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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 to the the pity - sympathy or 'misery' of the audience






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






3. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






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






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






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






7. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






8. 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.






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






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






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






12. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






13. 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.'






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






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






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






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






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






19. 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'






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






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






22. Appeal to the reader's emotions






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






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






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






26. 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?






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






28. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






29. Information that can be objectively proven as true






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






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






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






33. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






34. 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.






35. 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.






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






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






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






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






40. 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!'






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






42. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






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






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






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






46. Appeal to reason






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






48. 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.






49. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






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