NBT Academic Literacy 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In an academic text, a 'thesis statement' most commonly refers to:
- A summary of background information
- The central argument or claim the author intends to prove (Correct answer)
- A list of sources the author consulted
- A restatement of the question being addressed
Correct answer: The central argument or claim the author intends to prove
A thesis statement presents the central argument or claim that the entire paper or essay will develop and support.
Question 2: Which of the following best describes a 'counterargument' in academic writing?
- A supporting point that reinforces the main claim
- An opposing view that challenges the author's position (Correct answer)
- A statistical data set used to prove a point
- A definition that clarifies a key term
Correct answer: An opposing view that challenges the author's position
A counterargument presents an opposing perspective that the author then typically addresses or refutes to strengthen their own position.
Question 3: When an author uses the phrase 'in contrast to previous studies,' this signals:
- Agreement with earlier research findings
- A comparison that highlights a difference from prior work (Correct answer)
- A summary of all existing literature
- A criticism of the methodology used
Correct answer: A comparison that highlights a difference from prior work
'In contrast to' is a discourse marker that signals the author is about to highlight a difference or disagreement with what came before.
Question 4: An academic text states: 'The correlation between sleep deprivation and reduced cognitive performance is well-documented.' What does 'well-documented' imply?
- The relationship is still under investigation
- Multiple credible studies support this relationship (Correct answer)
- The author personally tested this claim
- The relationship is controversial among experts
Correct answer: Multiple credible studies support this relationship
'Well-documented' implies substantial evidence from credible sources supports the stated relationship.
Question 5: Which reading strategy is most useful when you need to locate a specific fact in a long article?
- Close reading every paragraph carefully
- Scanning for keywords related to the fact (Correct answer)
- Summarizing the entire article first
- Re-reading the introduction three times
Correct answer: Scanning for keywords related to the fact
Scanning involves moving your eyes quickly over the text to locate specific keywords or information without reading every word.
Question 6: The word 'paradigm' in the sentence 'This discovery shifted the entire scientific paradigm' most nearly means:
- Funding structure
- Accepted framework or model (Correct answer)
- Research team
- Publication schedule
Correct answer: Accepted framework or model
A paradigm is an accepted framework, model, or set of assumptions within a discipline that guides research and interpretation.
Question 7: In academic writing, a 'literature review' serves primarily to:
- Present the author's original data and findings
- Summarize and evaluate existing research on a topic (Correct answer)
- List all books published in a given year
- Provide a personal reflection on the subject
Correct answer: Summarize and evaluate existing research on a topic
A literature review surveys, synthesizes, and evaluates existing scholarship on a topic to establish context for new research.
NBT Academic Literacy 2
In an academic text, a 'thesis statement' most commonly refers to: