Test your basic knowledge |

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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






9. 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.'






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






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






12. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






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






14. Appeal to the reader's emotions






15. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






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






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






18. Information that can be objectively proven as true






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






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






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






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






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






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






25. 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.






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






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






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






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






30. Appeal to reason






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






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






33. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






34. 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






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






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






37. 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.






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






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






40. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






41. 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.






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






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






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






45. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






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






47. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






48. 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'






49. 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?






50. 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.







Sorry!:) No result found.

Can you answer 50 questions in 15 minutes?


Let me suggest you:

Browse all subjects

Browse all tests

Most popular tests



Major Subjects

Tests & Exams


AP
CLEP
DSST
GRE
SAT
GMAT

Browse all subjects

Browse all tests

Most popular tests