The document discusses the concept of the red herring fallacy, which distracts from the main argument by introducing irrelevant issues. It emphasizes the importance of critical reading and logical reasoning in evaluating arguments, encouraging readers to identify logical fallacies and understand the author's motives. Additionally, it provides examples and exercises to help students recognize and understand red herring fallacies in various contexts.

1. Logical Fallacies: The Red Herring

2. The Red Herring Fallacy
A Common Core Lesson
By
Dean Berry, Ed. D.
Gregg Berry, B. A.
Common Core Curriculum Solutions
www.commoncorecurriculum.info

3. Common Core Reading Standards
Delineate and evaluate the argument and
specific claims in a text, assessing whether
the reasoning is sound and the evidence is
relevant and sufficient; recognize when
irrelevant evidence is introduced.

4. Common Core Speaking
and Listening Standards
Engage effectively in a range of
collaborative discussions (one-on-
one, in groups, and teacher-led) with
diverse partners on topics, texts,
and issues, building on others’ ideas
and expressing their own clearly.

5. Common Core Speaking
and Listening Standards
Delineate a speaker’s argument
and specific claims, evaluating
the soundness of the reasoning
and relevance and sufficiency of
the evidence and identifying when
irrelevant evidence is introduced.

6. Reading with Your Eyes and Your Brain
Skillful readers learn how to read persuasive or
opinionated text with a very critical eye. They
realize that the author’s purpose is to convince the
reader to believe what the author is saying and to
consider the arguments given as valid even if they
violate logical reasoning and lack supporting
evidence. The author’s motive may be to get the
reader to buy something, vote a certain way,
change an attitude, or behave differently.

7. • In order to avoid manipulation by the author,
good readers learn how to detect poor
reasoning and faulty arguments. They are
able to identify the various logical fallacies
such as begging the question, strawman,
overgeneralization, slippery slope, and
others. During this lesson, we will study
logical fallacies.

8. Is this a good argument?
Why? Why Not?

9. Solving problems with logical thinking is
essential if we are interested in seeking
truth.
Let’s examine a technique that is often
used to mislead audiences.

10. The Red Herring Fallacy
• Definition: Partway through an argument, the arguer goes off on a
tangent, raising a side issue that distracts the audience from what’s
really at stake. Often, the arguer never returns to the original issue.
• Example: “Grading this exam on a curve would be the most fair thing
to do. After all, classes go more smoothly when the students and the
professor are getting along well.” Let’s see what’s wrong with this
argument:
• Premise: Classes go more smoothly when the students and the
professor are getting along well.
• Conclusion: Grading this exam on a curve would be the most fair thing
to do.

11. • When we lay it out this way, it’s pretty obvious that the
arguer went off on a tangent—the fact that something
helps people get along doesn’t necessarily make it more
fair; fairness and justice sometimes require us to do
things that cause conflict. But the audience may feel like
the issue of teachers and students agreeing is important
and be distracted from the fact that the arguer has not
given any evidence as to why a curve would be fair.

12. Arguing Off the Topic to
Distract Your Opponent

13. When the author lacks evidence to support his/her claim,
the red herring strategy is useful if the author wants to use
logical fallacies to persuade an unsuspecting reader.

14. Red Herring fallacies are used to
change the focus of the argument to
something unrelated to the claim.

15. Is this a red herring fallacy?
Why or Why Not?
Trans fats should be made illegal since many
research studies have shown that they can
increase dangerous plaque in the arteries
and lead to fatal heart attacks.
Go to Next Frame

16. Pair Share
Turn to your neighbor and discuss
your answer to this question.
Is this an example of the red herring fallacy?
Trans fats should be made illegal since many
research studies have shown that they can
increase dangerous plaque in the arteries and
lead to fatal heart attacks.

17. Is this a red herring logical fallacy?
A teacher catches a student cheating
during a test. The student in response says,
“I know I’ve made a mistake. But think of
my parents. They’re going to kill me”.
Go to Next Frame

18. Pair Share
Turn to your neighbor and discuss
your answer to this question.
Is this an example of the red herring fallacy?
A teacher catches a student cheating during a
test. The student in response says, “I know I’ve
made a mistake. But think of my parents. They’re
going to kill me”.

19. Is this a red herring logical fallacy?
The problem of undocumented
aliens in the country is complicated
and needs to be solved. In
particular, the Dream Act should be
continued because it keeps families
together.
Go to Next Frame

20. Pair Share
Turn to your neighbor and discuss
your answer to this question.
Is this an example of the red herring fallacy?
The problem of undocumented aliens in the
country is complicated and needs to be solved.
In particular, the Dream Act should be continued
because it keeps families together.

21. Is this an example of
the red herring fallacy?
• In business, arguing against giving raises -
“Sure, we haven’t given raises in over five
years to our employees. You know, we work
really hard to make a good product. We try
to ensure the best customer service, too.”
Go to Next Frame

22. Pair Share
Turn to your neighbor and discuss
your answer to this question.
Is this an example of the red herring fallacy?
In business, arguing against giving raises - “Sure,
we haven’t given raises in over five years to our
employees. You know, we work really hard to
make a good product. We try to ensure the best
customer service, too.”

23. Is this an example of the red herring fallacy?
Why? Why Not?
•“I am pretty sure that
evolution is not a very good
explanation for human life.
Anyway, I am pretty offended
that anyone would suggest
that I came from a monkey.”

24. Is this an example of a red herring fallacy?
Why? Why Not?
Arguing for raising taxes - “We
need more revenue to support
the programs that we have.
Children are our future. Don’t
turn your back on our children.

25. Quick Write
Think about one of the issues listed below and write an argument that
uses the red herring fallacy to confuse the reader by focusing on
an idea that is not related to your original proposal. You need to change
the focus of the argument rather than provide support or evidence.
• Increasing the state speed limit from 70 to 80mph
• Allowing gay couples to adopt children
• Allowing college students to carry guns on campus
• Making public school attendance voluntary

26. Additional Common Core
Standards Covered

27. Reading Standards
Cite the textual evidence that
most strongly supports an
analysis of what the text says
explicitly as well as inferences
drawn from the text.

28. Writing Standards
Use words, phrases, and
clauses to create cohesion and
clarify the relationships among
claim(s), counterclaims,
reasons, and evidence.

29. 29
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