In this week’s readings and activities, you learned about errors in thinking and informal fallacies. Both of these can occur in arguments, and they affect the overall quality of the argument.

Complete the Identifying Fallacies Assessment by following the instructions within the assessment. The final page of the assessment will provide you with a summary of your score and a confirmation that your results have been sent to your faculty member. You will not need to submit anything additional.

Note: You will have 1 attempt at each question. If you leave the assessment before it is completed, your progress will be saved, but you cannot revisit any questions that have already been completed.

Identifying Fallacies Assessment

This week, you learned that fallacies are errors in logic that present themselves in a variety of formats. It is important that you can recognize fallacies when they occur in real-life situations. In this assessment, you will be presented with 14 different real-life examples of fallacies. Some examples will be presented as a graphic or photograph. Others will be contained in audio or video clips.  After reviewing each example, you will be given a list of possible fallacies presented in the example. Your goal is to identify the fallacy presented in the material you just experienced.

This is not a timed assessment, so be thoughtful in your responses.

Question 1

Watch the conversation between Natalie and Jim, then use the next arrow to continue

What fallacy is present in this scenario?

Select the correct answer below.

Division

Equivocation

Popular Appeal

False Dilemma

Question 2

Once you’ve reviewed the image, please use the ‘next’ arrow to continue to the next slide.

(Day care image)

What fallacy is present in this scenario?

Select the correct answer below.

Appeal to Force

Ad Hominem

Questionable Cause

Amphiboly

Question 3

After listening to the phone call between Sam and his roommate, use the next arrow to continue

What fallacy is present in this scenario?

Select the correct answer below.

Accent

Fallacy of Composition

Appeal to Pity

Straw Man

Question 4

Once you reviewed the social media exchange between Jessica and Emily, use the next arrow to continue

What fallacy is present in this scenario?

Select the correct answer below.

Red Herring

Inappropriate Appeal to Authority

Ad Hominem

Appeal to Ignorance

Question 5

Once you reviewed the student’s message to her instructor, use the next arrow to continue

What fallacy is present in this scenario?

Select the correct answer below.

Hasty Generalization

Appeal to Pity

Naturalistic Fallacy

Slippery Slope

Question 6

Watch the preview for a new movie, then use the next arrow to continue

(Jason’s Walk video)

What fallacy is present in this scenario?

Select the correct answer below.

Popular Appeal

Loaded Question

Accent

Inappropriate Appeal to Authority

Question 7

Once you reviewed the social media exchange between Jessica and Emily, use the next arrow to continue

(Three posts in this exchange)

What fallacy is present in this scenario?

Select the correct answer below.

Naturalistic Fallacy

Appeal to Ignorance

Composition

Red Herring

Question 8

Watch the conversation between Natalie and Jim, then use the next arrow to continue

What fallacy is present in this scenario?

Select the correct answer below.

Begging the Question

Slippery Slope

Division

Hasty Generalization

Question 9

Listen to the interview with the State Senator and then use the next arrow to continue

What fallacy is present in this scenario?

Select the correct answer below.

Begging the Question

False Dilemma

Straw Man

Division

Question 10

After listening to the phone call between Chris and his father, use the next arrow to continue

What fallacy is present in this scenario?

Select the correct answer below.

Appeal to Force

Equivocation

Questionable Cause

Amphiboly

Question 11

Listen to the interview with the State Senator and then use the next arrow to continue

What fallacy is present in this scenario?

Select the correct answer below.

False Dilemma

Composition

Slippery Slope

Loaded Question

Question 12

Once you’ve reviewed the image, please use the ‘next’ arrow to continue 

(Acme Insurance photo)

What fallacy is present in this scenario?

Select the correct answer below.

Inappropriate Appeal to Authority.

Straw Man

Popular Appeal

Loaded Question

Question 13

Once you’ve reviewed the image, please use the ‘next’ arrow to continue

(The Pure Fruit Diet photo)

What fallacy is present in this scenario?

Select the correct answer below.

Naturalistic

Inappropriate Appeal to Authority

Popular Appeal

Ad Hominem

Question 14

Watch the conversation between Natalie and Jim, then use the next arrow to continue

What fallacy is present in this scenario?

Select the correct answer below.

Red Herring

False Dilemma

Questionable Cause

Appeal to Force

1. What can  ROI (Quantitative) metric demonstrate? What is its importance to HRM and strategic decision-making?
2. What would be learned from statistics derived from  ROI (Quantitative) metric?
3. Where might one find (or collect) the raw data for  ROI (Quantitative) metric? How would you implement tracking this metric in an organizational dashboard/balanced scorecard?
4. What, if any, potential difficulties might create challenges in tracking  ROI (Quantitative) metric?
5. Provide an example of a calculation of  ROI (Quantitative).

imagine you are the HR director of a growing international staffing  organization that services both North America and South America. The CEO  has come to grips with the fact that the HR group, which is currently  decentralized, is in need of restructuring to account for the expected  increase in revenues. The CEO has asked for your opinion on how to best  restructure the firm. Based upon your knowledge, recommend an  organizational structure (e.g., functional, matrix, or projectized) that  will provide growth for the firm. Also, assess the influence that this  project will have on the customers (who are located throughout the  Americas) that are serviced by the HR group.

Select three articles (published within the past five years), each from different peer-reviewed academic journals/magazines. [Utilize the above publications or other peer-reviewed academic journal/magazine publications you find through the Trident Online Library.] Find articles that specifically address the following:

• The importance and/or usefulness of HR metrics. What main point(s) about HR metrics does each author make? Do you agree? Why or why not? Provide actual employer best practices (and employer name).

In your 3-page submission (not counting the cover page or the References page), provide the citation to each peer-reviewed academic journal/magazine article and include the three sources in the References section. Include an appropriate Introduction and Conclusion to your paper.

Part 1: Apply the IRAC Formula to Sowards v. Norbar, Inc., 1992. Prepare and post a brief review of the issue, rule, analysis, and conclusion.

Issue – Did the driver’s manual (employee handbook) provided to and acknowledgment signed by the appellee, form an employment contract?

Rule – “An at-will employment contract may be modified by the provisions of an employee handbook where the parties manifest an intention to be bound by the terms therein.” (Sowards v. Norbar, Inc., 1992)

Analysis – The language in the driver’s manual (employee handbook) had very specific “formal discipline” policy which provided the steps for progressive discipline.  The language indicated that the policy was intended to be more than a guideline.  Additionally, The Vice-President of the company is quoted as saying that the company “lived by” the language of the driver’s manual.  The appellee was also required to sign a written acknowledgment stating he received a copy of the manual.  The appellee continued to work for the company after signing the acknowledgment indicating the acceptance to be bound by the terms of the manual.  These facts show an intention by both parties to be bound the terms laid out in the manual and the at-will employment contract has thus been modified by the provision of the manual.

Conclusion – The language and the practice of living by the driver’s manual (employee handbook) created an employment contract.

Part 2: Based on your understanding of Sowards v. Norbar, Inc., which depicts privacy and employee handbook issues, answer the following questions:

How might an effective employee handbook reduce litigation costs within an organization?

An effective employee handbook would have a contract disclaimer so that the at-will status of an employee would be clearly stated.  It is also important to have the employee sign an at-will disclaimer “acknowledging the company can terminate them at any time and bypass discipline process” (HR Specialist: Employment Law, July 2018).  Clearly defining the status and having the employee acknowledge reduces litigation cost associated with determining if the employee handbook is an employment contract.  It would also have policies but not detailed procedures.  The specific language of disciplinary process in Sowards v. Nobar, Inc. allowed the argument to be made that it was more than a guideline resulting in litigation cost.

How important for the HRM professional is understanding the mission and function of an organization? Why?

It is very important for the HRM professional to understand the mission and function of an organization because these will be important factors in the development, implementation, and interpretation of policies.

When should an employee handbook be updated? Why?

If laws change that are applicable to your location your handbook should be updated.  Your handbook should not conflict with any applicable laws.   It should also be updated when practices or expectations change.  If a practice or expectation changes but the policy or employee handbook is not updated to reflect this change then it is hard to argue that an employee should be held to the new standard.  For example, at a previous employer an expectation changed for a certification that an employee needed to obtain from 6 months to within 90 days of hire.  The practice had gone on for several years and was verbally discussed in the interviews, but the policy was never updated to reflect this change.  They had an employee who did not obtain the certification within the 90 days.  The supervisor wanted to terminate because the employee did not meet the requirements of the position.  However, when the policy was pulled it still had 6 months listed.  It would not have been a good risk for the company to proceed with the termination given that in writing the policy gave an additional 3 months to complete the certification.

Who should be involved in the creation of the handbook? What should be considered?

When creating a handbook leadership and HR should be involved.  However, the organization’s attorney should “review your handbook to make sure you haven’t accidentally removed at-will protection” (HR Specialist: Employment Law, July 2018).   I think it would also be good to have a focus group of employees from different areas of the organization to get different perspectives involved.   The policies should be general guidelines and realistic.