(Comprehensive) - Questions with Correct Answers
100 questions
1. A thesis that is too broad can be narrowed by limiting:
A. Font size
B. Punctuation
C. Time, place, population or aspect
D. Citations
Correct Answer: C. Time, place, population or aspect
Rationale: Scope.
2. A thesis for a cause-and-effect essay should:
A. List events randomly
B. State the causal relationship being explained or argued
C. Avoid causes
D. Ask a question
Correct Answer: B. State the causal relationship being explained or argued
Rationale: Causal claim.
3. Repeating key terms and using pronouns that clearly refer to earlier nouns improves:
A. Word count only
B. Coherence
C. Plagiarism
D. Formatting
Correct Answer: B. Coherence
Rationale: Cohesion devices.
4. Which sentence would best serve as a topic sentence?
A. My cousin works.
B. In 2019, schedules existed.
C. Flexible schedules help working parents balance family and career.
D. This is a paragraph.
Correct Answer: C. Flexible schedules help working parents balance family and career.
Rationale: Main idea.
5. Beginning with a dictionary definition is often discouraged because it:
A. Is plagiarism
B. Is overused and rarely engages readers
C. Is always inaccurate
D. Requires APA
Correct Answer: B. Is overused and rarely engages readers
Rationale: Cliché opening.
6. The relationship between the introduction and conclusion is like:
A. Two unrelated essays
B. A frame around the body of the essay
C. A citation and a reference
D. A title and a font
Correct Answer: B. A frame around the body of the essay
Rationale: Frame.
,7. Loaded language in an argument:
A. Is neutral
B. Uses only numbers
C. Uses emotionally charged words to influence readers
D. Is always fair
Correct Answer: C. Uses emotionally charged words to influence readers
Rationale: Connotation.
8. Logos refers to an appeal based on:
A. Emotion
B. Character
C. Timing
D. Logic, reasoning and evidence
Correct Answer: D. Logic, reasoning and evidence
Rationale: Reason.
9. The 'appeal to ignorance' fallacy claims:
A. Experts agree
B. Many people believe it
C. Something is true because it has not been proven false (or vice versa)
D. It is traditional
Correct Answer: C. Something is true because it has not been proven false (or vice versa)
Rationale: Lack of evidence.
10. A 'moving the goalposts' fallacy occurs when:
A. Evidence is accepted
B. Standards for evidence are changed after they are met
C. A thesis is revised
D. A source is cited
Correct Answer: B. Standards for evidence are changed after they are met
Rationale: Shifting standards.
11. Selecting sources that represent multiple perspectives helps writers:
A. Present balanced, credible arguments
B. Confuse readers
C. Avoid a thesis
D. Plagiarize
Correct Answer: A. Present balanced, credible arguments
Rationale: Fairness.
12. Field research includes:
A. Reading textbooks only
B. Using encyclopedias
C. Copying articles
D. Observations, interviews and surveys conducted directly
Correct Answer: D. Observations, interviews and surveys conducted directly
Rationale: Primary data collection.
, 13. Domain endings like .gov and .edu suggest:
A. Guaranteed accuracy
B. Government or educational institutions, though evaluation is still needed
C. Commercial sites
D. Personal blogs
Correct Answer: B. Government or educational institutions, though evaluation is still needed
Rationale: Clues only.
14. An annotated bibliography includes:
A. Citations followed by summaries and evaluations of each source
B. Only citations
C. Only quotes
D. Only the thesis
Correct Answer: A. Citations followed by summaries and evaluations of each source
Rationale: Research tool.
15. Bias in a source is indicated by:
A. Balanced evidence
B. Multiple perspectives
C. Peer review
D. One-sided presentation and emotionally loaded language
Correct Answer: D. One-sided presentation and emotionally loaded language
Rationale: Red flags.
16. Scholarly articles typically include:
A. Advertisements
B. Celebrity gossip
C. Methods, results, references and author credentials
D. No citations
Correct Answer: C. Methods, results, references and author credentials
Rationale: Features.
17. A primary source is:
A. A textbook summary
B. An encyclopedia entry
C. A review of other studies
D. Original, firsthand material such as interviews, data, letters or original research
Correct Answer: D. Original, firsthand material such as interviews, data, letters or original
research
Rationale: Firsthand.
18. Which is the best research question?
A. How does flexible scheduling affect nurse retention in urban hospitals?
B. Do nurses work?
C. What is a hospital?
D. Is work good?
Correct Answer: A. How does flexible scheduling affect nurse retention in urban hospitals?
Rationale: Focused and researchable.