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






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






3. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






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






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






6. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






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






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






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






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. Writer encourages readers to accept a conclusion without any support






12. 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.






13. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






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






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






16. 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!'






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






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






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






20. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






21. 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.'






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






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






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






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






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






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






28. Appeal to the reader's emotions






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






30. 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?






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






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






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






34. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






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






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






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






38. 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.






39. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






40. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






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






42. 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.






43. 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






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






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






46. Information that can be objectively proven as true






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






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






49. 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'






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