Study Guide

Choose the sentence that appropriately uses quotation marks and italics.

"Me and Bobby McGee" is a song written by Kris Kristofferson and Fred Foster, but Janis Joplin increased its popularity; it appears on her album Pearl.

Which of the following dates is written in correct MLA format for the personal information section of your paper?

21 September 2014

For each of the following sentences, choose the revision that uses—or omits—apostrophes correctly. If the original sentence is correct, choose "no change." A common childrens' lesson is to explain how the sun travels through the sky over the course of a day.

A common children's lesson is to explain how the sun travels through the sky over the course of a day.

What is a thesis statement?

A statement that is the point of your essay in one arguable sentence.

Choose the sentence that appropriately uses quotation marks and italics.

After Joyce finished reading the essay, "Idiot Nation," in her textbook, Rereading America, she decided she enjoyed Micheal Moore's perspective so much that she went on to watch Sicko.

For each of the following word groups, determine whether the word group contains a fragment. If it does, choose the sentence that corrects the fragment. If the original word group is a complete sentence, choose "no change." After finishing my piano lesson one day. I took a little walk through Mr. Licarra's forest.

After finishing my piano lesson one day, I took a little walk through Mr. Licarra's forest.

For each of the following items, choose the revision that corrects the comma splice or fused sentence. If the original item is correct as written, choose "no change." Bernard wanted to break this habit after all, why couldn't a chair be used as a chair?

Bernard wanted to break this habit. After all, why couldn't a chair be used as a chair?

In terms of writing, what does the term revision mean?

Checking a paper for unity, coherence, style, and support.

For each of the following items, choose the revision that corrects the comma splice or fused sentence. If the original item is correct as written, choose "no change." Each person had a chair next to his or her desk for visitors their visitors were not able to sit in many of those chairs.

Each person had a chair next to his or her desk for visitors, but their visitors were not able to sit in many of those chairs.

What does it mean to read actively?

Engaging in a conversation with the text by underlining, circling, and writing questions and thoughts.

Read each of the following descriptions of a source cited in a student paper, and then choose the source citation that correctly applies MLA style in order to avoid plagiarism. The writer is quoting from page 28 of a magazine article by one author, Donald Goldsmith.

Goldsmith notes, "Every day, in fact, about a hundred tons of extraterrestrial material rain onto our planet . . ." (28).

Read each of the following descriptions of a source cited in a student paper, and then choose the source citation that correctly applies MLA style in order to avoid plagiarism. The writer is quoting from page 237 of a book by one author, Aljean Harmetz.

Harmetz points out that during the filming of Casablanca, "No matter how final the script, no matter how many times it was rewritten, there were always accidents and changes on the set" (237).

For each of the following items, choose the revision that corrects the comma splice or fused sentence. If the original item is correct as written, choose "no change." He began with a few of the advertising people, he asked them if they wouldn't mind keeping things off their chairs so visitors could sit in them.

He began with a few of the advertising people. He asked them if they wouldn't mind keeping things off their chairs so visitors could sit in them.

For each of the following word groups, determine whether the word group contains a fragment. If it does, choose the sentence that corrects the fragment. If the original word group is a complete sentence, choose "no change." He's certain that something would be built there. If the school owned that land.

He's certain that something would be built there if the school owned that land.

Which of the following sentences make an appropriate thesis statement for a five-paragraph essay?

High school composition classes have change significantly since the 1980s in terms of assessment, teaching methods, and teacher expectations.

For each of the following sentences, choose the revision that uses—or omits—semicolons correctly. If the original sentence is correct, choose "no change." Historians disagree about whether these women were real or mythological, however, recent historical documents seem to confirm their existence.

Historians disagree about whether these women were real or mythological; however, recent historical documents seem to confirm their existence.

For each of the following sentences, choose the revision that uses—or omits—semicolons correctly. If the original sentence is correct, choose "no change." In most previous wars, women primarily served as nurses; a job in which they were often exposed to combat; as laborers in factories; and as administrative assistants in military offices.

In most previous wars, women primarily served as nurses, a job in which they were often exposed to combat; as laborers in factories; and as administrative assistants in military offices.

For each of the following sentences, choose the revision that uses the active voice. If the original sentence is written in the active voice, choose "no change." Reference: 46-1 Active flight was first evolved by insects.

Insects were the first animals to evolve active flight.

For each of the following word groups, determine whether the word group contains a fragment. If it does, choose the sentence that corrects the fragment. If the original word group is a complete sentence, choose "no change." Reference: 26-1 It is a small forest, however. Being just enough land on which to build a house.

It is a small forest, however, being just enough land on which to build a house.

What does it mean when a paper has unity?

It stays on topic.

Choose the sentence that does not use the colon effectively.

Joel carried only: a yellow legal pad, a black briefcase, and his cell phone.

For each of the following word groups, determine whether the word group contains a fragment. If it does, choose the sentence that corrects the fragment. If the original word group is a complete sentence, choose "no change." Mr. Licarra said he bought the land with the forest when he bought his house. And he will never build anything on it.

Mr. Licarra said he bought the land with the forest when he bought his house, and he will never build anything on it.

Which of the following examples is the correct way to incorporate a quote within an academic paper?

One source explains, "A study of six big-city Ohio public schools showed students who were required to wear uniforms had improved graduation, behavior and attendance rates" (Sheeran, Alice 2).

For each of the following sentences, choose the revision that uses the active voice. If the original sentence is written in the active voice, choose "no change." Reference: 46-1 An accurate model of an insect in flight could be used by engineers to develop tiny helicopters for environmental monitoring or surveillance purposes.

Scientists could use an accurate model of insects in flight to develop tiny helicopters for environmental monitoring or surveillance purposes.

Which method is not an acceptable way to further introduce a topic in a five-paragraph essay?

Summarize your essay.

Which of the following sentences make an appropriate thesis statement for a five-paragraph essay?

Teachers should offer after school tutorials because they help students more thoroughly learn materials, they encourage student-to-student interaction, and they foster positive relationships between teachers and students.

Select the sentence that is best for an academic essay.

The United States of America has a ninety-nine percent literacy rate, which sounds impressive, but the definition for literacy is intentionally ambiguous: the number of people "age fifteen and over that can read and write" ("United").

What does it mean to make a paper coherent?

The piece of writing has good flow through transition words and appropriate order.

What does it mean to narrow a topic?

Writers narrow topics by taking a broad assignment and making it more specific.

A signal phrase . . .

all provided answers

When you consider the audience, you are considering . . .

all provided answers

The thesis of an essay should go . . .

at the end of the introduction paragraph.

The title of your paper should be . . .

centered

While drafting, a writer should . . .

concentrate on ideas, not grammar.

For each of the following passages, determine whether the paraphrase is effective or ineffective. Remember that an effective paraphrase restates information from another source in your own words and avoids plagiarism by citing the original source and enclosing any of the original writer's words in quotation marks. Also, note that Modern Language Association (MLA) style requires the citation for an effective paraphrase to contain page numbers in addition to the source information. Original passageTo most North Americans the word "chocolate" probably conjures visions of a fragrant, nut-studded brown slab, or a box full of small but elaborate variations on gooeyness, or one of those outrageous dark desserts with names such as "mud pie" or "death by chocolate." Few of us who savor and consume such delights think about moist, lush foliage, the shrieks of toucans and parrots, or a Maya ruler from the seventh century A.D. sipping chili-spiked cocoa froth.--Robert A. Rice and Russell Greenberg, "The Chocolate Tree," Natural History July/Aug. 2003: 37. Paraphrase:Rice and Greenberg point out that the word "chocolate" brings to the minds of most North Americans thoughts of a chocolate bar, a box of chocolates, or wonderful chocolate desserts. Not many consider the habitat from which chocolate derives, or the original consumption of chocolate by Mayan kings (37).

effective

For the below sentence, choose the letter of the correct word(s) that belongs in the blank. Depending on crops for a living makes __________ acutely aware of the weather.

farmers

The best type of writing has . . .

has a variety of sentence lengths and types with succinct yet detailed writing.

For the below sentence, choose the letter of the correct word(s) that belongs in the blank. Everyone should hand in __________ information at the front desk.

his or her

For each of the following passages, determine whether the paraphrase is effective or ineffective. Remember that an effective paraphrase restates information from another source in your own words and avoids plagiarism by citing the original source and enclosing any of the original writer's words in quotation marks. Also, note that Modern Language Association (MLA) style requires the citation for an effective paraphrase to contain page numbers in addition to the source information. Original passage:With a top speed of 60 miles per hour, adult pronghorn can easily outrun any predator. But they are reluctant jumpers. A fence no more than a few feet high can hinder their movement. Ordinarily, pronghorn will crawl under or between the strands of barbed wire. Sometimes, they can't get through at all. It is not uncommon for small bands to starve while plenty of forage is available only a few feet away on the other side of a fence.--Kim Berger, "Pronghorn in Peril," Wildlife Conservation July/Aug. 2003: 40. Paraphrase: According to Berger, adult pronghorn easily outrun their predators, having a top speed of 60 miles per hour. A fence, however, of just a few feet high can hinder their movement. Small bands of pronghorn commonly starve with plenty of available forage only a few feet away on the other side of a fence. For the future health and survival of pronghorn populations, it is essential that we remove any fences or similar barriers from any land on which pronghorn are known to travel (40).

ineffective

In what order should an essay be written?

introduction, body, conclusion

For each of the following sentences, choose the revision that uses—or omits—semicolons correctly. If the original sentence is correct, choose "no change." Ancient Greek and Roman women went on military campaigns with their husbands, often going into battle with them; gave birth in war tents; and helped to rally the soldiers with hymns and chants.

no change

For each of the following sentences, choose the less wordy substitute for the underlined phrase. If the original sentence is correct, choose "no change." Crafty manufacturers altered the size of the bags every now and then so that homemakers would have to buy extra flour to guarantee that there would be enough material to finish a project for the whole family.

occasionally

Identify whether the verb in each sentence is active or passive voice. Reference: 45-1 Another way to promote their product is needed by Florida citrus growers.

passive

For each of the following sentences, choose the less wordy substitute for the underlined phrase. If the original sentence is correct, choose "no change." As more homemakers began sewing leftover plain sacks into clothing, the manufacturers had the realization that it would be wise to sell flour and feed in patterned sacks.

realized

The thesis of an essay should . . .

state the writer's opinion on an arguable topic.

Each body paragraph should . . .

support a concept briefly introduced in the thesis.

For the below sentence, choose the letter of the correct word(s) that belongs in the blank. I've already turned in a change of address card, so I don't know why __________ sending my mail to my old address.

the post office is

From primarily what point of view should a formal essay be written?

third person

For each of the following sentences, choose the less wordy substitute for the underlined phrase. If the original sentence is correct, choose "no change." After all, most young American citizens have never seen a flour sack.

young Americans