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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 the writer asserts as being the result of an event






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






3. 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?






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






5. 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.






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






7. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






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






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






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






11. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






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






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






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






15. Appeal to the reader's emotions






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






17. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






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






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






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






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






22. 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.






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






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






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






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






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






28. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






29. 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.'






30. Appeal to reason






31. 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.






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






33. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






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






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






36. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






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






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






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






40. 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






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






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






43. Information that can be objectively proven as true






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






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






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






47. 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.






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






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






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