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






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






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






4. 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'






5. 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.'






6. Appeal to the reader's emotions






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






15. 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.






16. 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?






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






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






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






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






21. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






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






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






24. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






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






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






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






28. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






29. 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






30. 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.






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






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






33. 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.






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






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






36. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






37. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






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






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






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






41. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






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






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






44. Information that can be objectively proven as true






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






46. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






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






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






49. 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.






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