ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC

AND PROFESSIONAL
PURPOSES
Quarter 2
DEFENDS A STAND ON AN ISSUE BY
PRESENTING REASONABLE
ARGUMENTS SUPPORTED BY
PROPERLY CITED FACTUAL
EVIDENCES
At the end of this lesson, you are expected to:
defend a stand on an issue by presenting reasonable
arguments supported by properly cited factual evidences
● determine different kinds of logical fallacy
● identify factors on authenticity and validity of
evidences/information
● present reasonable arguments and factual evidences to
defend a stand
VOCABULARY LIST

Let’s enrich your vocabulary with these terms that you will encounter
throughout this lesson.
● Stand - viewpoint
● Claims - these are statements that support the author’s stand;
ARGUMENT
● Evidences - these are proofs or evidences to strengthen the
author’s claim
● Fallacy - an error in reasoning which weakens an argument
● Counterclaims – arguments opposing a stand
PRE-TEST True or False
Instructions: Read the statement below. If it is true, draw . If it is false, draw
Write your answers in a paper or in your notebook.
1. Logical fallacies are errors in reasoning that invalidates an argument.
2. Opinions are better than facts in supporting an argument.
3. Statistics can be used as evidence to support an argument.
4. Evidence from expert interviews can strengthen your stand.
5. Bandwagon occurs when someone tries to refute an argument by attacking
the character of a person instead of attacking the ideas of the argument.
Take a glance on the picture below. Then, answer the question: “Which would you follow,
the decision that your mind is saying or the choice that your heart is dictating?” In this case
whichever your choice, you have to defend it with reasonable arguments and factual
evidences

Every now and then, we find the need to take a stand on an issue. How do we defend this
stand? How do we convince others about the soundness of our position?
A.LOGICAL FALLACIES
What are these logical fallacies?
Why is there a need for you to be familiar with it?
LOGICAL FALLACIES are ERRORS IN REASONING
that INVALIDATE AN ARGUMENT. As a critical thinker
you have to identify and examine fallacies and manipulative
language. It is therefore important that you know some of the
common fallacies.
Study the types of fallacy and its example:
Fallacy Description Example
False Dilemma Occurs when an arguer Either you fully devote
presents his/her argument yourself to company or
as one of only two options you quit.
despite the presence of
multiple possibilities
Appeal to Ignorance Occurs when something is The writer does not talk
instantly concluded to be about the connection
true just because it is not between the victim’s
proven to be false, and vice killer and his sister, so
versa there must be none
 Fallacy Description Example
Slippery Slope Occurs when a series of If we ban computer shops,
increasingly superficial and then students will not be
unacceptable consequences is able to do research. And if
drawn they do not have tools for
research, these students will
fail their subjects.
Complex Occurs when two or more points “Have you stopped cheating
Question are rolled into one and the reader on exams?”
is expected to accept or reject
both at the same time, when one
point may be satisfactory while
the other is not
 Fallacy Description Example
Appeal to Force Occurs when a threat, instead of If you do not admit that evolution
reasoning is used to argue is not real, we will isolate you
from the group.
Appeal to Pity Occurs when the element of pity Please do not fire me for being
is used instead of logical reasoning absent all month; I have a sick
mother and a special child to
support.
Appeal to Occurs when unpleasant You can’t believe that colonialism
Consequences consequences of believing is bad, because if it were, then we
something are pointed out to would not be civilized.
show that the belief is false
 Fallacy Description Example
Bandwagon Occurs when an argument is Most Filipinas want to have
considered to be valid because it is fair skin because they think
what the majority thinks they look beautiful. Therefore,
having fair skin must be the
real standard of beauty.
Attacking the Person Occurs when someone tries to refute I cannot accept your argument
an argument by attacking the character because, unlike me, you were
of a person instead of attacking the not educated at Harvard
ideas of the argument University.

Appeal to Authority Occurs when the argument quotes an Bill Gates, the co-founder of
expert who’s not qualified in the Microsoft, recommends the
particular subject matter effective fabric softening
properties of Downy fabric
softener
 Fallacy Description Example
Anonymous The authority in question Experts claim that eating
is not mentioned or peanuts causes pimples.
Authority named
Hasty Generalization Occurs when a sample is Martha, the foreigner
not significant enough to from France is very
support a generalization impolite. French people
about a population are mean and rude.

False Analogy Occurs when a writer Drugs are like massages:

assumes that two they make you feel good.
concepts that are similar
in some ways are also
similar in other ways
 Fallacy Description Example
Accident Occurs when a general rule is applied Jaywalking is not allowed, so
to a situation, even when it should be you should not have done
an exception that even when you were
being chased by terrorists
Post Hoc It is an informal fallacy that states: Dina saw cat when they went
“Since event A followed event B, home. Along the way, they
event A must have been caused by crashed into a tree. The black
event B.” cat must be the reason why
they met an accident.

Wrong Direction Occurs when the direction between Liver damage leads to
cause and effect is reversed alcoholism.
 Fallacy Description Example
Complex Cause Occurs when the explanation for an event We were not able to solve the
is reduced to one thing when there are problem because of limited time,
other factors which also contributed to the even if all the other groups were
event able to do so.
Irrelevant Conclusion Occurs when an argument which is We must support the fight for
supposed to prove something concludes gender equality between men and
something else instead women. Women have suffered
enough violence at home. Violence
against women must be stopped.

Straw Man Occurs when the position of the Opponent: We should relax the law
opposition is twisted so that it is easier to governing the allowed smoking
refute areas in the city. Fallacy: We should
not do so, because the number of
smokers might increase.
 Fallacy Description Example
Affirming the Consequent Any argument of the form: If If you are drinking wine, you
A is true then B is true; If B is have a problem. Therefore, if
true therefore A is true you have a problem, you are
drinking wine.
Denying the Antecedent Any argument of the form: If If you are drinking wine, you
A is true then B id true; If A have a problem. Therefore, if
is not true then B is not true you are not drinking wine,
you do not have a problem.

Inconsistency Occurs when arguments Frank is older than Jake, Jake

contradict one another is older than Noli and Noli is
older than Frank.
Warning: Do not use these kinds of logical fallacies when you defend your stand. It
weakens your arguments. So, what are the things that you have to do in order to
refrain from these fallacies? Study the next topic.
B. FACTORS ON AUTHENTICITY AND VALIDITY OF
EVIDENCES/INFORMATION
The following are some of the criteria assessing whether the source is suitable to use for
academic purposes. The criteria include relevance, authority, currency, contents and
location of sources.

1.Relevance of the Source

● How well does the source support your stand?
● You can check the title, table of contents,
summary, introduction or headings of the text to
have a sense of its content.
2. Authority/Author’s Qualifications
● Is the author’s name identified?
● Is the author’s background, education or training related to the
topic?
● If the source does not have an author, think twice before using it.
● Legitimate academic texts must include citations. Citations
demonstrate that the writer has thoroughly researched the topic and is
not plagiarizing the material.
3. Currency/Date of Publication
● What is the date of the publication?
● In most fields, the data from the older
publications may no longer be valid. As much as
possible, the date pf publication should be at
most five years earlier.
4. Contents/Accuracy of Information
● Does the author have a lot of citations in his or her
text and/or bibliography or works cited section?
● You do not want to use source that is disputable, so
make sure to verify your findings with multiple sources.
5. Location of Sources
● Where was the source published? Was it published
digitally or in print?
● Is it a book, an academic journal or a reputable news
source as www.nytimes.com or www.economist.com?
● Does it provide complete publication information
such as author/s, editor/s, title, date of publication and
publisher?
● What is the URL of the website?
● Avoid using blogs or personal homepage and wiki
sites (Wikipedia, Wiktionary, Wikiquotes)
● If the URL includes the top-level domain .edu, then
that means that it has been published by an academic
institution such as university
● Common URLs include .gov (government), .org
(organizations), .com (commercial sites) and .net
(network infrastructures). In academic writing,
reputable sites are those with .edu, .gov, .net and .org in
URL.
Add on: Pieces of evidence to
strengthen the author’s claims:
Evidence from surveys, library
research and experiments Evidence
from informant interviews (those
Remember: Aside from
who have direct experience related your claim/argument,
to the problem/issue Evidence you have to discuss
from expert interviews Source: counter arguments.
Valdez, P. N. M. (2016). English
for the Globalized Classroom These are the arguments
Series: English for Academic and opposing a stand.
Professional
C. PRESENTATION OF REASONABLE ARGUMENTS
AND FACTUAL EVIDENCES TO DEFEND A STAND

Guidelines in presentation of reasonable arguments and factual

evidences to defend a stand:
● C - ontains a clear proposition or statement that must be defended
● A - ssesses conflicting opinions or opposing views on the issue
● T - akes a firm stand on the issue
● L - ists arguments in an organized manner to defend the stand
● C -onsider your audience/reader
 Instructions: Read each statement below and identify what it describes by
choosing the word in the word pool. Write your answers in a separate
sheet of paper.

Logical Fallacies Attacking the Person Bandwagon

False Dilemma Hasty Generalization False Analogy
Post Hoc Complex Cause Wrong Direction
Irrelevant Conclusion
1. These are errors in reasoning that invalidate an argument.
2. It occurs when the direction between cause and effect is
reversed.
3. It occurs when an arguer presents his/her argument as one
of only two options despite the presence of multiple
possibilities.
4. We must support the clean and green program of the
government. Mountaineers have suffered climbing on the
mountains.
5. I cannot accept your argument because unlike me, you
were not educated at Harvard University.
6. We were not able to solve the problem because of
limited time even if all the other groups were able to do
so.
7. It occurs when an argument is considered to be valid
because it is what the majority thinks.
8. It occurs when a writer assumes that two concepts
that are similar in some ways are also similar in other
ways.
9. Juan saw a black cat when they went home. Along the way,
they crashed into a tree. The black cat must be the reason why
they met an accident. Logical Fallacies Attacking the Person
Bandwagon False Dilemma Hasty Generalization False
Analogy Post Hoc Complex Cause Wrong Direction
Irrelevant Conclusion www.shsph.blogspot.com 10
10. It occurs when a sample is not significant or enough to
support a generalization about a population.
Task 2: Modified True or False
Instructions: Write T if the statement is true.
If it is false change the underlined word with
the correct one. Write your answers in a
separate sheet of paper.
1. The criteria for assessing whether a source is suitable to use for
academic purposes are: relevance, authority, currency contents and
references.
2. Sources not written by experts are not valid.
3. Sources published online should always be used as reference.
4. Sources that are personal and editable such as blogs and Wikipedia
are acceptable.
5. Sources that have no relevance to your academic paper should not
be used.
6. Evidence from surveys, library research and
experiments can strengthen your argument.
7. Evidence from informant interviews (those who
have direct experience related to the problem/issue is
acceptable.
8. Evidence from expert interviews is credible.
9. Outdated sources should not be considered.
Choose Who-One! Instructions: Fill out the box with the needed information.
Have a brief yet clear answer in a separate sheet of paper.

Situation Your mother is in critical condition while laboring your youngest

sibling and according to the doctor only one has the chance to
survive. Because of this, the doctor is asking you to decide as to
who should be kept alive.

STAND/POSITION

EXPLANATION

EVIDENCE

CONCLUSION
 D. Y. S. (Defend Your Stand)

Instructions: Given the issue, write your

stand. Defend it using your
claims/arguments. For each argument, give
an evidence. Write your answers in a
separate sheet of paper
Example: Cycling to commute to work or school Stand: In favor
Argument: Health benefits, environment-friendly Evidence: Cycling as
a mode of transport should be promoted since it has several health
benefits. It’s easy on the joints. When you sit on a bike, you put your
weight on a pair of bones in the pelvis called the ischial tuberosities.
“That makes it good for anyone with joint pain or related stiffness,”
says Dr. Clare Safran-Norton, a physical therapist at Harvard -
affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital. In addition, it can save
nonrenewable resources. According to the Encyclopedia of Energy,
bicycles can cover a given distance using one-thousandth of the fuel
that an automobile uses. It cuts down on greenhouse gas emissions
and global climate change and reduces pollutants.
1. Issue: Use of Social Media Websites in school
Stand:______________________________
Argument: __________________________
Evidence: __________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
Issue: Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020
Stand: ______________________________
Argument: __________________________
Evidence: __________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
2. Issue: Who is a better leader: Someone who is loved or someone
who is feared?
Stand: ______________________________
Argument: __________________________
Evidence:
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________
Evaluate the output using the rubric below.
Content: 15%
Organization: 10%
Grammar and Mechanics: 10%
=35%
THANK YOU!