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






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






3. 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?






4. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






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






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






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






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






9. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






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






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






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






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






14. 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.






15. 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.'






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






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






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






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






20. 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.






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






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






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






24. Appeal to the reader's emotions






25. 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






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






27. Appeal to reason






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






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






30. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






31. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






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






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






34. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






42. 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.






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






44. Information that can be objectively proven as true






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






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






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






48. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






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






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