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






2. Information that can be objectively proven as true






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






4. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






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






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






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






10. 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?






11. 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'






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






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






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






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






16. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






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






18. Appeal to the reader's emotions






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






20. 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.






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






30. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






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






32. 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.






33. 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.'






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






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






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






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






38. 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!'






39. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






40. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






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






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






43. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






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






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






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






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






48. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






49. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






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