Handout
Other

The Skeptic's Dictionary: Begging the Question

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
This site from The Skeptic's Dictionary defines the term and provides a number of examples. Each example is given a complete explanation.
Handout
Other

Wsu: Improving Your Argument

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
Students writing persuasive essays run the risk of using inaccurate or illogical reasoning. This site by Weber State University provides pointers to help eliminate this problem. Several dos's and don'ts are given, as are 14 common...
Activity
Other

Fallacy Files: Loaded Question

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
Good explanation of the logical fallacy known as the loaded question (also known as complex question, many questions, or plurium interrogationum). An example, explanation of the example, and links to additional resources are all provided...
Handout
Other

Speaking Effectively: Supporting the Talk

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
This substantial section focuses on supporting the main points of your speech or presentation. Find out how to avoid faulty reasoning and irrational appeals.
Website
Other

Manner of Speaking: Analyses of Speeches

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
This is a collection of videos of speeches by well-known personalities and celebrities. Each one is accompanied by an analysis of the speech's structure, devices, and arguments. Some videos are excerpts from movies, some are from...
Article
Other

The Nizkor Project: Fallacies

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
The Nizkor Project: Fallacies is a text provides an explaination of fallaces. It identifies the specific kinds of fallacies as well as gives a couple of examples.
Graphic
ReadWriteThink

Read Write Think: Persuasion Rubric

For Teachers 9th - 10th Standards
A printable four-point rubric to use when assessing a persuasive piece with a focus on organization, a goal or thesis, reasons/support, audience, word choice, visuals/delivery, and grammar/usage/mechanics. Directions on how to use this...
Activity
Brown University

Brown University: Critical Writing and Thinking

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
Resource explains exactly what critial writing and thinking are, questions to help you think critically, paper writing tips, troubleshooting, and more.
Professional Doc
National Health Museum

Access Excellence: Integrating Critical Thinking Skills

For Teachers 9th - 10th Standards
This site from Access Excellence explores how, as an educator, you can incorporate critical thinking skills into the classroom. Content focuses on how to cover content so that students can grasp information, engage with the teacher, read...
PPT
Austin Independent School District

Austin Independent School District: Logical Fallacies [Pdf]

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
A slide show explaining different types of fallacies in persuasive texts including personal attack, bandwagon, appeal to authority, and many more. Then try to find the fallacy in several examples; answers and explanations provided.
Interactive
iCivics

I Civics: Games: Argument Wars

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
Games in which players act as lawyers arguing head to head before a judge about real Supreme Court cases.
Handout
Grammarly

Grammarly Handbook: Methods of Reasoning

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
A list (with examples) of common errors in logic including the following: non sequiturs, hasty generalization circular argument, ad hominem, ad populum, and red herring.
Handout
Johns Hopkins University

Johns Hopkins University Sheridan Libraries: Information and Its Counterfeits

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
Distinguishing information from propaganda, biased reporting and misinformation is an important skill. This short article defines each of these, and provides examples of each.
Graphic
Other

Flickr: Critical Thinking Skills Poster

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
A downloadable critical thinking skills poster based on the original six levels of Bloom's taxonomy.
Article
Other

Six Minutes: Speech Analysis #1: How to Study and Critique a Speech

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
Dlugen presents a detailed collection of tips to observe when critiquing others' speeches. This skill is critical in improving individual presentation abilities. SL.9-10.3 Eval Presentation. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.SL.3, SL.9-10.3 Eval...
Graphic
TES Global

Tes: Persuasive Techniques

For Students 5th - 9th Standards
[Free Registration/Login Required] A graphic organizer is provided to help students analyze persuasuve techniques in an advertisement. Students will analyze an advertisement and apply their understanding of the content.
Lesson Plan
Sophia Learning

Sophia: Harnessing "The Power of a Word"

For Teachers 9th - 10th Standards
In this PDF lesson plan, students will analyze the text "The Power of a Word" by Leonard Pitts, Jr. to identify an author's argument and how he deals with the counterargument. Students will extend the argument by agreeing or disagreeing...
Article
Other

Critical Thinking: Basic Questions & Answers

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
An interesting interview with Richard Paul discussing what critical thinking means. There are many insights as to what critical thinking involves and how it should be used in the classroom.
Article
Other

Becoming a Critic of Your Thinking

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
This resource presents an article that explains why it is important to be someone who is a good thinker. Provided are four strategies for critical thinking.
Graphic
Georgia Department of Education

Ga Virtual Learning: Informative Speech Critique Sheet (Pdf)

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
This PDF is a critique form for evaluating informative speeches. SL.9-10.3 Eval Presentation. CCSS.ELA-LiteracySL.3, SL.9-10.3 Eval Presentation
Handout
Other

How to Analyze a Speech

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
An interesting approach to how to analyze a speech. Presents a rhetorical pentangle as well as a rhetorical triangle, where each of the vertices represents an item to analyze. There is also an outline of the different areas to examine in...
Handout
Brown University

Brown University: Debates

For Teachers 9th - 10th Standards
Use this resource to learn how to engage in collaborative discourse and argumentation enhances student's conceptual understandings and refines their reasoning abilities. Be sure to click on the links to other resources.
Activity
University of North Carolina

University of North Carolina: The Writing Center: Fallacies

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
Discussion of common fallacies, along with definitions, examples, and tips on avoiding them.
Handout
Brigham Young University

Brigham Young University: Forest of Rhetoric

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
This site is provided for by the Brigham Young University. Almost anything you would want to know about rhetoric and speech is here with great examples and explanations. Intended for a college-level audience, but plenty for younger...