Essay Structure and Organization Flashcards

The PEEL paragraph structure stands for Point, Evidence, Explanation, and:

Answer: Link

PEEL stands for Point, Evidence, Explanation, and Link — the Link reconnects the paragraph to the thesis.

In an AP Lang argument essay, evidence functions best when it is:

Answer: Specific and directly followed by the student's analytical commentary

Evidence is most effective when it is precise and immediately accompanied by the writer's explanation of how it supports the claim.

Which of the following best describes the purpose of a transitional sentence at the end of a body paragraph?

Answer: Connect the paragraph's claim back to the thesis or forward to the next paragraph's claim

Closing transitions create logical flow by showing how one paragraph's claim relates to the thesis or to the next argument.

A student writes a thesis that says 'Frederick Douglass uses many rhetorical devices.' Why is this thesis inadequate for the AP Lang exam?

Answer: It makes no specific, arguable claim about how or why those devices serve a purpose

Merely noting the presence of rhetorical devices is not a defensible argument; a strong thesis must claim what effect those devices achieve and why.

When the AP Lang rubric says evidence must be 'relevant,' it means the evidence must:

Answer: Directly support the specific claim made in the topic sentence

Relevant evidence is evidence that logically connects to and supports the specific paragraph claim, not just the general topic.

Which structural choice would most improve an essay where every body paragraph begins with a direct quote?

Answer: Adding topic sentences before each quote to establish the paragraph's claim first

Opening with a quote buries the paragraph's claim; topic sentences should establish the analytical claim before evidence is introduced.