SUBJECTS
|
BROWSE
|
CAREER CENTER
|
POPULAR
|
JOIN
|
LOGIN
Business Skills
|
Soft Skills
|
Basic Literacy
|
Certifications
About
|
Help
|
Privacy
|
Terms
|
Email
Search
Test your basic knowledge |
Common Logical Flaws
Start Test
Study First
Subject
:
logic-and-reasoning
Instructions:
Answer 20 questions in 15 minutes.
If you are not ready to take this test, you can
study here
.
Match each statement with the correct term.
Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.
This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.
1. 1. The survey uses a biased sample. 2. The survey questions are improperly constructed. 3. Respondents to the survey give inaccurate responses.
Mistaken Cause and Effect
Appeal to Authority
Survey Errors
Appeal to Popular Opinion
2. The author attempts to attack an opponent's position by ignoring the actual statements made by the opposing speaker and instead distorts the argument - making it weaker in the process
Straw Man
Circular Reasoning
False Dilemma
Errors of Conditional Reasoning
3. Uses the opinion of an authority in an attempt to persuade the reader
Appeal to Popular Opinion
False Dilemma
Appeal to Authority
Numbers and Percentage Errors
4. 1. Lack of evidence for a position is take to prove that position is false. 2. Lack of evidence against a position is taken to prove that position is true.
Internal Contradiction
Errors in the Use of Evidence
Uncertain Use of a Term or Concept (Equivocation)
Appeal to Authority
5. Occurs when the author attributes a characteristic of the whole to a part of the group
Circular Reasoning
Appeal to Popular Opinion
Source Argument (Ad Hominem Attack)
Error of Division
6. The author uses an analogy too dissimilar to the original situation to be applicable
Mistaken Cause and Effect
False Analogy
Errors in the Use of Evidence
Error of Division
7. Occurs when an author makes conflicting statements
Numbers and Percentage Errors
False Dilemma
Circular Reasoning
Internal Contradiction
8. Occurs when the author attributes a characteristic of part of the group to the group as a whole or to each member of the group
Error of Composition
False Analogy
Appeal to Authority
False Dilemma
9. Assumes that conditions will remain constant over time - and that what was the case in the past will be case in the future.
Appeal to Authority
Exceptional Case/Overgeneralization
Time-Shift Errors
Errors in the Use of Evidence
10. The author misuses information to such a degree that they fail to provide any information to support their conclusion or present information irrelevant to the conclusion
False Analogy
Circular Reasoning
Lack of Relevant Evidence for the Conclusion
Source Argument (Ad Hominem Attack)
11. Using a term in different ways is inherently confusing and undermines the integrity of the argument
Mistaken Cause and Effect
Error of Composition
Uncertain Use of a Term or Concept (Equivocation)
False Dilemma
12. 1. Assuming a causal relationship on the basis of the sequence of events 2. Assuming a causal relationship when only a correlation exists 3. Failure to consider an alternative cause for the effect 4. Failure to consider that the events may be reverse
Mistaken Cause and Effect
Straw Man
Lack of Relevant Evidence for the Conclusion
False Analogy
13. The author assumes as true What is supposed to be proved
Mistaken Cause and Effect
Internal Contradiction
Error of Division
Circular Reasoning
14. Occurs when emotions or emotionally-charged language is used in an attempt to persuade the reader
Uncertain Use of a Term or Concept (Equivocation)
Appeal to Emotion
Time-Shift Errors
Appeal to Authority
15. The author mistakes a necessary condition for a sufficient condition - or vise-versa
False Analogy
Source Argument (Ad Hominem Attack)
Errors in the Use of Evidence
Errors of Conditional Reasoning
16. The author improperly equates a percentage with a definite quantity or uses quantity information to make a judgment about the percentage represented by that quantity.
Appeal to Emotion
Mistaken Cause and Effect
Numbers and Percentage Errors
Error of Division
17. Assumes that only two courses of action are available when there may be others
False Dilemma
Source Argument (Ad Hominem Attack)
Uncertain Use of a Term or Concept (Equivocation)
Circular Reasoning
18. This error states that a position is true because the majority believes it to be true
Source Argument (Ad Hominem Attack)
Errors in the Use of Evidence
Exceptional Case/Overgeneralization
Appeal to Popular Opinion
19. This type of flawed argument attacks the person (or source) instead of the argument advanced
Error of Composition
Source Argument (Ad Hominem Attack)
Errors of Conditional Reasoning
Appeal to Authority
20. Takes a small number of instances and treats those instances as if they support a broad - sweeping conclusion (often appears as an incorrect answer)
Mistaken Cause and Effect
Exceptional Case/Overgeneralization
Appeal to Emotion
Uncertain Use of a Term or Concept (Equivocation)