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






2. 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.






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






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






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






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






7. 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.






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






9. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






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






11. 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.






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






13. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






14. Appeal to reason






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






16. 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?






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






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






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






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






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






22. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






23. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






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






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






26. Information that can be objectively proven as true






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






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






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






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






31. 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.'






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






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






34. 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.






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






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






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






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






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






40. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






41. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






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






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






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






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






46. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






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






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






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