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






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






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






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






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






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






7. 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?






8. 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.






9. 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!'






10. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






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






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






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






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






15. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






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






17. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






25. Information that can be objectively proven as true






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






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






28. 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.'






29. 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






30. Appeal to reason






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






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






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






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






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






36. 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.






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






38. Appeal to the reader's emotions






39. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






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






50. 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.






Can you answer 50 questions in 15 minutes?



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