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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. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






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






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






4. 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.'






5. 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'






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






13. Appeal to the reader's emotions






14. 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






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






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






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






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






19. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






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






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






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






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






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






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






26. 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.






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






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






29. 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?






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






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






32. Information that can be objectively proven as true






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






34. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






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






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






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






38. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






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






40. Appeal to reason






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






42. 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!'






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






44. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






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






46. 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.






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






48. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






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






50. 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.