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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: drawing conclusions based on insufficient or unrepresentative evidence






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






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






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






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






6. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






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






8. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






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






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






11. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






12. Appeal to the reader's emotions






13. 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.






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






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. 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.'






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






18. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






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






20. 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!'






21. 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?






22. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






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






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






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






26. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






27. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






28. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






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






30. Appeal to reason






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






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






33. 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.






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






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






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






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






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






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






40. 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.






41. 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'






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






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






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






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






46. 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






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






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






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






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