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






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






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






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






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






7. 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.






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






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






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






11. 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!'






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






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






14. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






15. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






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






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






18. Appeal to the reader's emotions






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






20. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






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






22. Appeal to reason






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






24. 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.






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






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






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






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






29. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






30. Information that can be objectively proven as true






31. 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.'






32. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






40. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






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






42. 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






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






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






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






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






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






48. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






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






50. 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?