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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. Any diversion intended to distract attention from the main issue






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






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






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






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






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






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






8. Appeal to reason






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






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






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






12. Appeal to the reader's emotions






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






14. 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'






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






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






17. 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?






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






19. 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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






27. 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.






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. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






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






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






32. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






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






34. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






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






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






37. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






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






39. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






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






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






42. 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.






43. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






44. Information that can be objectively proven as true






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






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






47. 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.






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






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






50. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent