AP Lang Syllogisms and Fallacies Quiz

Equivocation

using the same word in different senses

begging the question

assuming the conclusion in one of the premises

Post hoc ergo propter hoc ("after which therefore because of which")

conflating correlation and causation; arguing that because x came after y, it came because of y

Ad hominem ("to the man")

attacks an opponent rather that their argument

Genetic fallacy

attacking an argument based on its origin

Ad Populum ("to the people")

appealing to an irrelevant majority opinion

Ad ignorantium ("to ignorance")

asserting something to be true because it has not been proven false (or vice versa)

False dilemma (false dichotomy)

presenting two option as the only two options, when in fact there are more options

Straw man

distorting or mis-representing an opponent's argument in order to refute it more easily

Red herring

bringing in distracting or irrelevant evidence

Slippery slope

arguing that something is wrong because it will lead to disastrous consequences

Fallacy of composition

arguing that because something is true of a part, it must be true of the whole

Fallacy of division

arguing that what is true of the whole must be true of the parts