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






2. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






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






4. Information that can be objectively proven as true






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






12. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






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






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






15. 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.






16. 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.






17. 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'






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






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






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






21. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






22. Appeal to the reader's emotions






23. 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






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






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






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






27. 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.'






28. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






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






30. 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?






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






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






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






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






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






36. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






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






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






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






40. 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!'






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






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






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






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






45. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






46. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






47. Appeal to reason






48. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






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






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