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






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






3. 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?






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






5. Appeal to reason






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






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






8. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






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






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






11. 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!'






12. 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'






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






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






15. 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.






16. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






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






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






19. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






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






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






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






23. 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.






24. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






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






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






27. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






38. 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.






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






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






41. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






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






43. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






44. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






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






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






47. 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.






48. Appeal to the reader's emotions






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






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