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






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






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






4. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






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






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






7. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






8. Appeal to the reader's emotions






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






16. Information that can be objectively proven as true






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






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






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






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






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






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






23. Appeal to reason






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






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






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






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






28. 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






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






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






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






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






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






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






35. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






36. 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.'






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






38. 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.






39. 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.






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






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






42. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






43. 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!'






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






45. 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?






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






47. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






48. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






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






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