AASA Writing 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A student is writing an opinion essay about school uniforms. Which source would be MOST appropriate to cite?
- A classmate's personal opinion shared at lunch
- A study published by a university examining uniform policies in schools (Correct answer)
- A social media post from an anonymous account
- A TV commercial for a clothing company
Correct answer: A study published by a university examining uniform policies in schools
Published academic studies are credible, peer-reviewed sources that provide reliable evidence to support claims in an opinion essay.
Question 2: Which sentence contains a comma splice error?
- Maria studied hard, and she passed the test.
- The rain started, we ran inside. (Correct answer)
- Although it was raining, we stayed outside.
- We stayed inside because it was raining.
Correct answer: The rain started, we ran inside.
A comma splice joins two independent clauses with only a comma; 'The rain started, we ran inside' needs a conjunction or semicolon to be correct.
Question 3: What does it mean to 'elaborate' on a point in writing?
- To restate the same idea using the exact same words
- To provide additional details, examples, or explanation to develop the idea further (Correct answer)
- To move on to the next paragraph quickly
- To summarize all previous points in one sentence
Correct answer: To provide additional details, examples, or explanation to develop the idea further
Elaborating means expanding on an idea by adding supporting details, examples, or explanations that give the reader a deeper understanding.
Question 4: Which organizational structure BEST suits an essay comparing two books?
- Chronological order
- Problem and solution
- Compare and contrast (Correct answer)
- Cause and effect
Correct answer: Compare and contrast
A compare and contrast structure is specifically designed to examine similarities and differences between two subjects, making it ideal for comparing two books.
Question 5: A student writes: 'In my opinion, I think that students should have longer recess because it is good.' What is the WEAKEST part of this claim?
- It uses the first person
- It focuses on recess
- It lacks specific reasoning or evidence to support the claim (Correct answer)
- It is too short
Correct answer: It lacks specific reasoning or evidence to support the claim
Saying recess 'is good' is vague and provides no concrete reason or evidence, which makes the argument weak and unpersuasive.
Question 6: Which revision BEST corrects the run-on sentence: 'I love science class it is my favorite subject I always learn new things'?
- I love science class, it is my favorite subject, I always learn new things.
- I love science class. It is my favorite subject because I always learn new things. (Correct answer)
- I love science class and it is my favorite subject and I always learn new things.
- Science class I love it, my favorite subject, always learning.
Correct answer: I love science class. It is my favorite subject because I always learn new things.
Splitting the run-on into two sentences and using 'because' to connect the reason creates clear, grammatically correct sentences.
Question 7: In the writing process, what should a student do FIRST before drafting an essay?
- Proofread for spelling and grammar errors
- Add transitions between paragraphs
- Plan and organize ideas through prewriting strategies like outlining or brainstorming (Correct answer)
- Write the conclusion paragraph
Correct answer: Plan and organize ideas through prewriting strategies like outlining or brainstorming
Prewriting (brainstorming, outlining, organizing ideas) comes before drafting and helps writers structure their thoughts for a more coherent essay.
AASA Writing 2
A student is writing an opinion essay about school uniforms.
Which source would be MOST appropriate to cite?