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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. 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.






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






3. 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!'






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






11. Obscuring or denying the complexity of an issue






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






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






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






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






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






17. Appeal based on the credibility of the author






18. 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.'






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






20. 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?






21. 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.






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






23. Information gained from personal experience representing a general pattern






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






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






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






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






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






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






30. 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






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






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






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






34. 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'






35. Information that is an interpretation of numerical data






36. Common knowledge or beliefs readers accept as true






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






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






39. Generalization: an argument that ignores all unfavorable evidence






40. Information based on personal interpretation of facts






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






42. 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.






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






44. Appeal to reason






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






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






47. Analogy or comparison that is not logically consistent






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






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






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