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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. 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?






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






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






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






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






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






7. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






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






9. Appeal to the reader's emotions






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






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






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






13. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






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






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






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






17. 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






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






19. 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!'






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






21. 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'






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






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






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






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






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






27. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






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






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






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






31. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






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






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






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






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






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






38. 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.'






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






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






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






42. Information that can be objectively proven as true






43. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






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






45. 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.






46. 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.






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






48. 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.






49. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






50. Appeal to reason