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






2. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






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






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






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






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






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






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






9. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






10. 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'






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






12. 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






13. 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.






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






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






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






17. 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.






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






19. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






20. 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.'






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






22. Appeal to reason






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






24. 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!'






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






26. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






27. Appeal to the reader's emotions






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






36. 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.






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






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






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






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






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






42. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






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






44. 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?






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






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






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






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






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






50. Information that can be objectively proven as true