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






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






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






4. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






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






6. 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.






7. Appeal to the reader's emotions






8. 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'






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






10. Appeal to reason






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






12. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






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






14. 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.'






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






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






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






18. 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.






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






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






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






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






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






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






25. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






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






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






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






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






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






31. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






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






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






34. 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.






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






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






37. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






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






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






40. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






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






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






43. Information that can be objectively proven as true






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






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






46. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






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






48. 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?






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






50. 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.