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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. 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.'






2. 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.






3. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






20. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






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






22. 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.






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






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






27. Appeal to reason






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






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






30. Appeal to the reader's emotions






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






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






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






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






35. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






36. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






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






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






40. Information that can be objectively proven as true






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






42. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






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






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






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






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






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






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






50. 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!'