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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. Citing an expert on one subject as expert on another






2. 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.






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






4. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






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






6. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






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






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






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






11. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






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






13. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






21. Appeal to the reader's emotions






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






23. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






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






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






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






27. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






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






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






30. 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.






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






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






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






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






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






36. 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!'






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






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






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






40. 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






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






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






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






44. Appeal to reason






45. 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?






46. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






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






48. 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.






49. 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.'






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