What is an ad hominem attack, and why is it problematic in evaluating news?

• A. Limiting evidence to a single source.
• B. Attacking the person rather than the argument.
• C. Presenting a balanced view with multiple sources.
• D. Focusing on the logical structure of the argument.

Answer: (B)

An ad hominem attack is when someone targets the person making the argument rather than addressing the argument itself. In evaluating news, this is problematic because it shifts attention from the actual evidence and reasoning to the speaker’s character, background, or motives. That distraction makes it harder to judge whether the claim is true or well-supported. When you assess news, focus on the claims, the data and sources cited, and the logic used to connect evidence to conclusions. Dismissing a report because of who wrote it doesn’t tell you whether the evidence holds. The other options describe different issues or good practices—limiting evidence to a single source isn’t a reflection of ad hominem, presenting multiple sources is a strength, and examining the logical structure is about evaluating reasoning.