Logical Fallacies in Scientific Writing [View All]

Logic is the set of rules by which one can formulate convincing arguments. It is "the science of argument." When presenting an argument, one takes a set of premises that are proven to be true, and uses logic to show how they prove a certain "foregone conclusion." It is helpful to know that this type of argument is not just a presentation of facts, but is, rather, an effort to prove a conclusion that was previously reached.

The focus of this paper is on logical errors in scientific writings. These logical errors are known as fallacies. If an argument contains a fallacy, then the conclusion will not necessarily be proven. Some fallacies are just accidental, but they can also be used to trap an unwary listener or reader into believing faulty conclusions. First, this paper will identify and describe logical fallacies, then a selection of scientific writing will be analyzed in light of those fallacies.

http://mason.gmu.edu/~arichar6/logic.htm#N_2_