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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. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






2. 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.






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






4. Information that can be objectively proven as true






5. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






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






7. Appeal to reason






8. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






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






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






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






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






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






14. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






15. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






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






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






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






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






20. 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.'






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






28. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






29. 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.






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






31. Appeal to the reader's emotions






32. 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






33. 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.






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






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






36. 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?






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






44. 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.






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






46. 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'






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






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






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






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