Title: Developing a Research Writing Project
Course: Question Banks

Q: Why is it helpful to consider the purpose when trying to understand the assignment?
- You can plan out your schedule for the next few weeks. (Incorrect. The purpose for the assignment still doesn’t give you the requirements and deliverables.)
- It is not helpful -- considering the purpose doesn’t help you understand the assignment. (Incorrect. Considering the purpose is helpful so you know why the instructor would assign it.)
- You can submit your work online rather than printing out the assignment. (Incorrect. This information doesn’t link to learning the purpose for the assignment.)
- You can determine why the instructor would assign that work and what you can learn from it. (Correct. Knowing the purpose for the assignment helps you understand it better.)
A: You can determine why the instructor would assign that work and what you can learn from it.

Q: Seth doesn’t understand the assignment. Which of the following steps would NOT be helpful for him to gain understanding?
- Re-read the prompt (Incorrect. This is a helpful choice to better understand the assignment.)
- Find the action items. (Incorrect. The action items can help Seth determine how to structure his essay.)
- Identify the deliverables. (Incorrect. Knowing what end product is required can help Seth understand the assignment.)
- Just start writing the essay (Correct. If he starts writing an argument when the instructor requires a compare and contrast essay, that work won’t meet assignment requirements.)
A: Just start writing the essay

Q: Where should you begin when writing a research paper?
- Revising (Incorrect. Revising occurs toward the end after drafting has been completed at least once.)
- Proofreading (Incorrect. Proofreading is one of the very last steps)
- Editing (Incorrect. Editing is one of the very last steps since it focuses on sentence-level errors; you don’t want to spend time editing work that you might end up cutting from the draft.)
- Prewriting (Correct. Prewriting happens BEFORE writing or drafting and can get your ideas flowing.)
A: Prewriting

Q: Which of the following comes directly AFTER the prewriting and researching steps?
- Mind Mapping (Incorrect. Mind Mapping is a strategy used DURING the prewriting step.)
- Editing (Incorrect. Editing comes after drafting and revising have also been completed.)
- Free Writing (Incorrect. Free Writing is a strategy used DURING the prewriting step.)
- Drafting (Correct. You can start drafting after you put all of your ideas on paper and begin organizing them.)
A: Drafting

Q: Which of the following is NOT a step in the writing process?
- Prewriting (Incorrect. Prewriting is the first step of the writing process.)
- Drafting (Incorrect. Drafting can happen throughout the writing process.)
- Revising (Incorrect. Revising is a step found toward the end of the writing process.)
- Submitting (Correct. Submitting is not part of the writing process, though it is an action you’ll take once your essay is complete!)
A: Submitting

Q: What is sometimes NOT included in the first draft?
- An argument (Incorrect. The first draft should contain an argument, even if it's in draft form.)
- Your ideas (Incorrect. Your ideas are the most important part of the first draft! In fact, the first draft should focus on your ideas.)
- A working thesis (Incorrect. A thesis statement is crucial to writing an essay and should be included in the first draft. You might make changes to it in each revision, but it should not be left out of the first draft.)
- Outside sources (Correct. The first draft should focus on your own ideas and original content.)
A: Outside sources

Q: What is the purpose for including outside sources in the middle drafts?
- To make your argument for you (Incorrect. The essay should focus on your voice, and the outside sources then support you.)
- To fill space and meet the word count (Incorrect. Outside sources provide support and credibility; they don’t just take up space in an essay.)
- To create the conclusion paragraph (Incorrect. Using outside sources within the body section give supporting details to the paragraphs. The conclusion paragraph should not include any new information.)
- To provide support for your original content (Correct. Outside sources give your ideas credibility and reinforce your writing.)
A: To provide support for your original content

Q: Logan has written one draft of his essay and is ready to submit it. What might you say to encourage him to write multiple drafts?
- I’m sure that you’ve done the best that you can in the first draft. (Incorrect. Generally, the first draft is just a way to get all of his ideas out of his head and on paper; additional drafts will organize and connect those ideas.)
- You don’t want to waste so much time writing the essay over and over again. (Incorrect. Revising and editing multiple drafts does take time, but the end result is a quality essay.)
- You have good support and don’t need quotes to back you up. (Incorrect. Writing multiple drafts gives him the opportunity to incorporate outside sources for support.)
- You probably want to make sure that you have the best content and have fixed all of your errors. (Correct. Writing multiple drafts ensures that Logan will have the most important information and can catch mistakes.)
A: You probably want to make sure that you have the best content and have fixed all of your errors.

Q: Which of the following is NOT a good question to ask your instructor when you get stuck?
- Do you have a suggestion on where to find a scholarly article about climate change? (Incorrect. This is a good question since you ask specifically for a source and have a topic.)
- Can you remind me what to include in the conclusion paragraph? (Incorrect. This question would allow your instructor to respond with enough information to help you move forward.)
- Would you mind reading my thesis statement to make sure it’s well-developed? (Incorrect. Asking for help on 1-2 sentences is specific and detailed for your instructor -- this would be a good question.)
- I’m stuck. Can you help me? (Correct. This is vague and doesn’t provide your instructor with specifics.)
A: I’m stuck. Can you help me?

Q: Brianna understands the assignment for the essay but can’t decide on a topic. Which suggestion would NOT be as helpful for her?
- Perhaps you could set up an appointment at the writing center. (Incorrect. The writing center can help at ANY point of the writing process and could give Brianna some suggestions.)
- Have you tried asking your instructor for help? (Incorrect. Brianna’s instructor could provide more information that could help Brianna make a decision.)
- Would you like to talk it over with me? (Incorrect. Talking with peers can provide clarity and could help Brianna choose a topic.)
- Maybe you should go home and think about it longer. (Correct. Many times, asking for help is the best way to move forward when you’re stuck in the writing process.)
A: Maybe you should go home and think about it longer.

Q: You have finished multiple revisions of your essay but aren’t sure that you’ve caught all of your sentence-level errors in editing. Which of these is LEAST likely to provide the help you need?
- Asking a friend to read through it and look for errors. (Incorrect. Peer review is a great way to have someone else look over your work for errors.)
- Making an appointment with someone at the writing center. (Incorrect. People at the writing center can help at any stage of the writing process and can help you find errors in your work.)
- Meeting with your instructor during office hours. (Incorrect. Instructors want you to succeed and hold office hours so they have time available to help you -- don’t miss an opportunity for extra help to polish your essay!)
- Reading through the draft by yourself once more (Correct. You’ve already gone through the essay multiple times and know it too well. Asking for help will allow another set of eyes to go over your work.)
A: Reading through the draft by yourself once more

Q: Which of the following is NOT a question that you would ask when considering a writing project through the lens of backward design?
- What do my readers know about my topic? (Incorrect. Understanding what the readers know already about the topic will help you to understand what they need to know and is part of the backward design process.)
- What should my readers know at the end? (Incorrect. You must understand what the readers need to know in order to be able to ensure your project or paper teaches that information.)
- How can I portray the information needed to learn the desired outcomes? (Incorrect. Once you understand what the reader needs to know, you can adjust what information needs to be taught and how to best portray that information to get to the end goals.)
- How many people will be involved in this process? (Correct. While knowing how many people may be impacted can be helpful, it is not necessary for backward design.)
A: How many people will be involved in this process?

Q: When designing a lesson plan on quadratic equations, what question might a teacher ask in the backward design process?
- Do my students know how to do basic multiplication yet? (Incorrect. Understanding their knowledge will help, but it is not a main component of the backward design process.)
- What do I find most engaging about quadratic equations, and what do I most want to teach about them? (Incorrect. Asking what you want to teach is part of the normal process, not backward design.)
- Will my students understand what the assignments will be in this lesson? (Incorrect. It is important to ensure your students will understand what you’re asking, but it is not backward thinking.)
- What objective do I want my students to master at the end of this lesson? (Correct. With the backward design, you must ask what the students will learn/where they will end up.)
A: What objective do I want my students to master at the end of this lesson?

Q: What is the basic principle of the backward design process?
- Start by figuring out how you want to end your lesson, essay, or project, and work backwards from there. (Incorrect. You should know how you want to start and complete your work, but backward design does not include this process.)
- Understand who your audience is and let them help you design the flow of your work. (Incorrect. Understanding who your audience is is important, but they should not help design your work.)
- Adjust the information you want to portray based on how you think the audience may react. (Incorrect. Your audience’s reactions should not impact what information you give and is not part of backward design.)
- Establish what you want people to know by the end of the lesson and then figure out how to get there. (Correct. Backward design asks what you want the audience to know at the end and works toward that goal.)
A: Establish what you want people to know by the end of the lesson and then figure out how to get there.

Q: Is it important to consider your audience when writing?
- Yes, but only when you have to read the text aloud. Having the wrong text for the wrong audience can be embarrassing. (Incorrect. Although etymologically an "audience" would need to <em>hear</em> your text ('audience' comes from the Latin <em>audire</em>, to hear), the word has come to me readers as well.)
- No, because you can't know who will read anything you write. (Incorrect. It's true that we can't know everything about the journey of some text (such as social media posts), but we can know something about the audience (including the fact that it's a very wide audience, if that's the case).)
- No, because writing is always an inward-looking, reflective process. (Incorrect. For most writing, it's important to think about who will be reading it.)
- Yes, because it will help you know which kinds of arguments are going to be most persuasive. (Correct. If you don't know who's reading your work, it's hard to how how best to reach them with your writing.)
A: Yes, because it will help you know which kinds of arguments are going to be most persuasive.

Q: When considering your audience, all of the following are important factors to consider EXCEPT:
- How much experience do your readers have with the topic? (Incorrect. Remember, we're looking for the factor that is NOT important to consider.)
- What kinds of attitude can you expect your readers to have toward the topic? (Incorrect. Remember, we're looking for the factor that is NOT important to consider.)
- Why are they reading this and what do they want to learn? (Incorrect. Remember, we're looking for the factor that is NOT important to consider.)
- Are you qualified to write on this topic? (Correct. This is an important consideration, but not as much a consideration of audience.)
A: Are you qualified to write on this topic?

Q: When you're writing a paper for class, which audience should you most likely be writing for?
- Your professor, which is why you should use the "you" form and be respectful in your writing. (Incorrect. It is very rare to write in the "you" form academically.)
- The person grading your paper, so make sure to acknowledge that they know more about the topic than you. (Incorrect. In any academic writing, we're working with the assumption that we have something to teach the reader.)
- The top experts in the field, so be sure to get right to the complex details. (Incorrect. Unless the assignment says otherwise, you should always assume that your reader needs some context and background in your subject.)
- A constructed or imaginary audience understood as typical, interested, educated readers. (Correct. Although you're handing the paper in to your instructor, they're reading on behalf of a constructed academic audience.)
A: A constructed or imaginary audience understood as typical, interested, educated readers.

Q: Which of the following is an example of the pathos appeal?
- A Nike commercial that features Lebron James playing basketball. (Incorrect. Lebron James is a famous basketball player. Him endorsing Nike speaks to credibility, or ethos, not pathos.)
- A Planned Parenthood commercial that shows statistics every 3 seconds. (Incorrect. A commercial that uses mostly statistics or logic throughout is appealing to logos, not pathos.)
- A Gatorade commercial using Michael Jordan as their spokesperson. (Incorrect. Michael Jordan is a professional athlete that knows what his body needs. Using him as a spokesperson is an ethos appeal, not pathos.)
- The ASPCA commercials with injured, cold, and neglected animals. (Correct. Many commercials use pathos, but these very familiar commercials show injured, freezing, starving animals while a sad song is played in the background, thus evoking emotion.)
A: The ASPCA commercials with injured, cold, and neglected animals.

Q: Ethos is best exemplified in which of the following sentences?
- I’m often overwhelmed by the amount of homework Mrs. Johnson gives every day. (Incorrect. Being overwhelmed by homework does not offer any credibility, and is not an example of ethos.)
- I really want to be a cop when I grow up because my all time favorite TV show is Brooklyn 99. (Incorrect. Wants and desires don’t link to credibility. A TV show also does not make someone an expert.)
- As someone with strict parents, I have figured out how to sneak out after they’re in bed. (Incorrect. Figuring out how to sneak out after bed may give credibility, depending on the argument. However, without context, this statement does not use ethos.)
- As a nutritionist, I am well versed in which foods are beneficial in aiding digestion. (Correct. Since the writer is talking about something they have studied and are versed in, adding the fact that they are a nutritionist gives credibility to their argument.)
A: As a nutritionist, I am well versed in which foods are beneficial in aiding digestion.

Q: What is the main focus of the logos appeal?
- Using emotional connection to connect with the audience. (Incorrect. Using emotions is an example of pathos, not logos.)
- Using either your or another person’s credentials to strengthen your argument. (Incorrect. Focusing on credentials or credibility is ethos, not logos.)
- Using a combination of logic and credentials to support your stance. (Incorrect. While logic is logos, focusing on credentials is ethos.)
- Using logic, evidence, facts, and statistics to prove a point. (Correct. Logos is grounded in facts, data, and logical reasoning.)
A: Using logic, evidence, facts, and statistics to prove a point.

Q: What is the best way that the following sentence could be modified to portray a sense of authority?

If you’re like me, you may think that lowering the drinking age could be a good thing because you can serve in the military at the age of 18.
- If someone can serve in the military at 18, then drinking age should be lowered to 18, right? (Incorrect. Asking “right?” at the end implies second-person and gives your audience time to stray from your line of reasoning.)
- The drinking age should be lowered to 18 because a person can serve in the military, shouldn’t it? (Incorrect. This sentence starts out authoritative, then the tag at the end brings doubt and gives the reader a chance to disagree.)
- In my opinion, if you can serve in the military at 18, then the drinking age should be lowered to 18 as well. (Incorrect. This does have a bit of authority in the end, but using phrases like “In my opinion” tells the reader that it’s just your thoughts. It leads them to wonder, “Why should I trust this person,” instead of giving you authority.)
- If a person can serve in the military at 18, then the drinking age should be lowered to 18 as well. (Correct. This is a declarative, 3rd person statement that states what should happen with no questions or uncertainty.)
A: If a person can serve in the military at 18, then the drinking age should be lowered to 18 as well.

Q: Why might a writer want to use third-person point of view when writing an essay, rather than using the second-person “you” form?
- Using third person terms allows the writer to create a story with a main character and makes the writing come to life. (Incorrect. Good writing does tell a story, but this isn't really an argument for using third person in academic writing.)
- Using "you" can be repetitive and can bore the reader. You can use various names and words to replace "you" and make the writing interesting. (Incorrect. This can definitely be true, but the focus should not be on making things interesting, but rather using the right point of view.)
- Using second person implies that you are friends with the reader. And you shouldn’t be friends with your professor. (Incorrect. This may be true, but 2nd person does not imply a relationship with the reader; it is just less formal than 3rd person.)
- The third-person point of view suggests a voice of objectivity and authority, while using “you” could imply that you know what the reader thinks. (Correct. Using the term “you” implies that you know what the reader thinks and they agree with you. It can also inhibit your voice of authority.)
A: The third-person point of view suggests a voice of objectivity and authority, while using “you” could imply that you know what the reader thinks.

Q: Which of the following would allow a student to have a voice of authority in their academic writing?
- Write every paper with clear arguments, attacking any opposition so there is no doubt left. (Incorrect. Clear arguments are necessary, but attacking opposing points may help more than hurt. The sentence structure and word choice will go much further to show authority than attacking opposing views.)
- Include as much research as possible so that all points are well supported with outside studies. (Incorrect. Research can definitely help add authority, but too much research will leave the writer without a voice at all.)
- Add as much length to the essay as possible so that there is no chance of under-arguing the facts. (Incorrect. Adding length just to add length will not help with authority. Papers should be written to answer the prompt and follow the guidelines. Many times, adding length will cause a writer to lose authority by talking in circles.)
- Change any phrases that have uncertainty or doubt (such as "I think" or "in my opinion") to clear, declarative statements. (Correct. Using phrases like “I think” or “I believe” lead the reader to think that the writer is not sure or certain. Taking these phrases out will help with a voice of authority.)
A: Change any phrases that have uncertainty or doubt (such as "I think" or "in my opinion") to clear, declarative statements.

Q: Your friend is working on a research paper for a required research writing class. They say to you: "I'm planning to write my term paper about soybeans. I'm starting my first draft now. What do you think?" How could you answer?
- "Make sure to do original research. You'll have to grow soybeans yourself." (Incorrect. Term papers usually synthesize existing research, rather than doing original research.)
- "Make sure you have a big enough sample size." (Incorrect. Sample size is important for a research project, but your friend's main problem lies elsewhere.)
- "That doesn't sound qualitative enough." (Incorrect. Whether the research is qualitative or quantitative isn't really the issue here.)
- "That scope sounds a bit broad. You should probably narrow it down..." (Correct. Before launching into a draft, it's important to get the scope of your paper locked in: not too broad (like "soybeans"), but not so narrow that you can't find any sources.)
A: "That scope sounds a bit broad. You should probably narrow it down..."

Q: Approaching your class research paper as “remixing” means that you:
- Do original research to answer your research questions (Incorrect. Original research is often too time consuming and requires too many resources to be feasible for a class project.)
- Create an annotated bibliography of sources related to your topic. (Incorrect. An annotated bibliography might be a good starting point, but ultimately you want to put your sources into conversation with one another to answer your research questions.)
- Read and summarize a book about your topic. (Incorrect. One source will not give you a nuanced understanding of current research on your topic.)
- Synthesize existing research about your topic to answer your questions. (Correct. Although using existing research might sound like it's unoriginal, this kind of remixing and synthesizing is the best way to tackle an original research topic with the appropriate scope for a term paper.)
A: Synthesize existing research about your topic to answer your questions.

Q: Armaan just read a magazine article about myocardial side effects of Covid-19 vaccines in adolescent youth. He decides he wants to make this topic the focus of his Biology term paper, which is due in three weeks. To begin this research project he should:
- Write a thesis statement arguing that the Covid-19 vaccines are dangerous. (Incorrect. Armaan should not make a judgement about his topic from one source alone. Doing so will limit his research opportunities and likely produce a poor paper.)
- Survey students in his classes to find out how many have been vaccinated against Covid-19 and if they had heart palpitations afterward. (Incorrect. A comprehensive, useful survey would take time to develop and implement that Armaan doesn’t have. Besides, it won’t give him experts’ opinions on the topic.)
- Write a summary of the information in his textbook about myocarditis and the risks it poses. (Incorrect. Armaan’s textbook might be a good source to consult, but ultimately he needs to review many sources on the topic to create a nuanced argument about current research.)
- Read a variety of scholarly sources about myocarditis, its prevalence in Covid patients, and its relationship to the Covid vaccine (Correct. Reading different sources related to his topic will prepare Armaan to put these sources into conversation with one another in his own paper.)
A: Read a variety of scholarly sources about myocarditis, its prevalence in Covid patients, and its relationship to the Covid vaccine

Q: Preliminary research can best be defined as:
- Spending several hours reading and taking notes from a book about your topic (Incorrect. Exhaustively reviewing one source won’t give you a broad sense of topic, what has been written about it, and any gaps in the current research.)
- Surveying fellow students to find out what they know about your topic (Incorrect. Finding out what your peers know about your topic is unlikely to give you a sense of what is known about it in scholarly circles, and what there is left to discover.)
- Meeting with your professor during office hours to get their advice on how to develop a research question (Incorrect. Your professor may or may not have a strong enough knowledge of your topic to give you useful suggestions for investigating it.)
- Reading a variety of sources about your topic with an open-ended, inquiring mind (Correct. Preliminary research is about finding out what there is to find out about your topic.)
A: Reading a variety of sources about your topic with an open-ended, inquiring mind

Q: Pete just read a scholarly article about voter suppression in Georgia during the 2020 US election, and he decides voter suppression is a great topic for his upcoming Political Science paper. Which of the following is the best way he could do preliminary research to help him develop a focused research question?
- Ask his parents if they have ever been turned away at the voting booth. (Incorrect. Pete’s parents’ experiences are unlikely to give him all the background information he needs to develop a research question about his topic.)
- See if there is any information about voter suppression on his class website. (Incorrect. Even if there is information about Pete’s topic on his class website, one source is unlikely to give him all the background information he needs to develop a research question about it.)
- Observe the upcoming city council election to determine if any votes are being suppressed. (Incorrect. Original research is over-kill at this point, and may not be necessary for this paper anyway. Pete needs to see what has been written about his topic, and if there are any gaps in the research left to be filled.)
- Review the Reference page of the article he just read, and then find and review some of these sources. (Correct. Following the trail of a knowledgeable source’s research is a great way to find out what’s been written about a topic, and what is left to discover.)
A: Review the Reference page of the article he just read, and then find and review some of these sources.

Q: The following types of sources can be used in Preliminary research:
- Scholarly articles only (Incorrect. Reviewing scholarly articles only might not give you the best sense of the conversation around your topic and the stakeholders associated with it.)
- Only notes from class and pages from your textbook (Incorrect. Only reviewing information provided as part of your class might not give you the best sense of the conversation around your topic and stakeholders associated with it.)
- Original experimental results related to your topic (Incorrect. You want to find out what others have written and discussed about your topic.)
- Credible websites, Wikipedia articles, and general interest articles, along with scholarly articles (Correct. Credible popular sources can help you develop necessary background knowledge of your topic in order to do more targeted research later on. The trick is to avoid uncredible and biased sources, like many videos and posts on social media.)
A: Credible websites, Wikipedia articles, and general interest articles, along with scholarly articles

Q: Poonam is writing a research paper for her US Government class about the 2016 US presidential election. Which of the following is the best research question she could use to develop her argument?
- How do Canadians vote? (Incorrect. This question isn’t relevant to Poonam’s assignment.)
- Who won the U.S. presidential election in 2016? (Incorrect. This question is easily answerable with a quick internet search. It does not invite a nuanced argument.)
- Why, how and where did voters vote in surprising ways during the 2016 presidential election resulting in the unprecedented election of Donald Trump? (Incorrect. This question is too complex and lacks clarity.)
- How did voters’ fears about the economy influence the outcome of the 2016 election? (Correct. This question is interesting, relevant to the assignment, nuanced, and clearly stated.)
A: How did voters’ fears about the economy influence the outcome of the 2016 election?

Q: Drew has to write a term paper about Artificial Intelligence. His professor tells him his research question (“What is Artificial Intelligence?”) is too broad. How should Drew narrow his question?
- Ask his professor to provide a narrower question. (Incorrect. Drew’s professor is not the author of this paper: Drew is. It is Drew’s responsibility to come up with his own research question.)
- Try to add words to the question to make it longer. For example: What is current digital Artificial Intelligence? (Incorrect. Just adding words won’t make the question more specific. It may just make it more confusing.)
- Check out a book on Artificial Intelligence. Read it from beginning to end and look for a question within the book. (Incorrect. Exhaustively reviewing one source will not give Drew a strong background in the topic, and the academic conversation that surrounds it. Drew needs to know what the conversation is in order to contribute to it in his own paper.)
- Do some preliminary research. Read different sources on the topic, list subtopics, and come up with a manageable question. (Correct. Drew can build his background knowledge of the topic by exploring different sources. By listing subtopics, he can lay the groundwork for a more focused question.)
A: Do some preliminary research. Read different sources on the topic, list subtopics, and come up with a manageable question.

Q: An effective research question...
- can be answered with a clear yes or no. (Incorrect. If it can be answered yes or no, there's not really any reason for research.)
- covers a broad topic so the writer will have a lot to discuss in their paper. (Incorrect. If the question is too broad, it won't help focus the writer's research.)
- uses complex wording and sentence structure to get in as many layers of meaning as possible. (Incorrect. The research question should be stated clearly.)
- is arguable, answerable, and clearly stated. (Correct.)
A: is arguable, answerable, and clearly stated.