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. Two comparable issues or ideas are judged by different criteria






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






13. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






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






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






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






17. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






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






19. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






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






21. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






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






23. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






24. Appeal to reason






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






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






27. 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.






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






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






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






31. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






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






33. Appeal to the reader's emotions






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






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






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. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






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






39. 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!'






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






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






42. 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?






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






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






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






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






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






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






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