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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 that can be objectively proven as true






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






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






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






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






6. 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!'






7. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






8. Appeal to reason






9. 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'






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






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






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






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






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






15. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






25. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






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






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






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






29. Appeal to the reader's emotions






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






31. 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.






32. 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.'






33. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






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






35. 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.






36. 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.






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






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






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






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






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






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






43. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






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






45. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






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






47. 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?






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






49. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






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