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






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






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






4. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






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






6. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






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






8. 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.'






9. Appeal to the reader's emotions






10. 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.






11. Appeal to reason






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






20. 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!'






21. 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.






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






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






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






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






26. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






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






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






29. 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.






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






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






32. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






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






34. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






35. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






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






37. 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






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






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






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






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






42. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






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






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






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






46. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






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






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






49. 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.






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