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






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






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






4. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






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






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






7. 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?






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






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






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






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






12. 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.'






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






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






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. 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!'






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






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






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






20. 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'






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






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






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






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






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






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






27. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






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






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






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






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






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






33. 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.






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






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






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






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






38. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






39. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






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






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






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






43. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






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






45. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






46. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






47. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






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






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






50. Appeal to the reader's emotions