Let’s practice identifying what’s illogical.
First, write down the main idea for each sentence. Let’s look at an example from the GRE test prep topics and will go through each sentence and identify the idea that they are talking about.https://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/prepare/analytical_writing/argument
The following appeared as a recommendation by a committee planning a ten-year budget for the city of Calatrava.
"The birthrate in our city is declining: in fact, last year's birthrate was only one-half that of five years ago. Thus the number of students enrolled in our public schools will soon decrease dramatically, and we can safely reduce the funds budgeted for education during the next decade. At the same time, we can reduce funding for athletic playing fields and other recreational facilities. As a result, we will have sufficient money to fund city facilities and programs used primarily by adults, since we can expect the adult population of the city to increase."
Sentence 1: birthrate declining. Last year’s one-half of a year ago.
Sentence 2: THUS number of students enrolled in school decreased
We can reduce funds for education
Sentence 3: AT THE SAME TIME, reduce funding for athletic praying fields and recreational facilities
Sentence 4: AS A RESULT, we will have money to fund city facilities and programs used by adults
We can expect the adult population of the city to increase.
Now those are the main ideas from each sentence.
Let’s now go to step 2 and analyze what is illogical about each idea.
1.What is illogical here? Sentence 1: birthrate declining. Last year’s one-half of a year ago. The evidence is a problem. We don’t know how they know the birthrate is declining. What is the source? How did they find that out exactly?
2.What is illogical here? Sentence 2: Thus number of students enrolled in school decreased. False cause: Does the birthrate cause the number of students enrolled in school to decrease?
Note: The transition lets you know there is a cause/effect relationship so you probably have a false cause. The transition here is THUS.
Note: You can always attack the evidence but you want to spend more attack the ideas. What is the source? How do we know this?
We can reduce funds for education
3.What is illogical? Sentence 3: AT THE SAME TIME. reduce funding for athletic playing fields and recreational facilities
How do these two compare? I will let you think about. Note: At the same time.
4.What is illogical? Sentence 4: AS A RESULT, we will have money to fund city facilities and programs used by adults.
So I won’t tell you what’s wrong here. What do you think is?
In our next lesson, I’ll let you know.