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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. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






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






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






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






5. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






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






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






8. Appeal to the reader's emotions






9. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






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






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






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






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






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






15. 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?






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






17. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






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






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






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






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






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






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






24. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






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






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






27. Appeal to reason






28. 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'






29. 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!'






30. 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.






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






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






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






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






35. Information that can be objectively proven as true






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






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






38. 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.






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






40. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






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






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






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






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






45. 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.






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






47. 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.'






48. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






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






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