Analyzing Argument Structure Flashcards

Which of the following best describes the difference between a fact and an opinion in argumentative writing?

Answer: Facts can be verified through evidence; opinions express personal judgments or beliefs

Facts are objective statements verifiable through evidence or observation, while opinions reflect personal judgments that may or may not be supported by evidence.

A speaker says: 'You should trust my health advice because I've been sick many times.' Why is this reasoning weak?

Answer: Being sick does not establish medical expertise relevant to giving health advice

Personal experience with illness does not constitute medical expertise, so this appeal to authority fails because the claimed authority is irrelevant to giving sound health advice.

Which paragraph structure best supports a well-organized argumentative body paragraph?

Answer: Claim, evidence, analysis, transition

A strong body paragraph states a claim, supports it with evidence, analyzes how the evidence supports the claim, and transitions to the next idea.

An author writes: 'Everyone agrees that social media is harmful to teens.' What is the weakness in this statement?

Answer: It uses an unsupported universal claim that dismisses disagreement

Saying 'everyone agrees' is a sweeping generalization that ignores genuine debate and research on both sides of the social media and teen wellbeing discussion.

In the context of argumentation, what does 'burden of proof' mean?

Answer: The obligation of the person making a claim to provide evidence supporting it

Burden of proof means the party making an assertion is responsible for providing sufficient evidence to support it rather than requiring others to disprove it.

A politician argues: 'If we allow same-day voter registration, next they'll want to let anyone vote, including non-citizens.' This is an example of:

Answer: A slippery slope fallacy — assuming one change inevitably leads to extreme outcomes

A slippery slope fallacy assumes that one action will inevitably lead to a chain of increasingly extreme consequences without evidence that such a chain is likely.

When evaluating sources in an argument, which factor most directly affects the reliability of the evidence?

Answer: The credentials of the author and the peer-review status of the publication

Author credentials and peer review are primary indicators of source reliability because they reflect expertise and independent verification of the information.