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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. 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.






2. 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!'






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






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






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






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






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






8. Appeal to the reader's emotions






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






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






11. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






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






13. 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.






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






24. 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






25. 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.






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






27. 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.






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






29. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






30. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






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






32. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






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






34. 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.'






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






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






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






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






39. Information that can be objectively proven as true






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






41. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






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






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






44. 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?






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






46. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






47. Appeal to reason






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






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






50. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent