Test your basic knowledge |

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






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






3. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






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






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






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






7. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






8. 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?






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






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






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






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






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






14. 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!'






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






16. 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.






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






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






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






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






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






22. 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'






23. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






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






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






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






27. 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.






28. 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






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






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






31. Appeal to the reader's emotions






32. Appeal to reason






33. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






34. Information that can be objectively proven as true






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






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






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






38. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






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






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






41. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






42. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






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






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






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






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






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






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






49. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






50. 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.