Answer Key

The Writing Process

Prewriting

  1. Exercise: Complete outlines (Answers will vary, examples provided)

    1. Public art can create a sense of community by adding a sense of pride in the city. (topic sentence 1) Visitors are also drawn to the well-known public art in a city because it can become a memorable landmark. (topic sentence 2)
    2. Although many people focus on natural talent, skill is far more important because it can both refine natural talent and create new abilities. (thesis) Skill means developing a deeper knowledge through practice, which can turn ordinary talent into something truly remarkable. (topic sentence 1) Additionally, it is possible to acquire a new ability by approaching it from a mentality of skill. (topic sentence 2). Developing a natural talent and improving on an ability that does not come naturally are both benefits of recognzing that skill is more important than pure talent.
  2. Exercise: Write questions (Answers will vary, examples provided)

    1. Why does architecture influence society? What is unique about Roman architecture? What is special about the Greek architecture? What are specific examples of each? Do they continue to influence the world now? How did this skill develop? 
    2. What health effects? How severe are the effects? How does air pollution cause these problems? What regulations should governments make? How will this impact health? What evidence is there that these regulations woul make this impact?
    3. What is the Great Depression? When did it happen? Where did it happen? Why did it lead to innovation? What innovations came from the Great Depression? Who invented them? How did difficulty lead to invention? 

Introduction to Academic Essays

Organization: Introduction Paragraphs

  1. Exercise: Evaluate thesis statements (Answers will vary, examples provided)

    1. Prompt: What causes poverty?
      1. Effective
      2. Not effective, incomplete sentence
      3. Not effective, is a consequence, does not introduce any ideas about the cause
      4. Not effective, too detailed
      5. Not effective, announces
      6. Effective
    2. Prompt: Does advertising encourage us to buy things we do not need, or does it tell us about new products that may improve our lives?
      1. Not effective, personal I should be more formal and complex
      2. Effective
      3. Not effective, incomplete sentence
      4. Not effective, example of advertising, not a response to the prompt
      5. Effective, but could be improved because it does not clearly show it is an opinion thesis
      6. Not effective, announces

Organization: Conclusion Paragraphs

  1. Exercise: Restate a thesis (Answers will vary, examples provided)

    1. The dignity and bravery that Rosa Parks demonstrated during the Civil Rights movement made her an influential leader.
    2. Divorce is often caused by finanical problems and miscommunication.
    3. The education of citizens and storage of commodities are two important ways that governments can prepare for disasters. 

Organization: Example Essay

  1. Exercise: Analyze an essay

    1. Yes
    2. Yes (Some of the most impactful inventions of the nineteenth century that changed the way we live were the telephone, the bicycle, and plastic)
    3. Yes (The telephone was an important invention because it enabled real-time communication with people in another location. Another very important invention from the nineteenth century was the bicycle because it was a unique form of transportation available to anyone. Finally, plastic was a revolutionary invention because it made certain products cheaper, but it also introduced a new attitude into society.)
    4. Yes, they match the order of the thesis statement
    5. Yes
    6. Yes
    7. Yes
    8. Yes 
    9. Yes (It is obvious that these three nineteenth-century inventions dramatically changed the way people lived.)
    10. Prediction

Using Sources

Quoting

  1. Exercise: Identify a good quotation

    1. D

Summarizing

  1. Exercise: Evaluate summaries

    1. Ineffective, overly simplified, the original is a claim ("no visit to the city is complete without...")
    2. Most effective, the main information is here
    3. Effective, this is more of a paraphrase because it includes all of the information and is almost the same length as the original
    4. Ineffective, includes some of the same wording (plagiarism) 
  2. Exercise: Write a summary

    1. Answers will vary, no examples provided

Paraphrasing

  1. Exercise: Choose the best paraphrase

    1. C
    2. B
    3. B
  2. Exercise: Write a paraphrase

    1. Answers will vary, no examples provided
  3. Exercise: Write a body paragraph with paraphrases

    1. Answers will vary, no examples provided
  4. Exercise: Write a quote, summary or paraphrase

    1. Answers will vary, no examples provided

Descriptive Essays

Example Essay

  1. Exercise: Analyze an essay

    1. Yes
    2. Yes (Gail Halvorsen was a selfless man that shared hope and inspired kindness during World War II.)
    3. Yes (First, Gail Halvorsen shared hope with people who desperately needed it. Gail Halvorsen was a selfless person that inspired kindness. His copilot and engineer gave him their candy to give away and other pilots decided to help as well.)
    4. Yes
    5. Yes
    6. Yes
    7. Yes
    8. Yes
    9. Yes (His selflessness was inspirational and the hope that he shared was encouraging.)
    10. Suggestion

Prewriting

  1. Exercise: Revise thesis statements (Answers will vary, examples provided)

    1. Through his example of how to live and become more peaceful and caring, Ghandi became a spiritual leader.
    2. Winston Churchill is a well-known figure because of his leadership, his role in World War II, and his legacy.
    3. The contributions of Madame Curie to science have cemented her as a significant figure in history.
    4. Frida Khalo's influence went beyond her art as it changed the way women were depicted and percieved in Mexico.
    5. The life of Simon Bolivar demonstrates how one person can have a powerful impact on society.
    6. Vygostky's works in psychology and education continue to have an impact on our understanding of developmental psychology today.
  2. Exercise: Make an outline

    1. Gail Halvorsen was a selfless man that shared hope and inspired kindness during World War II. (thesis)
      1. when: after World War II 
      2. who: pilot
      3. what: gave candy
      4. why: kindness and hope
    2. First, Gail Halvorsen shared hope with people who desperately needed it. (topic sentence 1)
      1. kids afraid
      2. quote "without hope, the soul dies"
      3. quote "Chocolate bars coming from the sky. It all sounds rather dramatic today, but for me it was a special sign. A sign that we Berlin- ers had to survive" 
    3.  Gail Halvorsen was a selfless person that inspired kindness. (topic sentence 2)
      1. wanted to help
      2. didn't have much
      3. asked others to help too
    4. His copilot and engineer gave him their candy to give away and other pilots decided to help as well. (topic sentence 3)
      1. made official by commander
      2. donations from others
      3. inspired many
    5. His selflessness was inspirational and the hope that he shared was encouraging. (restated thesis)
  3. Exercise: Revise the outline (Answers will vary, example provided)

    1. Jose de San Martin's life is an excellent example of using power and leadership skills for good. (thesis)
  4. Exercise: Revise developing questions

    1. Questions not directly related to the topic sentence: Who was Peyton Manning? What teams did Peyton Manning play on? What successes did Peyton Manning have in his career?

Revising

  1. Exercise: Revise a body paragraph

    1. Answers will vary, no example provided
  2. Exercise: Check your essay

    1. Answers will vary, no example provided

Revise: Example Essay

  1. Exercise: Give feedback

    1. Answers will vary, no example provided

Comparison Esssay

Example Essay

  1. Exercise: Analyze an essay

    1. Yes
    2. Yes (While shopping online or shopping in a store are very distinct shopping experiences for consumers, they both stimulate the economy.)
    3. Yes (One thing that makes the experience different when you shop online or in a store is the range of options that are available. Another thing that makes the experience different when you shop online or in a store is the way you evaluate the merchandise. What these two shopping experiences share is their ability to stimulate the economy. As both stores stimulate our economic system, we can appreciate their distinct features.)
    4. Yes
    5. Yes
    6. Yes
    7. Yes (conclusion needs more development)
    8. Yes
    9. Yes (The way people shopped has clearly changed since the creation of the Internet, and the way people shop in the future will probably continue to change as new tools and technology are invented.)
    10. Prediction

Prewriting

  1. Exercise: Revise thesis statements

    1. Answers will vary, no examples provided
  2. Exercise: Complete an outline (Answers will vary, examples provided)

    1. Both Frank Gehry and Franklin Wright are well-known architects, but their styles, techniques, and use of color and texture are dramatically different.
    2. The different approaches of Gehry and Wright to architecture distinguish their work.
  3. Exercise: Evaluate an outline (Answers will vary, examples provided)

    1. It is unclear what is being compared.
    2. Each thesis/topic sentence needs to clearly show what two things are being compared and what aspect of them will be discussed in the paragraph.
  4. Exercise: Complete an outline

    1. Answers will vary, no examples provided

Writing

  1. Exercise: Identify a good introduction

    1. Best introduction: 2

Revising

  1. Exercise: Revise a body paragraph

    1. Answers will vary, no examples provided
  2. Exercise: Check your essay

    1. Answers will vary, no examples provided

Revise: Example Essay

  1. Exercise: Give feedback

    1. Answers will vary, no examples provided

Cause-Effect Essays

Example Essay

  1. Exercise: Analyze an essay

    1. Yes
    2. Yes (Some of the most obvious physical health effects of obesity include high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and bone diseases.)
    3. Yes (Obesity may lead to high blood pressure. Type 2 diabetes is another health concern that may be caused by obesity. Finally, obesity can contribute to a variety of bone and joint diseases.)
    4. Yes
    5. Yes
    6. Yes
    7. Yes
    8. Yes
    9. Yes
    10. Yes (In conclusion, obesity brings with it an increased risk for a variety of health problems.)
    11. Suggestion

Prewriting

  1. Exercise: Revise thesis statements (Answers will vary, examples provided)

    1. Overfishing has three negative effects on our world.
    2. Many people experience homelessness as a direct effect of unemployment.
    3. There are many surprising benefits and impacts of practicing yoga.
    4. One significant issue in the world is the presence of unstable economies, which can have may implications for both individuals and countries.
    5. The addictive nature of alcohol can have significant impacts on your life.
    6. Free trade laws have many benefits for countries.
  2. Exercise: Complete an outline

    1. Some of the causes of depression include: genetics, brain chemistry, and individual circumstances.
  3. Exercise: Choose sources that support a topic sentence

    1. Answers will vary, no examples provided

Writing

  1. Exercise: Brainstorm background knowledge for an introduction (Answers will vary, examples provided)

    1. How do you define a "successful" investment? What type of investment will the essay discuss? How do you invest in people vs resources? 
    2. What is a stereotype? Are stereotypes always negative? Do stereotypes only impact racial discrimination?
    3. What is the author's definition of a "poor" diet? What is the author's definition of "excessive" stress? Are these the main sources of attention problems?
  2. Exercise: Write a conclusion

    1. Answers will vary, no examples provided

Revising

  1. Exercise: Give feedback (Answers will vary, examples provided)

    1. The first sentence is unclear: Effects of what? Grammar sometimes obscures meaning. The summary needs to be introduced and responded to. The paragraph needs stronger transitions. 
  2. Exercise: Check your essay

    1. Answers will vary, no examples provided

Revise: Example Essay

  1. Exercise: Give feedback

    1. Answers will vary, no examples provided

Refining Writing

Development

  1. Exercise: Ask questions to generate supporting sentences

    1. Answers will vary, no examples provided
  2. Exercise: Ask questions to generate supporting sentences

    1. Answers will vary, no examples provided

Unity

  1. Exercise: Revise for unity

    1. The aftermath of an earthquake is more dangerous than the earthquake itself. When an earthquake occurs, the shaking causes problems with existing buildings and construction (United States Geologic Survey, n.d.). For example, gas lines may break because the ground around them shifts, and broken gas lines are extremely dangerous to people. Gas lines smell terrible when they are broken. Other dangers after an earthquake include landslides and tsunamis. The sudden energy of the earthquake sends either land or water moving, and anything in the path can be destroyed (USGS, n.d.). Earthquakes can have more energy than hurricanes. Tidal waves from tsunamis can swallow entire countries in the Pacific. When compared to the dangers directly associated with the earthquake, we can see that the aftermath is also important to be prepared for. 
    2. One cause of pollution is huge factories. In the factories we produce thousands and thousands of different things for humanity. The biggest factories are in the food, petroleum, forest, auto, and pharmacy industries. Factories burn coal, petroleum, and wood. Having many factories would not be a problem if they used different energy. The problem is that no matter what kind of combustible material we are talking about, all of them pollute our air. They also are difficult forms of energy to replace so we will have less fuel in the future. Pollution has been a part of earth even millions of years ago but not the amount of contamination that we now observe. The Earth’s ozone layer has started to thin because of the monumental measure of harmful substances in the air. The factories emit into the air harmful chemicals, and every single one of these substances is poisoning the air. Huge factories are in some ways useful for humans but also harmful to the environment and pollute the air.

Cohesion

  1. Exercise: Exercise: Identify logical order of sentences

    1. 4
    2. 1
    3. 5
    4. 3
    5. 2
  2. Exercise: Insert a sentence

    1. Everyone experiences stress. 

      2 Even though all people have different lives and circumstances, stress is universal because it has so many different causes. Some of these causes include health, relationships, life changes, and conflicts between your beliefs and your values (“Causes of Stress,” 2018).  Regardless of the cause, everyone should understand stress because they will have to know how to handle it. 

  3. Exercise: Identify misplaced sentences

    1. The skin is one of the most important lines of protection that the human body has against infection. If a germ makes it past the skin, the body has several mechanisms in place to destroy it. For example, the body uses white blood cells to find and destroy germs that enter the body (“Components of the Immune System,” 2015). These mechanisms don’t always work quickly enough to prevent people from becoming sick, but they do begin fighting the bacteria or virus and help people recover. In order to become infected, either bacteria or viruses have to enter the body. The skin prevents this from happening most of the time, as we encounter thousands—if not millions—of germs every day. Thus, the skin is one of the best ways to protect the body from germs because it blocks the majority of them. 
  4. Exercise: Revise for cohesion (Answers will vary, example provided)

    1. The languages spoken in Haiti and the Dominican Republic are one evidence of their distinct cultures. On one side of the island, they speak French, while on the other side they speak Spanish. The indigenous people of the island originally spoke Taino (Reichard, 2017), but France and Spain both established colonies on the island, bringing their languages with them. Due to these new influences, most of the native Taino language was conquered. There are a few words of Taino that remained in Spanish like huracán (tornado) and maíz (corn) (Reichard, 2017). Both sides of the island are certainly distinct because they now have different languages.
  5. Exercise: Identify connectors

    1. Cause/effect connectors
    2. Showing addition connectors
    3. Showing contrast connectors

Nuts and Bolts

Punctuation

  1. Exercise: Revising for listing punctuation

    1. Interesting buildings on BYU campus include: the Wilkinson Center, the Museum of Art, and the Fine Arts Center. (missing a verb before the semicolon)
    2. The expensive, red sportscar was parked illegally. (missing comma)
    3. No error
  2. Exercise: Revise linking punctuation

    1. No error
    2. BYU has lots of fun activities for students; you will never be bored on the weekends. (semicolon) BYU has lots of fun activities for students, so you will never be bored on the weekends. (conjunction added)
    3. Amazon is one of the most popular websites for online shopping, and you can find a wide variety of products that ship quickly to your home. (comma) Amazon is one of the most popular websites for online shopping; you can find a wide variety of products that ship quickly to your home. (no conjunction)
    4. Electricity was one of the most important inventions in the nineteenth century, and it led to other important inventions. (comma)
    5. No error
  3. Exercise: Revise run-on sentences

    1. Parents do not control what their children do. Children’s behavior is affected more by television, movies, and other influences from outside the home. This is a terrible thing that sociologists have noticed, but fortunately, parents are still interested in trying to teach their children. Parents should teach their children about good behaviors, and they will see improvements in the behavior of their children.

Using Academic Vocabulary

  1. Exercise: Identify word forms

    1. development, develop, developmental/developing/developed
    2. support, supportive, supportively
    3. sustain, sustainable
    4. explanation, explain
    5. sequence, sequence, sequential
    6. partial, partially
    7. expectation, expected/expecting, expectedly
  2. Exercise: Revise for word form errors

    1. The homework assignment looked easy, but I did not know how to COMPLETE it. I asked my study buddy to help me because he is so INTELLIGENT. Apparent, he is really good at learning languages, because he is learning three languages at BYU. I know one day he will be FAMOUS. I RESPECT him a lot. 

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