Instructions: For each question, click on the radio button beside your answer. When you have completed the entire quiz, click the “Submit my answers” button at the bottom of the page to receive your results.

Question 1:

Essay writing ________.
a) differs from most writing activities in that it is undertaken in stages
b) is similar to most writing activities in that it is undertaken in stages
c) is not usually undertaken in stages
d) cannot be compared to other writing activities

Question 2:

________ is not a pre-writing technique.
a) Brainstorming
b) Editing
c) Freewriting
d) Questioning

Question 3:

Clustering is a pre-writing technique that works ________.
a) linearly
b) graphically
c) spatially
d) metaphorically

Question 4:

Finding support for a thesis could involve looking for ________.
a) primary sources
b) secondary sources
c) examples
d) All of the above.

Question 5:

The organizational stage of essay writing involves, at a minimum, ________.
a) deciding on the order of your main points
b) deciding on the order of your sub-points
c) deciding how many points your essay will include
d) deciding on the structure of your introduction

Question 6:

Composing is ________.
a) the least important stage as later changes are inevitable
b) an opportunity to get your thoughts down on paper in as complete a way as possible
c) an opportunity to work on your writing style and grammatical correctness
d) None of the above.

Question 7:

In the editing stage, you should focus mostly on ________.
a) purpose and audience
b) clarity and correctness
c) typos and mechanics
d) All of the above.

Question 8:

________ is not one of the common functions of student introductions.
a) Stimulating interest in the reader
b) Announcing the essay’s purpose and topic
c) Announcing the kinds of sources you will be using
d) Announcing the main points

Question 9:

Thesis statements ________.
a) are used in all kinds of writing
b) announce only the essay’s topic
c) vary in their form and purpose
d) All of the above.

Question 10:

An essay plan is also called ________.
a) a simple thesis
b) a complex thesis
c) an expanded thesis
d) a strategic thesis

Question 11:

Dramatic openings ________.
a) should be avoided in student essays
b) can be used to create reader interest
c) are especially useful if the topic itself is likely to interest readers
d) begin with a generalization about the topic

Question 12:

The following statement is false: “The topic sentence ________.”
a) has a structural purpose that is similar to that of the thesis statement
b) is usually the first sentence of the paragraph
c) announces the central idea of the paragraph
d) can be omitted if the organization of the paragraph is clear without it

Question 13:

“Reader-based prose” is not ________.
a) focused on the needs of the writer
b) focused on the needs of the reader
c) composed of unified paragraphs
d) composed of coherent paragraphs

Question 14:

Coherent paragraphs are ones in which ________.
a) all the points and sub-points are related to one idea
b) all the sentences are logically connected
c) the topic sentence is the first sentence of the paragraph
d) the topic sentence is well supported by examples and other kinds of evidence

Question 15:

________ can be used to create coherent paragraphs.
a) Precise language and logical sentence order
b) Transitions and balanced structures
c) Conciseness and correct spelling
d) Both A and B

Question 16:

________ are not transitional words and phrases.
a) "However," "whereas," and "on the contrary"
b) "For example," "indeed," and "such as"
c) "When," "how," and "why"
d) "So," "therefore," and "thus"

Question 17:

Rhetorical patterns ________.
a) can be used to help organize and develop a paragraph
b) apply to essay structure rather than paragraph structure
c) are useful in paragraphs that do not include a topic sentence
d) None of the above.

Question 18:

________ is not considered an organizational pattern.
a) Cause and effect
b) Chronology
c) Narration
d) Development

Question 19:

The comparison and contrast rhetorical pattern ________.
a) focuses mostly on similarities
b) focuses mostly on differences
c) always focuses on both similarities and differences
d) can focus on similarities, differences, or both

Question 20:

________ can be used in the comparison and contrast rhetorical pattern.
a) The direct method
b) The indirect method
c) The classification method
d) The point-by-point method

Question 21:

Cost-benefit analysis ________.
a) breaks down a (usually) complex process into a sequence of successive steps
b) groups items or ideas according to shared characteristics
c) weighs the pros and cons of an issue, question, or action, usually to decide which is stronger
d) analyzes or explains a problem or proposes a solution

Question 22:

Writers in the social sciences make frequent use of ________ as evidence.
a) primary sources with many direct quotations
b) experiments
c) interviews and observation
d) All of the above.

Question 23:

________ is not one of the credibility factors identified in your book.
a) Knowledge
b) Education
c) Reliability
d) Fairness

Question 24:

________ could be a factor in conveying reliability.
a) Sophisticated writing style
b) Use of many primary and secondary sources
c) Writing that does not reveal the writer’s bias
d) Correct grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure

Question 25:

A circular conclusion ________.
a) reminds the reader of the thesis and its development
b) repeats the thesis in the same words
c) is preferable to a spiral conclusion in student essays
d) is less appropriate than a spiral conclusion in student essays

Question 26:

________ is an example of a spiral conclusion.
a) Using an emotional appeal
b) Suggesting solutions to a problem you’ve analyzed in your essay
c) Recalling a personal experience or relevant anecdote
d) All the above.

Higher Education

Becoming an Active Reader: Chapter 1