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25
Poor compromise is an example of accepting a course of action without any in-depth thought.
Many problems are satisfactorily solved through compromise, but you should avoid the
tendency to accept the compromise solution in all situations. Sometimes it is the worst
course of action.
Post hoc fallacy is based on the assumption that because one event follows another, it is
necessarily caused by the other. One might conclude, for example, that because a higher
percentage of senior service school attendees become generals than their contemporaries
who did not attend senior service school (such attendance increases the chance of
promotion to general officer). This error in reasoning occurs because we forget, or
ignore, other important factors that contribute to the effect. Although a proportionately
higher percentage of graduates may indeed be promoted to brigadier general, other factors
affect promotion such as preselection, past assignments, aeronautical rating, source of
commission, previous below-the-promotion zone selection, possible sponsorship and
advanced degrees. Senior service school attendance, in itself, may or may not be a causal
factor. (Performance reports could overshadow all other factors.)
Primacy-of-print fallacy is an example of believing or accepting everything printed. We often
laugh at the verbal nonsense of some semiarticulate buffoons, but put their ramblings in
print and, magically, the comments rise to the level of objective analysis! Be as skeptical
and thoughtfully critical of the printed word as you are of the spoken word.
Stacked evidence is the tendency to withhold facts or manipulate support so that the evidence
points in only one direction. Quoting out of context also belongs in this category.
The amount of fallacious reasoning and weak support we see and hear daily is staggering. We are
literally engulfed in mental muck. Indeed, we probably share in the contribution. The challenge is
to sharpen our professional sense of smell so we can quickly sniff out the rational from the
ridiculous.
Imagination is more important than
knowledge.
Albert Einstein
The Tongue and Quill
26
You have analyzed your purpose
and audience
~
pages
9-12
You have conducted your research
~
pages
13-20
You have supported your ideas
~
pages
21-25
Do you know how to organize? Look
on!
a little review
27
get organized
Just as you tune out a speaker who rambles on without a logical pattern, you stop reading badly
organized writing. Few want to mentally reorganize the material for a bleacher full of high-priced
speakers or writers. If you dont organize your material logically and in a sequence that leads
your reader from one point to the next, you may as well not write at all. Thats why its
important to
GET ORGANIZED!
A BASIC FRAMEWORK
The most effective writing can be nailed down to an introduction, a body and a conclusion. This
framework is so logical youll use it most often. There are, of course, more nuts and bolts to the
organization than this simple three-part breakdown.
The introduction must capture your audiences attention, establish rapport and announce your
purpose.
The body must be an effective sequence of ideas.
And, finally, the conclusion must summarize the main points stated in the body and close
smoothly.
The Tongue and Quill
28
Lets assume youve completed your basic research and your notes (or assorted letters, reports,
etc) are scattered all over the top of your desknow what? How do you get ready to write?
DETERMINE YOUR BOTTOM LINE
This ought to be easy. Its the same one liner, bottom line, nitty-gritty you used back there
on page 10. Or its the one sentence youd keep if you were allowed only one. Thats your main
pointyour purpose of being your reason to live. If, after looking at your bottom line
(statement of purpose), youve exhausted your ideas on your subject (you probably havent), your
task at this point is fairly simple. When in doubt ... jot down more facts or ideas that support, or
relate to, your purpose statement. Your writing will become clear only if your thinking is clear.
Then question each fact or idea in light of your purpose and the needs of your readers. Relentless
questioning will purify this list. Question, sift, revise, strip and dump until you have only the bare
walls. When you are absolutely certain youve retained only the relevant material, youre ready
to