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






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. Information that can be objectively proven as true






4. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






19. Appeal to reason






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






21. 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.






22. 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?






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






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






25. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






26. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






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






28. 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.






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






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






31. 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.






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






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






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






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






36. 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






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






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






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






40. Appeal to the reader's emotions






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






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






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






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






45. 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.'






46. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






47. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






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






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






50. Information based on personal interpretation of facts