Download Ten Steps Chapter 10

Ten Steps Chapter 10
You need a
red book.
CRITICAL READING
1717
INTRODUCTION
 Skilled readers are those who can recognize an
author’s point and the support for that point.
 Critical readers are those who can evaluate an
author’s support for a point and determine whether
that support is solid or not.
 This chapter will help you:
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Separate fact from opinion
Detect propaganda
Recognize errors in reasoning
SEPARATING FACT FROM OPINION
FACTS
 Facts are solidly grounded and can be checked for
accuracy
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Can be proved true through objective evidence
Can be physical proof, spoken testimony, or written testimony
 Examples of facts:
 My grandfather has eleven toes.
 In 1841, William Henry Harrison served as president of the
United States for only thirty-one days; he died of pneumonia.
 Tarantulas are hairy spiders capable of inflicting on humans a
painful but not deadly bite.
OPINIONS
 Opinions are afloat and open to question
 Belief, judgment, or conclusion that cannot objectively be
proved true
 Examples of opinions:
 My grandfather’s feet are ugly.
 Harrison should never have been elected president in the first
place.
 Tarantulas are disgusting.
ADDITIONAL POINTS ABOUT FACT AND OPINION
1. Statements of fact may be found to be untrue.
2. Value words (ones that contain a judgment) often
represent opinions. They are generally subjective, not
objective.

Best, worst, better, worse, great, terrible, lovely, disgusting,
beautiful, bad, good, wonderful
3. The words should and ought to often signal
opinions.
4. Don’t mistake widely held opinions for facts.
DETECTING PROPAGANDA
Propaganda promotes something (a
cause, business, person, etc.). It is often
misleading.
This chapter will introduce you to six of
the many types of propaganda
techniques:

Bandwagon, Testimonial, Transfer, Plain
Folks, Name Calling, Glittering Generalities
BANDWAGON
 “Jump on the bandwagon.”
 Tells us to buy a product or support a certain issue
because, in effect, “everybody else is doing it.”
 Example: An ad on the bus tells you to “Become one
of the growing number of people who watch Action
News.”
TESTIMONIAL
 Involves celebrities and people who are famous for
various things
 The testimony of famous people influences the
viewers that admire these people
 Example: “This yogurt can help regulate your
digestive system in just two weeks,” says a famous
actress. And it tastes great.”
TRANSFER
 Most common type of propaganda
 Products or candidates try to associate themselves
with something that people admire, desire, or love.
 Example: A beautiful woman is used to promote a
cause. (The hope is that we transfer the positive
feelings we have toward an attractive person to the
product being advertised.)
 Example 2: An American flag is used to promote a
product. (The hope is that we transfer our feelings of
patriotism to the product being advertised.)
PLAIN FOLKS
 Plays on the fact that people are distrusting of those
with more power
 Involves presenting oneself as an ordinary, average
citizen to appeal to the masses
 Example: The chairman of a poultry company is
shown leaning on a rail fence in front of a farmhouse.
He says, “I’m proud to uphold the values that go
back to our company’s start on my greatgrandfather’s farm in 1900.”
NAME CALLING video
 The use of emotionally loaded language or negative
comments to turn people against a rival product,
candidate, or movement
 Example: The opponents of a political candidate say
he is a “spineless jellyfish.”
 Example 2: A cell phone service advertises: “Unlike
some services, we won’t rip you off with hidden
charges or drop your calls.”
GLITTERING GENERALITIES
 An important-sounding but unspecific claim about
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some product, candidate, or cause
Cannot be proved true or false because no evidence is
offered to support the claim
Uses general words like “great,” “ultimate,” or
“simply the best.”
Example: A financial advisor says: “True wealth is
about more than money. It’s about achieving life.”
Example 2: A magazine ad for a line of women’s
clothing advertises: “Let yourself shine.”
RECOGNIZING ERRORS IN REASON
 Fallacy: errors in reasoning (often take the place of
the real support needed in an argument)
 Common fallacies: changing the subject and hasty
generalizations
 You will learn about the following in this chapter:
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Three fallacies that ignore the issue (circular reasoning,
personal attack, straw man)
Three fallacies that oversimplify the issue (false cause, false
comparison, either-or)
CIRCULAR REASONING
 Part of a point cannot reasonably be used to fully
support it
 Also known as “begging the question”
 Example: Ms. Jenkins is a great manager because
she is so wonderful at managing.

We still do not know WHY she is a great manager.
 Example 2: Exercise is healthful, for it improves your
well-being.

Healthful and well-being are essentially the same point.
PERSONAL ATTACK
 Ignores the issue under discussion and concentrates
on the character of the opponent (frequently seen in
political debates)
 Example: Our mayor’s opinions about local crime are
worthless. Last week, his own son was arrested for
disturbing the peace.
STRAW MAN
 An opponent made of straw can be defeated very
easily. If someone’s REAL opponent is putting up a
good fight, it seems more effective to build a
scarecrow and battle it instead.
 Suggests that the opponent favors an obviously
unpopular cause
 Example: The candidate for mayor says she’ll cut
taxes, but do you really want fewer police officers
protecting our city?
FALSE CAUSE
 The mistake in assuming that because event B
follows event A, event B was caused by event A.
 People tend to oversimplify and base their opinions
on one cause rather than looking at all causes.
 Example: The baseball team was doing well before
Paul Hamilton became manager. Clearly, he is the
cause of the decline.

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Event A: Paul Hamilton became manager.
Event B: The baseball team is losing games.
FALSE COMPARISON
 The assumption that two things are more alike than
they really are
 Example: When your grandmother was your age, she
was already married and had four children. So why
aren’t you married?
 Example: All of my friends like my tattoo and pierced
tongue, so I’m sure my new boss will too.
EITHER-OR
 It is often wrong to assume that there are only two
sides of an issue. Offering only two choices when
more actually exist is demanding that people make a
choice without all the facts.
 Example: “You’re either with us or against us.”
 Example 2: People who support gun control want to
take away our rights.
 Example 3: Eat your string beans, or you won’t grow
up strong and healthy.
Complete Ten Steps Practices
 Practices 1-3 (pg. 406, 411, 417)
 Each practice has TEN questions.
 Practice 1 has TWO fact+opinion answers.
 On your OWN paper! Use your notes to help you.
 Turn in when finished.