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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. Two comparable issues or ideas are judged by different criteria






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






3. 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.






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






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






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






7. 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






8. 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.






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






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






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






12. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






13. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






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






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






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






17. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






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






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






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






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






22. Appeal to reason






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






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






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






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






27. 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.'






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






36. Appeal to the reader's emotions






37. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






38. Information that can be objectively proven as true






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






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






41. 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.






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






43. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






44. 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'






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






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






47. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






48. 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.






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






50. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue