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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. Appeal to the reader's emotions






2. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






3. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






4. Appeal to reason






5. 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.






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






14. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






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






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






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






18. 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.






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






29. 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?






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






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






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






33. 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.






34. 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'






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






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






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






38. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






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






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






41. 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.'






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






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






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






45. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






46. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






47. 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!'






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






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






50. 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.