Test your basic knowledge |

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. 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.






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






9. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






10. 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'






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






12. 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.






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






14. 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.'






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






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






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






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






19. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






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






21. Appeal to reason






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






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






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






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






26. 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.






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






28. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






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






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






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






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






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






34. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






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






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






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






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






39. Information that can be objectively proven as true






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






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






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






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






44. 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






45. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






46. 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?






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






48. Appeal to the reader's emotions






49. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






50. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true