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






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






3. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






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






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






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






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






8. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






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






10. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






18. 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.






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






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






21. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






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. 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






24. 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?






25. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






26. Appeal to reason






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






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






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






30. 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!'






31. 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.






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






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






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






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






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






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






38. 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.






39. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






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






41. 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.






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






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






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






45. Information that can be objectively proven as true






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






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






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






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






50. Appeal based on the credibility of the author