Identify and define the six general fallacies. Discuss how the presence of fallacies affects the overall quality of a speech.

What will be an ideal response?

- The six general fallacies and the definition of each:
* Non sequitur: the claim does not follow from the evidence.
* Circular argument: the evidence merely repeats the claim.
* Ignoring the question: the claim being made is not relevant to the issue.
* Equivocation: the claim is vague or ambiguous.
* Mistaking probability for certainty: the claim has been overstated from the evidence.
* Inappropriate emotional response: the speaker overreacts (or underreacts).
- A fallacy is an unjustified inference, and the answer should explore how such an error would influence the audience. It may be, for example, that its impact on the quality of the speech depends on how central the point is to the thesis.