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






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






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






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






5. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






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






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






8. 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.






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






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






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






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






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






14. 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.'






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






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






17. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






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






19. Information that can be objectively proven as true






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






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






22. 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!'






23. 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.






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






25. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






26. Appeal to reason






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






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






29. 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.






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






31. 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'






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






33. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






34. 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.






35. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






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






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






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






39. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






40. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






41. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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