Test your basic knowledge |

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






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






3. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






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






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






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






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. Writer encourages readers to accept a conclusion without any support






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






10. 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.






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






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






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






14. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






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






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






17. 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?






18. Information that can be objectively proven as true






19. 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'






20. 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






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






22. 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.






23. Appeal to the reader's emotions






24. 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.






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






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






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






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






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






30. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






31. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






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






33. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






41. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






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






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






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






47. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






48. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






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






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






?:?:)

Search BasicVersity Tests



OR

Browse BasicVersity