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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. 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.'






2. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






10. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






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






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






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






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






15. 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!'






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






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






18. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






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






20. 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.






21. 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.






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






23. 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






24. Appeal to the reader's emotions






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






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






27. Appeal to reason






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






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






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






31. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






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






33. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






34. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






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






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






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






38. Information that can be objectively proven as true






39. 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.






40. 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'






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






50. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern