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. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






9. 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.






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






11. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






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. Any diversion intended to distract attention from the main issue






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






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






16. 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'






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






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






19. 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?






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






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






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






23. Appeal to reason






24. 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.






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






34. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






35. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






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






37. 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.






38. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






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






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






41. 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.






42. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






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






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






45. Appeal to the reader's emotions






46. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






47. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






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






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






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