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






2. 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.






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. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






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






7. 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.






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






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






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






11. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






12. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






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






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






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






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






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






18. 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.






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






20. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






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






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






23. 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.'






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






25. 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.






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






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






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






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






30. 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?






31. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






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






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






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






35. Appeal to the reader's emotions






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






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






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






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






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






41. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






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






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






44. 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






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






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






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






48. Appeal to reason






49. Information that can be objectively proven as true






50. Information based on personal interpretation of facts