Fallacies and Poster

Part 1:

Hasty Generalization:

“Though this article is looking only at classical music, the results support the conclusion that familiar music which promotes a positive mood, increases working memory.”

While the paragraph preceding this sentence provides ample evidence for the claim that certain aspects of classical music affect memory, it would probably be best if more evidence was presented as to the importance of the familiarity of the music as the key factor before expanding the results from classical familiar music, to all familiar music.

Biased Language:

“Two key differences between Mammarella’s study and Jancke and Pascale’s is familiarity with music, and the ability to draw connections between the music and the information to be recalled.”

While it is true that these are both distinctive differences between the two studies, it is somewhat biased to label them as the “key differences” which may be arbitrarily equating more importance to the two things than the studies necessarily imply.  It would be better to provide more of an explanation as to why these two differences are “key” in the context of the studies’ methods and results.

Part 2:

My information will be split up in terms of the sections of the board and organized logically in the same manner as the sections of my paper.  I plan to start on the left with pictures and graphs labelled to represent the studies that provide the best evidence for my conclusion.  In the center will be again graphs and images labelled and explained briefly to provide an overview of the mood-arousal theory which is central to my paper.  In the middle section I will also explain the general premise of the paper, i.e. the question I am asking and the answer the paper presents, as well as any terms or underlying ideas central to the thesis of my paper.  On the right side of the board will be images which represent the applications of the study, i.e. music as a tool in the classroom, workplace, etc.  and also representations of the different ways in which music can effect one’s mind in different situations.