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






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






3. Information that can be objectively proven as true






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






5. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






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






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






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






9. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






10. 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.






11. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






12. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






13. 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'






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






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






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






17. Fallacy that asserts that given two positions - there exists a compromise between them which must be correct.






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






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






20. Does the evidence prove the point being argued? Is this authority an expert on this particular topic?






21. When a writer uses the same term in two different senses in an argument. i.e. People choose what laws they obey. The Law of Gravity is a law. I choose to disobey the law of gravity.






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






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






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






25. Reasoning by Proof: the evidence offered does not really support the claim. Non Sequitur (It does not follow)






26. 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!'






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






28. 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?






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






30. 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






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






32. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






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






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






35. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






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






37. 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.'






38. Appeal to reason






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






40. Appeal to the reader's emotions






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






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






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






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






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






46. 'Against the man' attacking the person or group to which you are opposed rather than addressing the issue






47. Reasoning in which a conclusion is reached by stating a general principle and then applying that principle to a specific case






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






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






50. Condemning an argument because of where it began - how it began - or who began it