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






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






3. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






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






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






6. 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.






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






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






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






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






11. 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.'






12. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






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






14. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






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






16. Information that can be objectively proven as true






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






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






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






20. 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.






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






22. 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!'






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






24. 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.






25. 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






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






27. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






36. 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?






37. Appeal to reason






38. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






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






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






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






42. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






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






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






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






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






47. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






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






49. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






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