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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. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






9. 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






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






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






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






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






16. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






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






18. 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.






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






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






21. Appeal to reason






22. 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.'






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






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






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






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






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






28. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






29. Appeal to the reader's emotions






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






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






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






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






35. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






36. Information that can be objectively proven as true






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






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






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






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






41. 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.






42. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






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






44. 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'






45. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






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






47. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






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






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






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