Q&A Hero

Q: What error in reasoning is exemplified by the following statement? Recent studies have shown that hurricanes with female names result in more deaths and injuries than hurricanes with male names. So if the next hurricane to come your way is named Mary, you can be sure it will be worse than one named Mark. a. faulty deduction b. invalid analogy c. circular thinking d. hasty generalization e. false cause

Q: What error in reasoning is exemplified by the following statement? I always wear my blue sweater when I take an exam, but I couldnt find it yesterday. If I had worn it yesterday, I would not have flunked my accounting exam. a. false cause b. circular thinking c. hasty generalization d. invalid analogy e. faulty deduction

Q: What error in reasoning is exemplified by the following statement? The New England Journal of Medicine has discovered that countries that consume the most chocolate have produced, over time, the greatest number of Nobel Prize winners. Therefore, if you want to increase your chances of winning a Nobel Prize, you should eat plenty of chocolate. a. circular thinking b. hasty generalization c. invalid analogy d. false cause e. faulty deduction

Q: What error in reasoning is exemplified by the following passage? Home sales were 30 percent higher in the summer of 2018, when temperatures averaged 95 degrees, than they were in the summer of 2011, when the average temperature was only 83 degrees. Clearly, then, hot temperatures make people more inclined to buy a house. a. invalid analogy b. circular thinking c. false cause d. hasty generalization e. faulty deduction

Q: The bandwagon fallacy a. assumes that taking a first step will inevitably lead to other steps that cannot be prevented. b. introduces an irrelevant issue to divert attention from the subject under discussion. c. assumes that because something is popular, it is therefore good, correct, or desirable. d. forces listeners to choose between two alternatives when more than two alternatives exist. e. assumes that because two things are related in time, they are causally linked.

Q: What kind of reasoning is used in the following statement? Local control of the school system is the most effective way to educate our children. Therefore, local control of the healthcare system is the most effective way to maintain the health of our citizens. a. practical reasoning b. specific reasoning c. analogical reasoning d. actual reasoning e. dependent reasoning

Q: According to your textbook, an error in reasoning is called a a. syllogism. b. fallacy. c. hypothesis. d. premise. e. dilemma.

Q: According to your textbook, a fallacy is a. a kind of appeal to emotion. b. an inductive argument. c. another name for a syllogism. d. a strong argument. e. an error in reasoning.

Q: When reasoning from specific instances, a persuasive speaker should be especially careful to avoid the fallacy of a. false cause. b. appeal to tradition. c. hasty generalization. d. appeal to ignorance. e. false example.

Q: The fallacy of hasty generalization occurs when a speaker a. compares specific instances that are not essentially similar. b. jumps to a conclusion on the basis of too few instances. c. generalizes on the basis of atypical cases. d. all of the above. e. b and c only.

Q: What error in reasoning is exemplified by the following statement? A random survey of 20 adults coming out of subway stations in New York City revealed that 16 considered owning a car to be of little importance. Clearly, 80 percent of Americans dont care much about owning cars. a. hasty generalization b. faulty deduction c. false cause d. invalid analogy e. circular thinking

Q: What error in reasoning is exemplified by the following statement? My Volkswagen constantly needs repairs, and so does my roommates Mazda. We can see, then, that all foreign cars are unreliable. a. invalid analogy b. hasty generalization c. circular thinking d. false cause e. faulty deduction

Q: What error in reasoning is exemplified by the following statement? Both of my roommates drink at least three cans of soda every day and neither of them is overweight, so all those studies that link soda consumption to obesity must be wrong. a. circular reasoning b. hasty generalization c. invalid analogy d. false cause e. bandwagon

Q: Post hoc, ergo propter hoc, meaning after this, therefore because of this, is a fallacy associated with __________ reasoning. a. parallel b. deductive c. comparative d. descriptive e. causal

Q: When committing the fallacy of false cause, a speaker assumes a. that a single event has multiple causes. b. that when one thing follows another, the first is the cause of the second. c. that an audience is familiar with the causes of an event. d. all of the above. e. a and c only.

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 also grown up in a culture that glamorizes violence in television and films. The average child in the United States has seen more than 20,000 murders on television by the time he or she turns 18. 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: 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: When reasoning analogically, you infer that a. a causal relationship can be established between two or more events. b. what is true in one case will also be true in a similar case. c. a general principle is validated by a question of fact. d. your position is true because it is demonstrated by statistical trends. e. a specific conclusion is true because it is verified by a general principle.

Q: According to your textbook, the most important question to ask when assessing analogical reasoning in a persuasive speech is a. whether there are enough analogies to support the general conclusion. b. whether the analogical principle is supported by the major premise. c. whether the analogy avoids the fallacy of post hoc, ergo propter hoc. d. whether the two cases being compared are essentially alike. e. whether the analogy assumes that complex events have only a single cause.

Q: What kind of reasoning is used in the following passage? Alton Elementary School in Washington, D.C., has had great success getting kids to eat vegetables at lunch by allowing them to taste-test different recipes before putting specific vegetables on the menu. If that plan has worked at Alton, it can work at other schools, too. a. academic reasoning b. functional reasoning c. comparative reasoning d. practical reasoning e. analogical reasoning

Q: According to your textbook, what kind of reasoning is used in the following passage? Trying to prevent the use of drugs by criminalizing them is like trying to prevent the use of alcohol through Prohibition in the 1920sdoomed to failure from the beginning. History should have taught us by now that when people want something badly enough, they will find a way to get it, whether it is legal or not. a. historical reasoning b. practical reasoning c. analogical reasoning d. comparative reasoning e. functional reasoning

Q: What kind of reasoning is used in the following passage? According to the Washington Post, more than 400 large military drones have crashed around the world, including 49 in the United States. If military drones are crashing in such large numbers, how can we expect to be safe when thousands of civilian drones are unleashed into our skies? a. comparative reasoning b. analogical reasoning c. practical reasoning d. legal reasoning e. functional reasoning

Q: What kind of reasoning is used in the following passage? Parents have found that getting the right help for their children who have learning disabilities can be an arduous chore. Its like trying to make your way through a maze with no way out. Every time you think youre making progress, you run into another brick wall. a. practical reasoning b. legal reasoning c. analogical reasoning d. functional reasoning e. comparative reasoning

Q: What kind of reasoning is used in the following statement? Requiring students to sign an honor code has reduced the amount of cheating at dozens of schools. If we adopt such a code at our school, it will help us reduce the amount of cheating, too. a. chain b. deductive c. dependent d. practical e. analogical

Q: According to your textbook, what kind of reasoning is used in the following statement? Five years ago, we came together as a community by voting to build a new elementary school. Today, we are asking you to come together again, this time to build a new recreational facility. If we did it before, we can do it again. a. positive reasoning b. analogical reasoning c. chronological reasoning d. functional reasoning e. dialogical reasoning

Q: What kind of reasoning is used in the following passage? In Germany, female employees can take up to 18 weeks of maternity leave with full pay. If such a plan can work in a prosperous nation such as Germany, surely it can work throughout the United States. a. generalization b. causal c. analogical d. specific e. descriptive

Q: What kind of reasoning is used in the following statement? Colorizing old movies such as Casablanca is like repainting the Mona Lisa. a. reasoning from analogy b. reasoning from cause c. reasoning from specific instances d. reasoning from principle e. reasoning from history

Q: The following statement is an example of reasoning from __________. This program was implemented in Philadelphia two years ago and has provided housing for more than 2,000 people at little cost to the city. If it can work there, it can work here, too. a. cause b. validity c. principle d. analogy e. generalization

Q: In her speech arguing for the elimination of pennies from the U.S. money supply, Shira demonstrated that her plan will work by showing that a similar plan worked when the United States eliminated the half penny in 1857. What kind of reasoning did Shira use in her argument? a. causal reasoning b. analogical reasoning c. deductive reasoning d. comparative reasoning e. classical reasoning

Q: According to your textbook, what kind of reasoning is used in the following statement? If youre frequently bothered by nightmares, you might want to change your sleeping position. An article in Prevention magazine reports that a study of 700 people showed that sleeping on your stomach produces the scariest and strangest dreams. Therefore, if you are a stomach-sleeper and are having nightmares, the solution is simpleroll over. a. causal reasoning b. practical reasoning c. analogical reasoning d. chain reasoning e. deductive 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 the 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: 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? 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? A sexual encounter with someone who does not consent to it is rape. A person who is incapacitated by alcohol cannot consent to sex. Therefore, a sexual encounter with a person incapacitated by alcohol is rape. a. reasoning from specific instances b. reasoning from principle c. reasoning from prudence d. reasoning from safety e. reasoning from cause

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, what kind of reasoning is used in the following statement? Providing a quality education is one of the fundamental responsibilities of any nation. Thousands of American students are stuck in poor-performing schools that barely provide minimal skills. Therefore, the United States is failing to fulfill one of its fundamental obligations as a nation. a. reasoning from cause b. reasoning from obligation c. reasoning from specific instances d. reasoning from emotion e. reasoning from principle

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: 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? 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: 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: 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, 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. use specific instances that are already well-known to your audience. d. all of the above. e. b and c only.

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. use a bar graph to make the instances more vivid to your listeners. 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: 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 published 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 the United States 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: 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 unsure of your point of view.

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, 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: Eframs audience was persuaded by his speech because they perceived him to be sincere and 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: 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: 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: 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: Evidence and reasoning are the two major elements of persuasion that Aristotle called a. pathos. b. logos. c. credos. d. ethos. e. mythos.

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: 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: 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: 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 character and a. status. b. competence. c. logic. d. charisma. e. pathos.

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 credibility of a speaker at the end of the speech is called __________ credibility. a. final b. derived c. concluding d. terminal e. acquired

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

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: 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: 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 speech fluently and expressively. c. Establish common ground with your audience. d. all of the above e. a and c only

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. Avoid the use of reasoning by analogy. b. Deliver your speech with genuine conviction. c. Make frequent use of visual aids. d. all of the above e. a and c only

Q: According to your textbook, people are persuaded by a speaker in part because a. they are convinced by the speakers reasoning. b. they perceive the speaker as having high credibility. c. they are won over by the speakers evidence. d. all of the above. e. a and c only.

Q: According to your textbook, listeners are persuaded by a speaker for one or more of four major reasons. Which of the following is among those reasons? a. The audience is captivated by the speakers gestures. b. The audiences emotions are touched by the speakers ideas or language. c. The audience perceives the speaker as having high credibility. d. all of the above e. b and c only

Q: According to your textbook, listeners are persuaded by a speaker for one or more of four major reasons. Which of the following is among those reasons? a. The audience is impressed by the speakers use of visual aids. b. The audience is won over by the speakers evidence. c. The audience is captivated by the speakers gestures. d. all of the above e. a and b only

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