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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 based on personal interpretation of facts






2. 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'






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






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






5. 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!'






6. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






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






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






9. 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






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






11. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






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






13. 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.






14. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






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






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






17. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






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






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






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






21. Appeal to reason






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






23. 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.'






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






25. 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.






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






27. 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.






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






35. 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.






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






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






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






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






40. Information that can be objectively proven as true






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






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






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






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






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






46. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






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






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






49. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






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