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






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






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






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






5. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






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






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






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






9. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






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






11. 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.






12. 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.'






13. Appeal to the reader's emotions






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






15. 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.






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






17. Information that can be objectively proven as true






18. 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.






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






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






21. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






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






23. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






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






25. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






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






27. Appeal to reason






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






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






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






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






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






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






34. 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.






35. 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






36. 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!'






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






45. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






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






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






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






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