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






2. Appeal to the reader's emotions






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






4. 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'






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






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






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






8. 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.






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






10. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






11. Appeal to reason






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






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






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






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






16. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






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






18. 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






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






20. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






21. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






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






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






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. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






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






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






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






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






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






33. 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?






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






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






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






38. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






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






40. Information that can be objectively proven as true






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






42. 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.'






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






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






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






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






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






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






49. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






50. 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!'