The misuse of logical appeal in an argument often results in a logical fallacy: faulty reasoning that breaks down the credibility of a claim.

Becoming familiar with the different kinds of logical fallacies can help you avoid this pitfall in your own arguments, and help you recognize when others are arguing from a flawed premise.

Some of the more common fallacies are listed below, with examples...

Faulty Cause and Effect: lack of connection between two sequential events

• Because I watched Friends last night, I passed my math test.
• We voted Democrats into office, and then the economy went downhill.

Red Herring (Ignoring the Question): when a rebuttal doesn't address the question

• Q: Did the President have an affair? A: "He's very busy at the moment with the Middle East Peace talks, and has no time for silly accusations."

Stacking the Deck (Slanting): leaving out one side of an argument completely

• There should be no "moment of silence" in schools: it discriminates against certain religions, causes unnecessary controversy, takes away from study time, and mixes church and state.

Begging the Question: when the claim is included in the evidence so nothing is proved

• Since I'm not lying, I must be telling the truth.
• We know that God exists, because the Bible is the word of God.
• Roger Drudge's book on politics is the best; it says so inside.

False Authority: when someone who is not an expert gives testimony

• As an English teacher, I must say that Coke is better than Pepsi.
• I'm not a doctor, but I play one on TV. Excedrin is the best headache medicine.

Hasty Generalization: when a claim states or implies that things are all one way

• Women are bad drivers.
• Gun owners refuse to consider new laws that would make our streets safer.

False Analogy: comparing two things that are not similar enough to compare

• Bill Clinton is the Jesus Christ of the 20th century.

Either/Or (False Dilemma): when only two options are given when many choices exist

• Either you're for the Republican plan, or you're socialist and un-American.

Ad Hominem Fallacy: an attack on the person rather than the argument

• Don't listen to Rush Limbaugh; he's a big fat idiot.
• James supports the new tax system; what do you expect from a rich kid?

Complex Question: when two different points are linked together in one statement

• Do you support freedom and the right to bear arms?
• Has George W. Bush stopped using illegal drugs? (This assumes that he has used them in the past...)

Prejudicial Language: loaded or overly-emphasized word choice

• Right-wing fanatics and NRA storm-troopers will fight to keep guns firing.
• Any reasonable person can see through the cloud of lies coming from the Democrats.

Wrong Direction: the cause and effect relationship is reversed

• Cancer causes smoking.
• More sex education has led to an increase in teen pregnancy.

Complex Cause: A complex event is shown as having only one cause

• We lost the game because Wilson missed the last shot.

Straw Man: attacking an opponent's weaker argument rather than his strongest

• Many who are for abortion like its convenience. But this is a human life we're talking about, and people need to be concerned with more than convenience.

Equivocation: using the same word with two different meanings

• The sign said "Fine for Parking Here," so since it was fine, I parked there.
• Liberal politicians favor a liberal lifestyle of free love and drugs.
• God helps those who help themselves, so I'm gonna help myself to more of this tuna casserole.

Placing Blame Elsewhere: avoiding the question by attacking something else

• You criticize Chinese human rights violations, but what about the homeless in American slums?