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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






9. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






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






11. Information that can be objectively proven as true






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






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






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






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






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






18. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






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






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






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






22. 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.'






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






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






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






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






27. 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.






28. 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?






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






30. 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'






31. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






32. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






33. Appeal to reason






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






35. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






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. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






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






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






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






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






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






44. Appeal to the reader's emotions






45. 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.






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






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






48. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






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






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