Outlines basic logic used in rhetoric. Includes formulating claims, premises, conclusions, and arguments. For Speech Communication classes.

1. Rhetoric &
Argument

2. LOGICAL CLAIMS

3. Logical Syllogism
MAJOR PREMISE
If Socrates is a man
MINOR PREMISE
And all men are mortal
CONCLUSION
Then Socrates is mortal

4. 4 ways to state a
premise
Universal Affirmative – All people are mortal
Universal Negative – No people are perfect
Particular Affirmative – Some people are healthy
Particular Negative – Some people are not healthy

5. Reasoning Processes
DEDUCTIVE INDUCTIVE

6. REASONING
PREMISE: Austin is unprepared for the growth it is
experiencing.
OBSERVATIONS: Roadways and mass transit cannot keep
pace with the growth. Housing is expensive and scarce.
Water rationing and concerns about utility blackouts.
Cultural character is changing.
CONCLUSION: Austin needs to make immediate changes
that accommodate growth and maintain the quality of life
that makes Austin a great place to live.

7. Definitions
CLAIM – A declarative statement that can be proved true or false
PREMISE – Proposition or assumed truth (claim) upon which the
argument is based
INFERENCE – Process of applying reason to knowledge (claim)
that is known or assumed to be true to reach valid conclusions
ARGUMENT – Verbal expression of the inference
CONCLUSION – The claim being supported by the argument
SYLLOGISM – The format of argument using three statement

8. RHETORICAL CLAIMS
Factual
Prove
Document
Evaluative
Good Bad
Helpful Harmful
Like Dislike
Causal
If then
Because
As a result
Recommendation
Should
Need
Must

9. Common Support
CLAIMS

10. Causal Claims
Use these facts:
Austin is growing by110
people per day.
Austin’s traffic is ranked
3rd
worst in U.S.
To make a Causal Claim
about traffic in Austin
CAUSAL CLAIMS LINK TWO FACTS TOGETHER. BASIC If – then
REASONING

11. Comparison Claim
Use these facts:
National job growth .61%
California job growth .52%
Texas job growth 1.4%
To make a Comparison
Claim

12. Authority Claim
Use this fact and source:
Aquifer depletion between
2004 and 2008 was nearly
triple the historical rate.
Source: United States
Geological Association
To make an Authority
Claim
*The source of information must be
an expert in the field

13. Appeal to Needs & Values
Use these facts:
Shopping locally puts 3X as
much money into our local
economy (NEED)
Shopping locally supports the
character and uniqueness of the
community (VALUE)
To Appeal to Needs and
Values

14. Address Counter arguments
Use this information:
The city council is considering
lowering the occupancy rate for
homes from 6 unrelated adults to 4.
In the 78751 zip code north of UT
where rents are high.
The demographics are mostly singles
and students.
Pick a side and make a claim that
Addresses the Counter argument

15. Define
What is rapid transit?
Bus? Rail? Something else?
Why is it called “rapid?”
How fast is “rapid”?
Make a definitive statement
about whether MetroRapid
actually addresses traffic
problems in Austin.

16. Give Examples
The argument is that
shopping at local businesses
instead of National Chains
and Big Box stores helps the
community.
Can you name some
examples of locally owned
businesses in Austin?

17. Penguin Syllogism
Avoid using
rhetorical fallacies
Challenge rhetorical
fallacies when you
hear them

18. Common Logical
FALLACIES

19. Appeal to Authority
Authority is not always an
expert on the subject
• Ex. “Doctors” in
commercial ads.
Forget about other side of
argument
• Hardest thing to do!

20. Appeal to Force
The dangers predicted are not inevitable
The consequences presented play on fear

21. Appeal to Popularity
Popularity equals truth
and reason
•Advertisers love this
fallacy
• Ex. Mean Girls
•Majority can be
wrong!

22. Ad Hominem or Personal attack
• Shifting your argument
from objective to
personal.
• Attack the author
instead of the
argument.

23. Name Calling
Negative Label
Stigmatize opponent

24. Hasty Generalization
Inductive
generalization
based on insufficient
evidence.

25. False Dilemma
Presents an either-or
situation that is not truly
either-or.
There could be more than two
choices
The audience doesn’t have to
choose right now

26. Straw Man
Inaccurate presentation of
ideas
Creates a ‘straw man’ or
argument that is easy to knock
down

27. False Analogy
The two ideas
being compared
are not really
similar.

28. Slippery Slope
Suggests that one
event following
another is inevitable.
If – then statement
that does not reflect
a reasonable
prediction.

29. Begging the Question
Circular reasoning
Assumes truth without
proof