Test your basic knowledge |

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 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.






2. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






3. Appeal to reason






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






5. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






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






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






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






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






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






12. 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!'






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






14. Information that can be objectively proven as true






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






22. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






23. 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?






24. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






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






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






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






28. 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






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






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






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






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






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






35. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






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






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






38. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






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






40. 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'






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






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






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






44. Appeal to the reader's emotions






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






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






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






48. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






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. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent