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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. 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.






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






3. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






4. 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.






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






6. 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.






7. 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?






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






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






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






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






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






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






14. Appeal to the reader's emotions






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






22. 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.'






23. 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'






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






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






26. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






27. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






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






29. 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.






30. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






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






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






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






34. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






35. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






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






37. Appeal to reason






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






39. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






49. Information that can be objectively proven as true






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