Chapter 3. Chapter 3: Information Literacy

What common logical fallacies are used...

Why You Should Care

In the 1950s, a popular statistics book was published titled How to Lie with Statistics. The book set out to display the various ways that data could be presented in which the reader would falsely assume certain conclusions. We were told to be careful about how data were graphed, how relationships were assumed to be the cause, and how some data could not be represented by numbers (emotional attitudes or complex issues with multiple effects). All of these represent common mistakes that primary-source authors make.

Every issue in environmental science has arguments both for and against it, and each side presents information that supports their position. When evaluating these arguments, our best tools are critical-thinking skills.

1. Examine the source of the data: How valid are those conclusions and how have the arguments been presented?
2. Examine the strength of the argument—not just what is said, but how it is worded. Some wording can trick you or distract you away from weak points.
3. Examine the scope of the argument: Generalizing a familiar example to include data or situations from outside the scope of the argument is another way to cover a weak point in an argument. For instance, the newspaper held a survey and found that the majority of people think the tulip is the best spring flower. That conclusion may not be true in cities where tulips don’t grow!