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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. 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






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. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






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






5. Appeal to reason






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






13. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






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






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






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






17. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






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






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






20. Appeal to the reader's emotions






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






22. 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.






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






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






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






26. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






27. Information that can be objectively proven as true






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






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






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






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






32. 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'






33. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






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






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






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






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






38. 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?






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






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






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






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






44. 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.






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






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






47. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






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






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






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