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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. 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






3. 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'






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






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






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






7. Appeal to reason






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






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






10. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






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






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






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






14. Appeal to the reader's emotions






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






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






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






18. 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.






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






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






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






22. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






23. Information that can be objectively proven as true






24. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






25. 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.'






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






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






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






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






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






31. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






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






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






34. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






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






36. 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.






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






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






39. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






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






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






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






43. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






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






45. 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.






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






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






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






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






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