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






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






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






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






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






8. Appeal to the reader's emotions






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






10. 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.






11. 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?






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






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






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






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






16. 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.






17. 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.






18. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






27. Information that can be objectively proven as true






28. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






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






30. 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!'






31. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






32. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






33. 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






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






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






36. 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.'






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






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






39. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






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






41. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






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






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






44. Appeal to reason






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






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






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






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






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






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