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






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






4. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






5. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






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






7. 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.'






8. Information that can be objectively proven as true






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






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






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






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






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






14. 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.






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






16. Appeal to reason






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






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






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






20. 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.






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






22. 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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






31. 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.






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






33. Appeal to the reader's emotions






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






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






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






37. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






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






39. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






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






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






42. 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.






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






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






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






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






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






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






49. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






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