Persuasive Technique & Argument Test
Part I. Persuasion
Directions: Circle the letter of the best answer to each of the following items.
1. Which advertising technique is employed in the following ad?
a. Bandwagon
b. Humor
c. Glittering generalities
d. Transfer
2. Which advertising technique is employed in the following ad?
a. Humor
b. Product comparison
c. Transfer
d. Celebrity Spokesperson
3. Which advertising technique is employed in the following ad?
a. Plainfolk
b. Product comparison
c. Transfer
d. Loaded language
4. What is the message of the following ad?
a. Pomegranate juice is dangerous.
b. Antioxidants are good for you.
c. Pomegranate juice is good for you.
d. We’re all going to die anyway, so we may as well drink pomegranate juice.
5. Which best describes the target audience of the following ad?
a. general audience
b. parents
c. mothers
d. children
6. Identify the persuasive technique used in the following ad.
a. Bandwagon
b. Celebrity Spokesperson
c. Emotional Appeal
d. Glittering Generalities
7. Which is most prevalent in the following ad?
a. Ethos
b. Pathos
c. Logos
8. The phrase “Hurry in before supplies disappear” is an example of
a. Individuality
b. False cause and effect
c. Bandwagon
d. Statistical evidence
9. Persuasion is _____.
a. Introduction to a variety of viewpoints
b. The art of making someone think or do as you wish
c. The act of ridiculing (mocking) the audience
d. To appeal to the audience’s emotions only
10. All of the following would help a logical persuasive argument except ______.
a. Expert testimonial
b. Facts and statistics
c. Valid reasons
d. Name-calling
11. Identify the fallacy.
“We have a much healthier economy now because we cracked down on juvenile truancy last school year” is an example of
a. Hasty generalization
b. Black- white fallacy (either/or)
c. Circular reasoning
d. False cause and effect
12. Which of the following documents most likely would contain persuasive technique(s)?
a. A scientific report released by a professional association
b. An audit of a government agency by an outside account firm
c. A movie review appearing in a highly respected newspaper
d. The minutes of a PTA meeting
13. In a commercial in which a popular television actor says, “Give to feed the many—for the children’s sake,” the advertiser is using
a. Ethos
b. Pathos
c. Logos
14. Which of the following statements is an example of a hasty generalization fallacy?
a. After considering the most recent experts, I’ve decided we must improve our city’s transportation system.
b. There are only two choices available: the death penalty or murderers roaming the streets.
c. Dr. Silva, worldwide authority on global warming, warns people to use public transportation and drive hybrid or electric cars.
d. Teenagers who wear expensive shoes are troublemakers.
15. Identify the fallacy.
“We should vote for the new city hall because a new city hall is a good idea” is an example of
a. Hasty generalization
b. Circular reasoning
c. Black-white fallacy (either/or)
d. False cause and effect
Directions: Analyze the following argument. Answer the questions that follow.
School uniforms may delay the transition into adulthood.Adults make their own clothing choices and have the freedom to express themselves through their appearance, so denying children and teenagers the opportunity to make those choices may make them ill-prepared for the adult world.Adolescents see clothing choices as a means of identification, and seeking an identity is one of the critical stages of adolescence, according to the late developmental psychologist Erik Erikson.Some people might feel that the benefits of uniforms outweigh the potential negative outcomes, but those people ignore the detrimental effects of uniforms on students’ self-image. A 2003 study by researchers at Arizona State University found that "students from schools without uniforms reported higher self-perception scores than students from schools with uniform policies."
19. What types of evidence does the author use to support his/her claim? Give an example.
20. Are there any fallacies present in this author’s reasoning? If so, identify and explain each.
16. What is the issue?
17. What is the author’s claim?
18. What is the author’s reason?