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






2. Appeal to reason






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






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






5. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






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






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






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






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






10. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






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






12. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






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. 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.






15. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






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






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






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






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






20. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






21. Information that can be objectively proven as true






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






23. 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






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






25. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






35. Appeal to the reader's emotions






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






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






38. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






39. 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.'






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






41. 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'






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






43. 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?






44. 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!'






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






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






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






48. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






49. 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.






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