Deck 2: Essay Structure

Question 1

What are the three parts of any essay?

A) Introduction, references, and conclusion
B) Evidence, citations, and conclusion
C) Introduction, body, and conclusion
D) Evidence, conclusion, references

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Is it useful to use the five-paragraph essay structure in academic papers?

A) Always
B) Sometimes (if it is a shorter essay)
C) Sometimes (as long as the structure is flexible)
D) No. It should be avoided entirely.
E) B and C

Answer 2

E

Question 3

In general, how many words is each body paragraph in a 500-word essay?

A) 50-75 words
B) 100-125 words
C) 150-175 words
D) 40-60 words

Answer 3

B

Question 4

__________________ are the three steps of the writing process.

A) Writing, reading, and researching
B) Planning, developing, and revisiting
C) Drafting, referencing, and editing
D) Planning, drafting, and editing

Question 5

Why is it important to brainstorm when writing an essay?

A) It uses up time, especially when writing an in-class essay
B) It counts toward the assignment word count
C) It saves time and results in a stronger essay
D) All of the above

Question 6

Why can free writing be helpful for overcoming writer's block?

A) It gets words on paper without worrying about form.
B) It provides visual aids like bubble diagrams.
C) It narrows one's focus by restricting form.
D) It allows writers to write about themselves, like journal writing.

Question 7

Which of the following belongs in a brainstorming list about unsuccessful students?

A) They define goals.
B) They lack time management skills.
C) They don't work a part-time job.
D) They have an interest in their area of study.

Question 8

Each body paragraph should __________________.

A) list evidence without an argument
B) overlap with the previous paragraph
C) give a main argument related to your thesis
D) start a new topic

Question 9

What details should be included in an essay outline?

A) A draft of the thesis
B) The main idea of each body paragraph
C) Point-form notes of the supporting points in each paragraph
D) All of the above

Question 10

A thesis statement __________________.

A) outlines the evidence the essay will focus on
B) answers the topic question and states the writer's point of view
C) poses the essay's fundamental question
D) sets up the sides of the debate

Question 11

Which of the following is an example of an announcement thesis?

A) Resolutions can be more effective if another person agrees to participate.
B) New Year's resolutions rarely work because people fail to attach the new action to a previous habit.
C) People are better off asking themselves questions about their behaviour than they are setting resolutions.
D) In this essay, I will explain why New Year's resolutions often fail.

Question 12

How many sentences should a thesis statement be?

A) 1
B) 2
C) 3
D) 4

Question 13

A title should __________________.

A) repeat the topic question
B) appear in full sentences
C) come out of the thesis statement
D) be decided upon as early in the writing process as possible

Question 14

In APA style, what style of case is used for formatting the title?

A) Sentence case
B) Title case
C) Capital case
D) Italicized case

Question 15

Where should the thesis statement appear in the introduction?

A) First sentence
B) Second sentence
C) Last sentence
D) Anywhere the writer decides

Question 16

Which of the following are possible ways to introduce your essay topic?

A) Relate a personal anecdote
B) State a provocative or controversial point
C) Define a term, idea, or concept
D) All of the above

Question 17

What should you do if you get stuck on what to say in the introduction?

A) Write the conclusion instead
B) Stick with it until you think of something
C) Start writing the body of the essay
D) All of the above

Question 18

Body paragraphs should begin with __________________.

A) an explanation
B) a topic sentence
C) analysis
D) illustration

Question 19

Body paragraphs should contain how many supported points?

A) 1
B) 2-4
C) 5-6
D) 7-10

Question 20

A body paragraph should have at least __________________ sentences.

A) 2
B) 3
C) 5
D) 7

Question 21

Essay topic sentences should __________________.

A) introduce the topic and relate to the thesis
B) only introduce the topic
C) only relate to the thesis
D) be used as a transition

Question 22

What does it mean if a paragraph has unity?

A) It has ideas that follow logically from one idea to the next.
B) It maintains a single focus.
C) It uses adequate evidence.
D) It is debatable.

Question 23

Supporting your ideas is important for __________________.

A) coherence
B) unity
C) clarity
D) charisma

Question 24

In terms of detail, body paragraphs move from __________________.

A) specific to general
B) general to specific to general
C) specific to general to specific
D) general to specific

Question 25

Which of the following transition signal words indicate(s) contrast?

A) However
B) Nevertheless
C) Indeed
D) Consequently
E) A and B

Question 26

Which of the following transition signals indicate cause and effect?

A) Meanwhile
B) Therefore
C) Instead
D) Moreover

Question 27

Coherent paragraphs are achieved by __________________.

A) clear referencing with pronouns and articles
B) maintaining one focus
C) clearly cited sources
D) mixing up sentences

Question 28

How often should you use transitions to link body paragraphs?

A) To start every paragraph
B) Sometimes, when they seem appropriate
C) Rarely
D) Often, especially if they repeat the same wording as the previous paragraph

Question 29

What is the role of the conclusion in an essay?

A) To talk about the results or implications of the argument
B) To simply provide a summary of the essay
C) To repeat ideas from the introduction
D) To give the writer one last chance to introduce evidence

Question 30

In your conclusion, it is important to remember to __________________.

A) add new information
B) apologize for not covering the whole issue
C) throw in leftover thoughts or ideas
D) restate the thesis statement

Question 31

What are some benefits of working with essay structure?

Question 32

Why is the five-paragraph essay useful (even if it might be a little restrictive)?

Question 33

How could knowledge of structure help in writing a cover letter for a job?

Question 34

What does the planning step of the writing process involve? Why is this step important?

Question 35

What does the drafting step of the writing process involve? Why is this step essential?

Question 36

What does the editing step of the writing process involve? Why is this step significant?

Question 37

When working on a topic where you are asked to choose a side, why is it helpful to brainstorm about more than one point of view?

Question 38

While free writing can be helpful for overcoming writer's block, why is it not recommended for in-class writing assignments?

Question 39

Why is it not a good idea to organize your essay by example or situation?

Question 40

Why should you avoid using an announcement thesis?

Question 41

What are the three main details that should be included in the introductory paragraph?

Question 42

Why don't students need to write "I think" or "in my opinion" in their essays? Why is it better to avoid doing so?

Question 43

Name three common ways to introduce your essay topic.

Question 44

Why is it possible to write the body of the essay before the introduction and/or conclusion?

Question 45

Of the common ways to introduce an essay, which is the most effective? Regardless of your choice, be clear why you're right.

Question 46

Why is it best to avoid using a concluding sentence in each body paragraph?

Question 47

Why should you avoid writing one-sentence or two-sentence paragraphs?

Question 48

Why is it a problem to lack specific support?

Question 49

Why are transition signals significant in essay writing?

Question 50

Name two ways to achieve coherent paragraphs.

Question 51

Why is it a good idea to use transitions to link body paragraphs?

Question 52

Why is it useful to restate your thesis statement to start the conclusion?

Question 53

Why is it important to not summarize too much in the conclusion of a short paper?

Question 54

What are some useful strategies for being an effective proofreader?

Question 55

Often students who are given a chance to resubmit only make superficial changes. What should they do instead? Why?