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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. 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'






2. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






3. Appeal to the reader's emotions






4. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






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






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






7. 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?






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






9. 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.






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






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






12. 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.






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






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






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






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






17. 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!'






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






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






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






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






22. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






23. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






24. Information that can be objectively proven as true






25. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






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






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






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






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






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






31. 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.'






32. 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.






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






41. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






42. 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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






50. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent