Writing Skills Flashcards
7 cards from real PCAT practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Writing Skills flashcards as text
Which sentence correctly uses a semicolon?
Answer: She studied pharmacokinetics; she passed the exam easily.
A semicolon correctly joins two independent clauses without a coordinating conjunction.
What is the term for an argument that attacks the person making an argument rather than the argument itself?
Answer: Ad hominem fallacy
An ad hominem fallacy deflects from a logical argument by attacking the character or motives of the person instead.
Which revision improves the vague pronoun reference: 'The doctor told the patient that he needed surgery.'?
Answer: The doctor told the patient, 'You need surgery.'
Using a direct quote eliminates pronoun ambiguity by clarifying who needs surgery.
Which type of evidence is generally considered most credible in a health sciences essay?
Answer: Data from peer-reviewed, randomized controlled trials
Peer-reviewed randomized controlled trials represent the gold standard of evidence in health sciences.
What is the effect of varying sentence length in an essay?
Answer: It creates rhythm, emphasis, and improves readability
Alternating between short and long sentences creates rhythmic variety and helps emphasize key points.
Which sentence correctly punctuates a nonrestrictive (nonessential) clause?
Answer: Metformin, which is the first-line treatment for type 2 diabetes, is generally well-tolerated.
Nonrestrictive clauses add extra information and must be set off with commas, as shown in option B.
In the PCAT writing section, which element most directly demonstrates critical thinking?
Answer: Analyzing assumptions, evaluating evidence, and drawing reasoned conclusions
Critical thinking involves examining assumptions, weighing evidence, and arriving at well-reasoned conclusions rather than merely presenting facts.