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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






11. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






12. 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'






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






14. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






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






16. 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?






17. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






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






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






20. 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.






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






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






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






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






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






26. Appeal to reason






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






28. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






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






30. 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.'






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






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






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. Information that can be objectively proven as true






35. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






36. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






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






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






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






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






41. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






42. 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.






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






44. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






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






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






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






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






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






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