The concept of generalizing strike out the most for me because is a common thing that I sometimes I do as well as my friends and acquaintances. Maybe generalizing is just a natural habit that a person does due to their influences from their peers, professors, the books they read, and/or the media. Overall, most generalizing comes from our experiences. Unless, you're a scientist, in which, according to Epstein, bases their generalizations "from the groups of people [they] interviewed or studied." (Epstein 279).
A generalization occurs when "we conclude a claim about a group from a claim" based off a sample. (Epstein 280). In other words, it's an extensive claim about a particular group, person, place or thing.
Generalizing is not a bad thing, rather it is a way of arguing. However, in order to make generalizations become a plausible argument, it should be backed up with facts and evident examples. Otherwise the sample you are trying to argue for based on your generalizations will not be able to convince anyone. Therefore it is essential, to have a sample that is representative, vast, and researched well. (Epstein 289).
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