Cherry-Picking

Cherry Picking is defined metaphorically to indicate the act of pointing at individual cases or data that seem to confirm a particular position, while ignoring a significant portion of related cases or data that may contradict that position. Sometimes, when a person believes strongly in a topic, as I originally did with my view on national or "universal" health care, it is very hard to remain objective. You sometimes believe the way you think is the way everyone should think. To that end, when you are doing research for a persuasive paper or speech, you may very well find yourself "cherry-picking" without even knowing it.

It is fine to find all the data that supports your side, but you should always report the other side. Most people tend to look at a one-sided persuasive argument as a rant. They usually think that you think they are not capable of making an informed, rational decision on their own and they are likely to dismiss your side before you ever make your case.

There are times when cherry-picking is acceptable, even necessary. Defense lawyers and prosecutors, for example, use cherry-picking to build their cases for court. In this instance, cherry-picking is very vital to the situation at hand. But when doing research for a paper, especially a persuasive argument paper, a student must deliver both sides. Doing so will not hurt your point of view. On the contrary, it is likely to help you greatly. It says to the reader: "the writer cares about my knowing both sides so I can make an educated decision about this topic and not feel pressured into choosing their side of the argument." If the reader reads your paper and chooses a side other than yours, then so be it. At least you were fair and balanced to the situation and allowed the reader to exercise their right to choose as, hopefully you would want the writer of something you read to extend the same courtesy to you.