Page 74 - Computer Basics - Research

9. Oversimplification—Proposition or offer of easy solutions to complicated problems.
a. I.e., #1; “America’s economy will be strong again if we all ‘buy American’” (Behrens & Rosen, WRAC, 59).

10. Ad ignorantium (“appeal to ignorance”)— arguing that a claim is true just because it is not false.
“I do not have much information on this except the general statement of the agency that there is nothing
in the files to disapprove his communist connections” (Weston, RA, 74).

11. Ad misericordiam (“appeal to pity”)— Appealing to pity as an argument for special treatment.

“I know I flunked every exam, but if I don’t pass this course, I’ll have to retake it in summer school. You
have to let me pass!” (Weston, RA, 74).

12. Ad Populum— appealing to the emotions of a crowd; also, appealing to a person to go along with the crowd;
‘everyone’s doing it!’” [Weston, RA, 74]).

13. Red herring— Introduction of an irrelevant or secondary subject, thereby diverting attention from the main
subject. Usually, the red herring is an issue about which people get heated quickly, so that no one notices
how their attention is being diverted (Weston, RA, 79).

14. Straw man— A caricature (depiction of somebody’s or something’s characteristics) of an opposing view,
exaggerated (overstated/overstressed) from what anyone is likely to hold, so that it is easy to refute (Weston,
RA, 79).

Putting the Pieces Together
1. Begin creating your _____________________________________.
2. Make some notes about what you want to say in your paper,
_____________________________________ you hope to answer in your research, and ideas for the
main point of your paper. This _______________ will enable you to make the most of your research and
the brief time you will have to write your paper.
3. ___________________________ your notes in a linear fashion organized by topic.

Steps to Writing a Research Paper

Six Simple Steps for Writing a Research Paper (from the Writing Center - www.
Potsdam.edu/sites/
Documents/support/tutoring/cwc6-Simple-Steps-for-Writing-a-Research-Paper.pdf)

Sometimes the most difficult part of writing a research paper is just getting it started. We suggest to you a list of
six steps that will aid you in the research paper writing process. You may develop your own steps or procedures
as you progress in your writing career; these steps are just to help you begin.

Step 1: Understand the Assignment and Set a Schedule

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