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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. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






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






3. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






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






5. 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'






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






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






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






9. Appeal to the reader's emotions






10. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






11. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






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






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






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






15. 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.






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






17. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






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






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






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






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






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






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






24. 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.






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






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






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






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






29. 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.






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






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






32. 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.






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






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






35. Information that can be objectively proven as true






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






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






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






39. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






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






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






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






43. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






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






46. 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.'






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






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






49. Appeal to reason






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