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






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






3. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






11. 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.






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






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






14. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






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






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






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






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






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






20. 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.






21. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






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






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






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






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






26. 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!'






27. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






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






29. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






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






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






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






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. 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.






35. Information that can be objectively proven as true






36. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






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






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






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






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






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






42. Appeal to the reader's emotions






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






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






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






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






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






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






50. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue