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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. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






2. Appeal to reason






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






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






5. 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.






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






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






8. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






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






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






11. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






12. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






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






14. Information that can be objectively proven as true






15. Have all reasonable alternatives been considered/eliminated? Does this author attack the other views in a fair way?






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






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






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






19. 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!'






20. 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?






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






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






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






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






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






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






27. 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.






28. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






29. Information the writer asserts as being the result of an event






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. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






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






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






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






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






36. 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'






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






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






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






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






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






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






43. 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.






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






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






46. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






47. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






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






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






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