A lecture presentation for GD573: New Information Environments, a graduate graphic design seminar at NC State University. The presentation discusses common errors in reasoning when making and argument (errors to watch out for when evaluating source material). It also provides strategies for avoiding common errors in your own writing.
1. GD573: Graduate seminaR
Trend Diagram & Essays
Errors in Reasoning
The Dangers of a Mindset
Jumping to Conclusions
Misconceptions
Wrong Generalizations
Mistaking Evidence for Proof
Circular Reasoning
False Analogies
Misusing Statistics
Relative Versus Absolute
Extreme Judgments
2. GD573: Graduate seminaR .:. Trend Diagrams & Essays
Errors in Reasoning
Dangers of a Mindset
to wear a seat belt
3. GD573: Graduate seminaR .:. Trend Diagrams & Essays
Errors in Reasoning
Dangers of a Mindset
personal experiences influence
the development of
our beliefs and values
4. GD573: Graduate seminaR .:. Trend Diagrams & Essays
Errors in Reasoning
Dangers of a Mindset
mindets are
patterns of thinking
that guide the way
we react to situations
5. GD573: Graduate seminaR .:. Trend Diagrams & Essays
Errors in Reasoning
Dangers of a Mindset
mindsets determine
what we notice and
what we ignore
6. GD573: Graduate seminaR .:. Trend Diagrams & Essays
Errors in Reasoning
Dangers of a Mindset
we see and hear
what we want to
7. GD573: Graduate seminaR .:. Trend Diagrams & Essays
Errors in Reasoning
Dangers of a Mindset
we select facts that
reinforce our ideas
8. GD573: Graduate seminaR .:. Trend Diagrams & Essays
Errors in Reasoning
Dangers of a Mindset
... but mindsets perform
important functions
9. GD573: Graduate seminaR .:. Trend Diagrams & Essays
Errors in Reasoning
Dangers of a Mindset
checks and balances:
examine assumptions
&
play devil’s advocate
10. GD573: Graduate seminaR .:. Trend Diagrams & Essays
Errors in Reasoning
Jumping to Conclusions
you did it
11. GD573: Graduate seminaR .:. Trend Diagrams & Essays
Errors in Reasoning
Jumping to Conclusions
don’t have all the facts
and closed to new facts
12. GD573: Graduate seminaR .:. Trend Diagrams & Essays
Errors in Reasoning
Jumping to Conclusions
didn’t see it happen
don’t know why it happened
13. GD573: Graduate seminaR .:. Trend Diagrams & Essays
Errors in Reasoning
Jumping to Conclusions
judgment based on
circumstantial evidence
14. GD573: Graduate seminaR .:. Trend Diagrams & Essays
Errors in Reasoning
Jumping to Conclusions
checks and balances:
assume benevolence
&
ask open questions
&
have the courage to be wrong
15. GD573: Graduate seminaR .:. Trend Diagrams & Essays
Errors in Reasoning
Misconceptions
national tests
predict performance
16. GD573: Graduate seminaR .:. Trend Diagrams & Essays
Errors in Reasoning
Misconceptions
confuse the meaning of
a relational word
i.e. average
17. GD573: Graduate seminaR .:. Trend Diagrams & Essays
Errors in Reasoning
Misconceptions
the glass is
half full or half empty
18. GD573: Graduate seminaR .:. Trend Diagrams & Essays
Errors in Reasoning
Misconceptions
stereotypes,
prejudices, and
discrimination
19. GD573: Graduate seminaR .:. Trend Diagrams & Essays
Errors in Reasoning
Misconceptions
checks and balances:
define terms
&
support conclusion with
direct facts (not inference)
20. GD573: Graduate seminaR .:. Trend Diagrams & Essays
Errors in Reasoning
Wrong Generalizations
pit bulls are
aggressive dogs
21. GD573: Graduate seminaR .:. Trend Diagrams & Essays
Errors in Reasoning
Wrong Generalizations
too many exceptions
to the rule
22. GD573: Graduate seminaR .:. Trend Diagrams & Essays
Errors in Reasoning
Wrong Generalizations
biased selection
of information
23. GD573: Graduate seminaR .:. Trend Diagrams & Essays
Errors in Reasoning
Wrong Generalizations
overgeneralization
applied beyond its proper limits and
likely to produce wrong conclusions
25. GD573: Graduate seminaR .:. Trend Diagrams & Essays
Errors in Reasoning
Mistaking Evidence for Proof
belief that women
are inferior to men
26. GD573: Graduate seminaR .:. Trend Diagrams & Essays
Errors in Reasoning
Mistaking Evidence for Proof
absolutely sure
of generalized facts
27. GD573: Graduate seminaR .:. Trend Diagrams & Essays
Errors in Reasoning
Mistaking Evidence for Proof
beliefs become
self-fulfilling prophecies
28. GD573: Graduate seminaR .:. Trend Diagrams & Essays
Errors in Reasoning
Mistaking Evidence for Proof
testimonies
are not reliable
29. GD573: Graduate seminaR .:. Trend Diagrams & Essays
Errors in Reasoning
Mistaking Evidence for Proof
checks and balances:
identify exceptions
&
evidence must be overwhelming
30. GD573: Graduate seminaR .:. Trend Diagrams & Essays
Errors in Reasoning
Circular Reasoning
Taxation of income
is for the common good.
Why do you say that?
Because in the long run,
taxation of income is
in the best interest
of all citizens.
31. GD573: Graduate seminaR .:. Trend Diagrams & Essays
Errors in Reasoning
Circular Reasoning
rephrase
the statement you’re proving
and then
use a similar statement
as proof for the original
32. GD573: Graduate seminaR .:. Trend Diagrams & Essays
Errors in Reasoning
Circular Reasoning
“because”
makes it seem as if
you’re saying why
33. GD573: Graduate seminaR .:. Trend Diagrams & Essays
Errors in Reasoning
Circular Reasoning
checks and balances:
“5 Why’s” activity
&
list multiple effects
34. GD573: Graduate seminaR .:. Trend Diagrams & Essays
Errors in Reasoning
False Analogies
there are
plenty of fish
in the sea
35. GD573: Graduate seminaR .:. Trend Diagrams & Essays
Errors in Reasoning
False Analogies
if two things are
similar in one way,
they may also be
similar in other ways
36. GD573: Graduate seminaR .:. Trend Diagrams & Essays
Errors in Reasoning
False Analogies
“maybe”
gets converted into
“is”
37. GD573: Graduate seminaR .:. Trend Diagrams & Essays
Errors in Reasoning
False Analogies
omit
important differences
38. GD573: Graduate seminaR .:. Trend Diagrams & Essays
Errors in Reasoning
False Analogies
an analogies is only a
hypothesis
39. GD573: Graduate seminaR .:. Trend Diagrams & Essays
Errors in Reasoning
False Analogies
proverbs
appear to be sage advice,
but can support any side
i.e.
“Make hay while the sun shines” (buy)
“Haste makes waste” (don’t buy)
41. GD573: Graduate seminaR .:. Trend Diagrams & Essays
Errors in Reasoning
Misusing Statistics
the modern plague
of ADHD
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_
embedded&v=zDZFcDGpL4U
42. GD573: Graduate seminaR .:. Trend Diagrams & Essays
Errors in Reasoning
Misusing Statistics
makes the information
seem accurate
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Errors in Reasoning
Misusing Statistics
used to argue
for special interests
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Errors in Reasoning
Misusing Statistics
does not include
outliers or discounted
45. GD573: Graduate seminaR .:. Trend Diagrams & Essays
Errors in Reasoning
Misusing Statistics
misinterpret
“average”
does not give any indication
of the distribution of numbers
46. GD573: Graduate seminaR .:. Trend Diagrams & Essays
Errors in Reasoning
Misusing Statistics
checks and balances:
learn basic statistical principles
&
verify the population & methods
&
look at the whole data set
47. GD573: Graduate seminaR .:. Trend Diagrams & Essays
Errors in Reasoning
Relative Versus Absolute
48. GD573: Graduate seminaR .:. Trend Diagrams & Essays
Errors in Reasoning
Relative Versus Absolute
subjective words
are relative
lack established standards
49. GD573: Graduate seminaR .:. Trend Diagrams & Essays
Errors in Reasoning
Relative Versus Absolute
checks and balances:
avoid absolutes (yes/no)
&
relation to multiple examples
&
plot examples along a spectrum
50. GD573: Graduate seminaR .:. Trend Diagrams & Essays
Errors in Reasoning
Extreme Judgments
legalized in 1967
51. GD573: Graduate seminaR .:. Trend Diagrams & Essays
Errors in Reasoning
Extreme Judgments
black and white
interpretations
52. GD573: Graduate seminaR .:. Trend Diagrams & Essays
Errors in Reasoning
Extreme Judgments
convinced beyond
a shadow of doubt
54. GD573: Graduate seminaR .:. Trend Diagrams & Essays
Errors in Reasoning
Extreme Judgments
checks and balances:
investigate the backstory
&
see from multiple sides
&
practice compassion