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. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






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






3. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






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






5. 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!'






6. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






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






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






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






10. 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.'






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






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






13. 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?






14. 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






15. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






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






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






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






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






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






21. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






22. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






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






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






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






26. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






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






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






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






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






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






32. Information that can be objectively proven as true






33. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






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






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






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






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






38. Appeal to the reader's emotions






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






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






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






42. 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.






43. 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.






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






45. 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'






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






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






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






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






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