BA Critical Thinking and Academic Writing 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is a 'counterargument' and why is it important in academic writing?
- An opposing view that the writer acknowledges and refutes to strengthen the argument (Correct answer)
- A second thesis that replaces the first
- A list of sources that disagree with the topic
- The final section of a conclusion
Correct answer: An opposing view that the writer acknowledges and refutes to strengthen the argument
Addressing counterarguments shows intellectual honesty and strengthens an essay by demonstrating the writer has considered and can refute opposing views.
Question 2: Which of the following best defines 'plagiarism' in a US academic context?
- Presenting someone else's words or ideas as your own without attribution (Correct answer)
- Quoting a source with a proper citation
- Paraphrasing a source and crediting the author
- Using your own previously submitted work in a new class
Correct answer: Presenting someone else's words or ideas as your own without attribution
Plagiarism is the use of another's intellectual property—words, ideas, or data—without proper attribution, and is a serious academic integrity violation.
Question 3: What is the 'rhetorical triangle' in composition theory?
- The relationship among ethos (credibility), pathos (emotion), and logos (logic) (Correct answer)
- A geometric model for paragraph structure
- A three-part outline system for essays
- The APA format for citing three authors
Correct answer: The relationship among ethos (credibility), pathos (emotion), and logos (logic)
Aristotle's rhetorical triangle describes the three persuasive appeals—ethos, pathos, and logos—that writers use to communicate effectively with an audience.
Question 4: What distinguishes a 'peer-reviewed' source from a general internet source?
- It has been evaluated by experts in the field before publication (Correct answer)
- It was written by a student
- It is freely available online
- It has been cited more than 100 times
Correct answer: It has been evaluated by experts in the field before publication
Peer-reviewed (refereed) sources have undergone expert evaluation by scholars in the relevant field, ensuring academic rigor and credibility.
Question 5: In the writing process, what does 'revision' specifically involve?
- Rethinking and restructuring ideas, arguments, and organization at a higher level (Correct answer)
- Correcting only spelling and grammar errors
- Adding more quotations from sources
- Formatting the paper to meet length requirements
Correct answer: Rethinking and restructuring ideas, arguments, and organization at a higher level
Revision is a higher-order process focused on improving the substance, logic, structure, and clarity of an essay, distinct from surface-level proofreading.
Question 6: What is an 'annotated bibliography'?
- A list of sources each followed by a brief summary and evaluation (Correct answer)
- A bibliography with sources listed in order of importance
- A list of sources with only author and date
- A bibliography that includes only primary sources
Correct answer: A list of sources each followed by a brief summary and evaluation
An annotated bibliography provides a citation for each source followed by a short annotation that summarizes the source and evaluates its relevance and credibility.
BA Critical Thinking and Academic Writing 2
What is a 'counterargument' and why is it important in academic writing?