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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: drawing conclusions based on insufficient or unrepresentative evidence






2. 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!'






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






4. Appeal to reason






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






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






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






8. 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.






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






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






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






12. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






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






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: A fallacy that forces listeners to choose between two alternatives when more than two alternatives exist






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






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






18. 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'






19. Appeal to the reader's emotions






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






21. 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.






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






23. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






24. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






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






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






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






28. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






29. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






30. Information that can be objectively proven as true






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






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






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






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






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






36. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






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






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






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






40. 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






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






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






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






44. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






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






46. 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.'






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






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






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






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