AWA Identifying Logical Fallacies 5

Question 1

An essay argues: 'This drug must work because a Nobel Prize-winning physicist endorses it.' Without medical expertise, this endorsement represents:

Accepted Answer

Appeal to authority (irrelevant)

Answer

Appealing to an authority outside their area of expertise is a form of the appeal to authority fallacy.

Question 2

Which of the following is an example of circular reasoning (begging the question)?

Accepted Answer

'The Bible is true because the Bible says it is true.'

Answer

Circular reasoning uses the conclusion as a premise — the Bible's truth is justified only by the Bible itself.

Question 3

An AWA argument compares a company to a sports team, claiming 'Just as a team wins by having the best players, a company succeeds by hiring the best employees alone.' The weakness is a:

Accepted Answer

False analogy

Answer

A false analogy draws a comparison between two things that differ in key respects relevant to the conclusion.

Question 4

The statement 'We must act on this proposal now, or the consequences will be catastrophic' uses urgency to prevent deliberation. This tactic is known as:

Accepted Answer

False urgency / appeal to fear

Answer

False urgency (a form of appeal to fear) pressures an audience into accepting a conclusion by manufacturing a crisis scenario.

Question 5

In evaluating an AWA argument, which question best helps identify a hasty generalization?

Accepted Answer

'Is the sample size and representativeness sufficient to support the broad conclusion?'

Answer

Hasty generalizations are best detected by scrutinizing whether the sample is large and representative enough to justify the sweeping claim.

(AWA) Analytical Writing Assessment Practice Test

(AWA) Analytical Writing Assessment Practice Test

AWA Identifying Logical Fallacies 5