rates. If caning were used in the United States, the U.S. would have lower crime rates as well.