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






2. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






3. 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.






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






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






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






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






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






9. 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'






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






11. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






12. Information that can be objectively proven as true






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






14. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






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






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






17. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






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






19. 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.'






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






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






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






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






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






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






26. Appeal to reason






27. 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.






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






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






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






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






32. 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?






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






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. Generalization: drawing conclusions based on insufficient or unrepresentative evidence






36. 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.






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






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






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. Two comparable issues or ideas are judged by different criteria






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






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






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






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






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






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






48. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






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






50. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern