Gish gallop

High school (ages 12+)
Thinking & Learning

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/gish-gallop

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the rhetorical tactic classification?A fallacious argumentation technique characterized by an excessive number of claims
2. What is the coined by?Eugenie Scott, in 1994
3. Why do people use a Gish gallop in debates?They use it to make the other person feel overwhelmed and to look like they have a strong case, even if many ideas are not true.
4. How does a Gish gallop affect the person being talked to?It makes the other person’s brain work harder and can make them feel tired or unable to explain every point in the time they have.

Rhetorical Strategy: A deliberate method used in communication to achieve a persuasive effect on an audience.
Fallacious Argumentation: The use of flawed reasoning or deceptive tactics in an argument, leading to an invalid conclusion.
Cognitive Load: The total amount of mental effort being used in the working memory.
Veracity: Truthfulness; accuracy.