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






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






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






5. Appeal to the reader's emotions






6. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






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






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






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






10. 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!'






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






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






13. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






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






15. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






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






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






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






19. 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.






20. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






29. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






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






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






32. 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.






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






34. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






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






36. 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.






37. 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'






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






39. 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






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






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






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






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






44. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






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






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






47. 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.






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






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






50. Information that can be objectively proven as true