Introduction to Academic Integrity
Part One: Logical Fallacies Introduction
Red Herring, also Called Distraction
>> Argumentum Ad Populam, or Bandwagon Fallacy (Also Called Appeal to Popularity)
USD Arts and Sciences Plagiarism Policy
The bandwagon is a common fallacy. The simplest way to understand the bandwagon appeal is to think about the appeal you used to make to your parents when you wanted them to buy you something: "Everyone else has an iPod!" The bandwagon appeal occurs when the writer states, "Everyone else is doing it, so it must be right."
Example: "Thirty-three countries are sending troops to Iraq. It must be the right thing to do." There may be other reasons for those countries to send troops to Iraq, including pressure from the US on smaller countries to support the War on Terror when those smaller countries depend on US aid for their livelihood.
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