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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






12. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






13. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






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






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






16. Appeal to the reader's emotions






17. Information that can be objectively proven as true






18. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






19. 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?






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






21. 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.






22. Appeal to reason






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






24. 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.






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






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






27. 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'






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






29. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






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






31. 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.






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






33. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






34. 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.






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






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






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






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






39. 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.'






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






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






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






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






44. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






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






46. 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






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






48. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






49. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






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