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






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






3. 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.






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






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






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






7. 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.'






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






9. Appeal to reason






10. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






11. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






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






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






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






15. 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.






16. 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!'






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. Information that can be objectively proven as true






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






21. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






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






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






24. 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'






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






26. 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.






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






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






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






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






31. Appeal to the reader's emotions






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






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






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






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






36. 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






37. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






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






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






40. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






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






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






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






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






45. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






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






47. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






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






49. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






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