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






2. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






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






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






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






6. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






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






8. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






9. Appeal to the reader's emotions






10. Information that can be objectively proven as true






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






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






13. 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






14. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






15. 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.'






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






17. 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.






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






26. 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.






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






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






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






30. 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!'






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






32. Appeal to reason






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






41. 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.






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






43. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






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






45. 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?






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






47. 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'






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






49. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






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