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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. 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'






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






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






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






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






6. Appeal to the reader's emotions






7. 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.'






8. 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.






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






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






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






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






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






14. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






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






16. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






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






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






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






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






21. 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.






22. 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.






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






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






25. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






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






27. 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!'






28. 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?






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






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






31. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






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






33. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






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






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






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






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






38. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






39. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






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






41. Information that can be objectively proven as true






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






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






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






45. Appeal to reason






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






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






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






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