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






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






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






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






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






6. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






7. 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






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






9. 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?






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. Any diversion intended to distract attention from the main issue






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






13. 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.






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






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






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






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






18. 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.'






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






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






21. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






22. 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!'






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






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






25. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






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






27. 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.






28. 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'






29. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






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






31. Appeal to reason






32. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






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






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






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






36. 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.






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






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






39. Information that can be objectively proven as true






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






41. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






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






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






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






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






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






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






48. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






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






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