AWA AWA Rhetorical Strategies and Persuasion 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the primary purpose of using analogies in an AWA essay?
- To fill space when you run out of direct evidence
- To make an abstract or complex idea more concrete and accessible (Correct answer)
- To prove a point through statistical comparison
- To show the grader you have a broad vocabulary
Correct answer: To make an abstract or complex idea more concrete and accessible
Analogies map familiar concepts onto unfamiliar ones, helping readers grasp and accept complex arguments.
Question 2: What does 'hedging language' accomplish in academic and AWA writing?
- It signals absolute certainty about every claim
- It acknowledges the limits of a claim, making it more defensible and precise (Correct answer)
- It replaces evidence with qualified opinions
- It lowers the essay's score by appearing indecisive
Correct answer: It acknowledges the limits of a claim, making it more defensible and precise
Words like 'often,' 'in many cases,' and 'tends to' narrow the scope of a claim so it is harder to refute.
Question 3: Which rhetorical strategy involves using specific examples to support a general claim?
- Deductive reasoning
- Inductive reasoning (Correct answer)
- Circular reasoning
- Ad hominem
Correct answer: Inductive reasoning
Inductive reasoning moves from specific observations or examples to a broader generalization, a common and effective AWA strategy.
Question 4: In an AWA essay, what is the function of a 'concession'?
- To surrender your main argument to the opposing side
- To acknowledge a valid point from the opposing view before reinforcing your own position (Correct answer)
- To introduce a new topic unrelated to the thesis
- To restate your thesis at the start of every paragraph
Correct answer: To acknowledge a valid point from the opposing view before reinforcing your own position
A concession shows fairness and intellectual honesty by granting merit to a counterpoint before explaining why your overall argument still holds.
Question 5: What distinguishes a persuasive argument from mere assertion in an AWA essay?
- Assertion is always longer than a well-reasoned argument
- A persuasive argument provides reasons and evidence; an assertion states a claim without support (Correct answer)
- Persuasion relies entirely on emotional language while assertion uses facts
- Assertion is acceptable in the Issue Task but not the Argument Task
Correct answer: A persuasive argument provides reasons and evidence; an assertion states a claim without support
Bare assertions declare a position without justification; persuasion requires reasons, evidence, and logical connections to the claim.
Question 6: Which sentence structure is most effective for emphasizing a key point in an AWA essay?
- An extremely long compound-complex sentence loaded with dependent clauses
- A short, declarative sentence placed after a series of longer, supporting sentences (Correct answer)
- A passive-voice sentence that buries the subject
- Beginning the sentence with an unnecessary expletive construction like 'There is'
Correct answer: A short, declarative sentence placed after a series of longer, supporting sentences
A short, direct sentence stands out amid longer ones and signals to the reader that this point is central to the argument.
AWA AWA Rhetorical Strategies and Persuasion 2
What is the primary purpose of using analogies in an AWA essay?