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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: 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.'






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






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






4. 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!'






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






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






7. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






8. Information that can be objectively proven as true






9. 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'






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






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






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






13. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






23. 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.






24. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






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






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






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






28. 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.






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






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






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






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






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






34. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






35. 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.






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






37. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






38. Appeal to reason






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






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






41. 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.






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






43. Appeal to the reader's emotions






44. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






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






46. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






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






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






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






50. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent