10-01 Rhetorical Strategies: Avoiding Problems in Logic

As we have discussed, in academic writing, an argument must be logical to be effective and valid; therefore, it is important for students to be able to recognize problems with logic in their own writing or in the writing of others. These problems are often referred to as logical fallacies—defects in logic that weaken an argument. This lesson will examine a number of common logical fallacies.

Circular reasoning is when a writer tries to use the claim in order to support the claim. In other words, the argument goes around in a "circle" without actually presenting any new supporting points.

This problem occurs when a writer believes the conclusion of a particular situation applies to all situations.