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






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






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






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






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






7. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






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






9. 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






10. Information that can be objectively proven as true






11. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






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






13. 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?






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






15. 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.






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






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






18. Appeal to reason






19. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






20. 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.






21. 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!'






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






23. 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'






24. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






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






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






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






28. Appeal to the reader's emotions






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






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






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






32. 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.






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






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






35. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






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






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






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






39. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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