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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 that is an interpretation of numerical data






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






3. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






4. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






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






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






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






8. Appeal to the reader's emotions






9. 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!'






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






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






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






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






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






15. 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.






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






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






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






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






20. 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.






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






22. 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.






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






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






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






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






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






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






29. 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'






30. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






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






32. 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






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






34. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






35. 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.






36. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






37. 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.'






38. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






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






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






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






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






43. Appeal to reason






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






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






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






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






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






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






50. Information that can be objectively proven as true