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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. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






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






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






4. Appeal to the reader's emotions






5. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






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






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






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






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






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






11. 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.






12. 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.






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






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






15. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






16. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






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






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






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






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






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






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. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






24. 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.






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






32. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






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






34. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






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






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






37. 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!'






38. 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?






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






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






41. 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'






42. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






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






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






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






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






47. Appeal to reason






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






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






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