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






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






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






4. 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.






5. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






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






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






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






9. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






10. 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.'






11. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






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






13. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






14. Appeal to the reader's emotions






15. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






16. 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'






17. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






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






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






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






21. 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?






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






23. Information that can be objectively proven as true






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






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






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






27. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






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






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






30. 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!'






31. 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.






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






33. 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.






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






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






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






37. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






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






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






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






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






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






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






44. 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






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






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






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






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






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






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