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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. 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






2. 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.






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






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






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






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






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






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






9. Appeal to reason






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






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






12. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






13. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






14. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






24. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






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






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






27. 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.'






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






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






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






31. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






32. 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.






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






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






35. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






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






37. 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.






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






39. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






40. Appeal to the reader's emotions






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






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






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






44. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






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






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






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






49. 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.






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