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






2. 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.






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






4. 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.






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






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






7. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






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






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






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






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






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






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






14. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






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






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






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






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






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






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






21. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






22. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






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






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






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






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






27. 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






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






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






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






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






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






33. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






34. Appeal to the reader's emotions






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






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






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






38. Appeal to reason






39. 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.






40. 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!'






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






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






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






44. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






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






46. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






47. Information that can be objectively proven as true






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






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






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