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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. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






2. 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






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






4. Appeal to reason






5. 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'






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






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






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






9. 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.






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






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






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






13. 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.






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






15. 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?






16. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






17. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






18. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






31. Information that can be objectively proven as true






32. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






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






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






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






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






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






38. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






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






40. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






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






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






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






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






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






46. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






47. 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.






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






49. 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!'






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