Academic Writing Quiz # 1

A bibliography or list of works cited should appear:

after the abstract, but before the body of the work begins

in the appendices

before the work's conclusion

at the end of the work

What is included in an APA-style in-text citation?

author and publisher

author and publication date

title and author

title and page number

Which is a correct APA-style reference for the book "Life of Pi"?

Martel, Y. (2001, Harcourt). Life of Pi: A novel.

Martel, Yann. Life of Pi: A Novel. New York: Harcourt, 2001. Print.

Martel, Y. Life of Pi: A novel. New York: Harcourt, 2001.

Martel, Y. (2001). Life of Pi: A novel. New York: Harcourt.

All of the following may appear as a section in a piece of academic writing EXCEPT:

Acknowledgements

Debate

Index or Indices

Analysis

Views that are in opposition to your own should be addressed:

in full, so that they are fully dispatched by the end of your paper.

respectfully and with some brevity

at length, and at each phase of your argument

never

What is a thesis statement?

a short statement of the main point

an explanation of the importance of the argument

a "hook" to capture the reader's attention

a restatement of the most important evidence

Which section of an academic paper reiterates the paper's claim and may suggest its further significance?

results

abstract

literature review

conclusion

What is self-plagiarism?

allowing colleagues or classmates to use ideas from one's own work

reusing one's own work; for instance, by submitting the same paper to two classes

deliberately misrepresenting the meaning of a quotation from a source

directly quoting oneself, as if to imply one is an expert

Which is a standard order for the sections of a piece of academic writing?

abstract, introduction, background, results, discussion, conclusion, references

background, introduction, abstract, results, discussion, conclusion, references

introduction, abstract, background, results, discussion, references, conclusion

abstract, introduction, discussion, results, background, references, conclusion

Which of the following can be properly presented in an academic work without citation?

information within the public domain

paraphrasing

a popular quotation

common knowledge

While there are many acceptable structures for pieces of academic writing, all of them have in common:

a thesis statement appearing at or very near the beginning of the work

a 'results' section at the end of the paper, with all relevant experimental data

no fewer than three large divisions within the work

a description of experiments performed

The primary difference between an abstract and a thesis statement is:

length: the thesis statement is always longer than the abstract

length: the abstract is always longer than the thesis statement

scope: the first summarizes the entire work, while the second clearly states the work's main purpose

scope: the second summarizes the entire work, while the first clearly states the work's main purpose

Which of the following statements about plagiarism is true?

verbatim copying of another person's writing without citation constitutes plagiarism

plagiarism is always the result of deliberate dishonesty

paraphrasing the ideas of another person constitutes plagiarism

ideas from course lectures or discussion sections don't require citation

Which of the following is a form of plagiarism?

not providing a citation for assertions that are common knowledge

providing citations for works not directly quoted in your writing

providing citations acknowledging contributions by colleagues or classmates

not providing a citation for an online source without a clear author

What is the best pair of descriptors for academic tone?

formal, impersonal

formal, imperious

formal, personal

informal, impersonal

True or false: an academic argument is almost always strengthened when the author leaves out first-person pronouns.

True

False

What is the most appropriate structure for an academic essay?

the inverted pyramid

the appropriate structure depends on the assignment and topic

the cause-and-effect model

the five-paragraph essay

Which of the following is an example of common knowledge that would not require a citation?

an interpretation of the meaning of a symbol in "The Great Gatsby"

the name of the first chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court

a long direct quotation from Shakespeare's "King Lear"

a scholar's opinion of the efficacy of the Voting Rights Act

Where in an academic essay is the most common place to introduce the thesis statement?

as the first sentence

in the first paragraph

after previewing the evidence

in the conclusion

Which of the following is an example of plagiarism?

failing to cite an appropriate source

citing an inappropriate source

citing a source too much

citing a source whose authorship cannot be determined

Vocabulary should be selected in academic writing primarily for its:

colloquiality

opacity

clarity

formality

What is an abstract?

a "hook" to capture the reader's attention

a condensed summary of the entire work

a restatement of the most important evidence

a preface or introduction

If a novelist were to attempt a piece of academic writing, what changes in language and tone would she be advised to make?

Use a more personal, less objective voice

Place less emphasis on a clear, linear line of development from one section to the next

Use a less personal, more objective voice

Use fancier words.

What is the difference between plagiarism and copyright infringement?

Plagiarism involves using someone else's work without attribution, while copyright infringement involves using someone else's work without permission.

Plagiarism is the least severe form of copyright infringement.

Plagiarism is a legal violation, while copyright infringement is an ethical violation.

Plagiarism is always copyright infrigement, but copyright infringement is not always plagiarism.

Which section of an academic paper describes the design of the experiment or study?

abstract

results

references

methodology

How should you address sources that disagree with your argument?

by not mentioning them; doing so would weaken your argument

by dismissing them before you begin your own argument

by listing them in a separate appendix

by acknowledging them and rebutting their claims

Which of the following could be plagiarized?

data and statistics

computer code

(All of these)

written text

Which is most correct? "The professor presented her ideas to the panel of her ____."

colleagues

buddies

extremely important colleagues

extremely important buddies

From a style perspective, good academic writing should:

be as florid as possible

use language that reflects the historical prominence of the relevant universities or colleges.

use as sophisticated vocabulary as possible

be as clear and direct as possible

What type of academic paper should include a results section?

one that relies on historical analysis

one that develops a novel argument

one that focuses on an experiment or other primary research

one that lacks any other citations