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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






10. 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.






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






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






13. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






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






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






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






17. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






18. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






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






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






21. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






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






23. 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!'






24. Information that can be objectively proven as true






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






26. 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?






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






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






29. 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.






30. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






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






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






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






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






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






36. Appeal to the reader's emotions






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






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






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






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






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. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






43. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






44. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






45. 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






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






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






48. 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'






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






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