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. 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






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






3. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






12. 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.






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






21. Information that can be objectively proven as true






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






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






24. 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'






25. Appeal to the reader's emotions






26. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






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






28. 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.






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






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






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






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






33. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






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






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






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






37. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






38. 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?






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






40. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






41. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






42. Appeal to reason






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






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






45. 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!'






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






47. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






48. 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.'






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






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