Test your basic knowledge |

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. 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.






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






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






4. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






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






6. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






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






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






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






10. 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.






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






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






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






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






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






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






17. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






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






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






20. Information that can be objectively proven as true






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






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






23. Appeal to reason






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






25. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






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






27. Appeal to the reader's emotions






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






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






30. 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?






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






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






33. 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'






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






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






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






37. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






38. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






47. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






48. 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.






49. 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.






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