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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. Two comparable issues or ideas are judged by different criteria






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






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






4. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






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






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






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






8. 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!'






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






10. Information that can be objectively proven as true






11. Appeal to reason






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






13. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






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






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






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






17. 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.






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






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






21. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






22. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






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






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






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






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






27. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






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






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






30. 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.






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






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






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. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






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






37. 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






38. 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'






39. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






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






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






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






43. 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?






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






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






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






47. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






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






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






50. Appeal to the reader's emotions






?:?:)

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