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






2. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






3. Information that can be objectively proven as true






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






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






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






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






8. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






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






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






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






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






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






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






15. Appeal to the reader's emotions






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






17. 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'






18. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






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






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






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






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






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






24. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






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






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






27. 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?






28. 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.






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






30. Appeal to reason






31. 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.






32. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






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






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






35. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






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






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






38. 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.'






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






40. 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






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: 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.






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






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






45. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






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






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






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






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






50. 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!'