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Equivocation

(Equiv)

Arguments that use a single term to mean two substantially different things, resulting in misleading or invalid reasoning.

Avg. 0.05 per section
0%
15%
31%
15%
38%

Avg. difficulty: 3.8

Key tactics

  • Equivocation often reads like a pun. Like maybe a billboard says “Looking for a sign? This is it!” Get it? Because sign can mean omen but also the billboard is a literal sign! Get it?
  • Although it can be confusing at first, once you get accustomed to the patterns, equivocation on specific terms will jump out at you automatically.
  • Like the circular reasoning flaw, this flaw more often shows up as a wrong rather than a right answer. Hence, learning to recognize equivocation when it happens allows you to quickly say "No, no, I would have noticed if the argument did that" to answer choices.

Answer choice tips

  • Example answer choices that point to this flaw:
  • responds to a claim in which “available” is used in the sense of “affordable” by using “available” in the sense of “not occupied.”
  • improperly exploits an ambiguity in the phrase “public interest”
  • unreasonably extends the application of a key term.
  • ignores a difference in how the idea of forced work applies to the two cases.
  • fails to distinguish two distinct senses of a key term.

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Logical reasoning question types

Alternate explanation Analogy (LR) Argument part Bad authority Causal chain Causal mechanism Causal reasoning Circular reasoning Conditional reasoning Confusing sufficiency and necessity Correlation Diagram? Directionally wrong Eliminating options Equivocation Evaluate Except (LR) Failed alternate explanation False dichotomy Fighting the hypothetical Fill in the blank Flaw or descriptive weakening Illusory inconsistency Inference Internal contradiction Irrelevant corroboration Kick it up Lack of support v. false conclusion Link assumption Main conclusion or main point Math Mental state v. reality Method of reasoning or descriptive Miscellaneous (LR) Misdirected response Most strongly supported Must be false Must be true Necessary assumption Parallel flawed method of reasoning Parallel method of reasoning Part v. whole Phenomenon-hypothesis (LR) Plausibility Point at issue: agree Point at issue: disagree Principle PSA - find or complete the application PSA - find the rule Quantifier Relative v. absolute Resolve reconcile or explain Rule-application Sampling Source attack Strengthen Sufficient assumption Time Unwarranted assumption Value judgment Weaken Weighing factors

Reading comprehension question types

Analogy (RC) Application Art Author’s attitude Author’s perspective Comparative Critique or debate Describe approach Describe organization Describe relationship Except (RC) Humanities Implied Law Logical continuation Main point Meaning in context (of word, phrase, or idea) Miscellaneous (RC) Other’s perspective Phenomenon-hypothesis (RC) Principle or generalization Problem-analysis Purpose in context (of word, phrase, or idea) Purpose of paragraph Purpose of passage Science Single position Spotlight Stated Structure WSE (RC)

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