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






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






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






4. 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.






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






6. Information that can be objectively proven as true






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






8. 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






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






10. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






19. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






20. Appeal to reason






21. 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.






22. 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.'






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






24. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






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






26. 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.






27. Appeal to the reader's emotions






28. 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!'






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






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






31. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






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






33. 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.






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






35. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






36. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






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






38. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






48. 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'






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






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