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. 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.






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






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






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






5. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






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






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






8. Appeal to the reader's emotions






9. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






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






11. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






21. Appeal to reason






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






23. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






24. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






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






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






27. 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!'






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






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






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






31. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






32. 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.






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






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






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






36. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






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






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






39. 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






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






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






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






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






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






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






46. 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'






47. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






48. Information that can be objectively proven as true






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






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