Test your basic knowledge |

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: drawing conclusions based on insufficient or unrepresentative evidence






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






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






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






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






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






7. 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.






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






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






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






11. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






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






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






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






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






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






17. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






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. 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.






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






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






22. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






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






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






25. Appeal to the reader's emotions






26. Information that can be objectively proven as true






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






35. 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.'






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






37. Appeal to reason






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






39. 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!'






40. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






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






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






43. 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






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






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






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






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






48. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






49. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






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