Chapter 7: Effective Arguments and Fallacies

Persuasion is a tricky rhetorical practice and often times students fall into pitfalls in creating their arguments, or fallacies. Fallacies are claims and or statements that sound true but are either false or only half-truths. Fallacies can be the difference between persuading an audience and alienating an audience. This section will introduce you to the most common fallacies and will demonstrate how they are used in error. It is important to learn how to avoid these common mistakes so you do not convince your audience based on lies and/or half-truths. Once you have reviewed your research and omitted any fallacies in your outline, you will begin to practice and refine your speech. This section will review best practices and tips for successful persuasive speeches.