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






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






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






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






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






6. 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






7. 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.






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






9. Information that can be objectively proven as true






10. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






11. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






12. 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.






13. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






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






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






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






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






19. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






20. Appeal to reason






21. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






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






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






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






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






26. 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.






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






28. 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.






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






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






31. Appeal to the reader's emotions






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






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






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






35. 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?






36. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






50. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent