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SAT Essay Logical Fallacies

Subjects : sat, english, writing-skills
Instructions:
  • Answer 50 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. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






2. Drawing conclusions based on insufficient or unrepresentative evidence; using all instances when only some apply






3. 'To the people' appeal to the prejudices of the audience - or claiming that (or a majority) supports your opinion






4. A fallacy that assumes that taking a first step will lead to subsequent steps that cannot be prevented






5. Ambiguity or multiplicity of interpretations of a repeated word or phrase






6. Is there a reasonable connection between the cause and the effect? Is that connection explained? Are there other possible causes that have not been considered?






7. Any diversion intended to distract attention from the main issue






8. Prejudging an individual based on ideas one has about the group the individual belongs to






9. Cause and Effect: A fallacy that assumes that because two variables are correlated (happen at the same time) that one must have caused the other






10. False transitive property - you assume that just because two things share a characteristic - all of their characteristics are shared: - 'penguins are black and white - old tv shows are black and white - therefore penguins are old tv shows'






11. 'it does not follow' drawing a conclusion or making a transition that is not a logical result of the facts






12. Information that can be objectively proven as true






13. How similar or how different are the cases being compared? How many point of comparison is the arguer using?






14. Reasoning by Proof: absence of evidence is not evidence; he didn't say that... so it must be false






15. Reasoning by Debate: In an argument - this is an attack on the person rather than on the opponent's ideas. It comes from the Latin meaning 'against the man.'






16. Everybody knows fallacy. Asserts that some idea is common knowledge - so it must be true.






17. Cause and Effect: Assuming that an incident that precedes another is the cause of the second incident






18. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






19. Reasoning by Debate: When a writer argues against a claim that nobody actually holds or is universally considered weak. Setting up a straw man diverts attention from the real issues.






20. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






21. Claiming that one step in the wrong direction will lead to another - potentially disastrous consequence






22. Appeal to the reader's emotions






23. Stating the only two interpretations of actions are alternatives - ignoring any compromise or moderate course






24. Reasoning by Proof: A fallacy in which a speaker or writer seeks to persuade not by giving evidence but by appealing to the respect people have for a person or institution.






25. Introducing an irrelevant point to divert readers' attention from the main issue being discussed






26. Concealing the author's true intent - belief - or attitude towards an issue






27. Generalization: Assumes that members of a group must have a characteristic because one or more of its members has that characteristic.






28. Cause and Effect: claim than an event with more than one cause has only one cause






29. Generalization: Assumes that an individual must have a characteristic because the group to which he or she belongs supposedly has that characteristic






30. 'To the authority' appeal based on the authority of a source






31. Appeal to the the pity - sympathy or 'misery' of the audience






32. Statements that are intentionally vague so that the audience may supply its own interpretations






33. Generalization: drawing conclusions based on insufficient or unrepresentative evidence






34. Appeal to reason






35. How large is the sample size? How representative is the sample?






36. Reasoning by Debate: A fallacy that forces listeners to choose between two alternatives when more than two alternatives exist






37. Writer encourages readers to accept a conclusion without any support






38. Reasoning by Proof: an argument that because someone worked hard at something - their conclusions must be right






39. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






40. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






41. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






42. Logical reasoning that establishes specific facts or contentions leading to a general conclusion






43. Two comparable issues or ideas are judged by different criteria






44. Trying to prove one idea with another idea that is too similar to the first idea






45. Cause and Effect: 'What if' fallacy. Argues that everything would be different if one variable was different. Example: 'If the Nazis had won WWII - we'd all be speaking German!'






46. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






47. The use by a speaker of coded language that appears to mean one thing to the general population but has a different (and negative) meaning for a targeted subgroup of the audience.






48. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






49. 'After this therefore because of this' implying that because on event follows another - the first caused the second






50. Citing an expert on one subject as expert on another