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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. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






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






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






4. 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.






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






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






8. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






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






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






11. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






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






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






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






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






16. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






17. 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!'






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






19. Appeal to the reader's emotions






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






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






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






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






25. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






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






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






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






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






30. Appeal to reason






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






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






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






34. Information that can be objectively proven as true






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






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






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






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






39. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






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






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






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






43. 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.'






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






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






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






47. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






48. 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'






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






50. 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.