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






2. 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.






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






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






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






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






7. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






8. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






9. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






10. 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?






11. 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.






12. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






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






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






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






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






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






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






19. 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.






20. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






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






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






23. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






24. Appeal to reason






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






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






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






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






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






30. Appeal to the reader's emotions






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






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






33. 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!'






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






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






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






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






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






39. 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.






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






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






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






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






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






45. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






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






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






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






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






50. Information that can be objectively proven as true