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






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






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






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






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






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






7. 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.






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






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






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






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






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






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






14. Appeal to reason






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






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






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






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






19. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






20. Appeal to the reader's emotions






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






22. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






23. 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!'






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






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






26. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






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






28. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






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






30. Information that can be objectively proven as true






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






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






33. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






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






35. 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.






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






37. 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.






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






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






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






42. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






43. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






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






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






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. Any diversion intended to distract attention from the main issue






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






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






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