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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. Writer encourages readers to accept a conclusion without any support






2. 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.'






3. 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.






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






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






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






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






8. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






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






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






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






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






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






14. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






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






16. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






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






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






19. Information that can be objectively proven as true






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






21. Appeal to reason






22. 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.






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






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






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






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






27. 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?






28. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






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






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






31. 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






32. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






33. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






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






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






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






37. Appeal to the reader's emotions






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






45. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






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






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






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






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