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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. Information that can be objectively proven as true






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






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






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






5. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






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






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






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






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






10. 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






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






12. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






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






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






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






16. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






17. 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'






18. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






19. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






20. Appeal to the reader's emotions






21. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






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






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






24. 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.






25. 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!'






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






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






28. 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.






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






30. Appeal to reason






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






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






33. 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?






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






45. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






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






47. 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.






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






49. 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.






50. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue