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






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






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






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






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






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






7. 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.






8. Appeal to the reader's emotions






9. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






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






11. 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.






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






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






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






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






16. 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.






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






18. Appeal to reason






19. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






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






21. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






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






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






24. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






25. 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






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






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






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






29. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






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






31. Information that can be objectively proven as true






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






42. 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?






43. 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'






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






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






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






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






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






49. 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!'






50. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true