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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 that is an interpretation of numerical data






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






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






4. 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






5. 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.






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






7. 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.






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






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






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






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






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






13. 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!'






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






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






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






18. Appeal to reason






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






20. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






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






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






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






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






25. Appeal to the reader's emotions






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






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






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






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






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






31. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






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






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






34. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






35. 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.






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






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






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






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






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






41. 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?






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






43. 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.'






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






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






46. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






47. Information that can be objectively proven as true






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






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






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