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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. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






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






3. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






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






5. Appeal to reason






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






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






8. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






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






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






11. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






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






13. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






14. 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?






15. 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.'






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






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






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






19. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






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






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






22. Information that can be objectively proven as true






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






24. 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!'






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






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






27. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






35. 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.






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






37. 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'






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






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






40. Appeal to the reader's emotions






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






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






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






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






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






46. 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.






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






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






49. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






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