THEA THEA Essay Writing Strategies 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the primary purpose of a thesis statement in a THEA essay?
- To provide background information on the topic
- To state the main argument or position the essay will support (Correct answer)
- To summarize the opposing viewpoint
- To list all the evidence used in the essay
Correct answer: To state the main argument or position the essay will support
A thesis statement clearly expresses the writer's main argument that the rest of the essay will develop and support.
Question 2: Which of the following is the best location for the thesis statement in a standard essay?
- The first sentence of the essay
- The last sentence of the introduction paragraph (Correct answer)
- The first sentence of the second body paragraph
- The conclusion paragraph
Correct answer: The last sentence of the introduction paragraph
Convention places the thesis at the end of the introduction so readers know the essay's argument before encountering the evidence.
Question 3: What is the purpose of a topic sentence in a body paragraph?
- To summarize the entire essay
- To introduce the main idea of that specific paragraph (Correct answer)
- To provide a concluding thought for the essay
- To cite sources used in the paragraph
Correct answer: To introduce the main idea of that specific paragraph
A topic sentence states the main point of a body paragraph and connects it to the overall thesis.
Question 4: In the THEA Writing essay, scorers primarily evaluate which of the following?
- Handwriting quality and neatness
- Effective development of a central idea with supporting details (Correct answer)
- The number of paragraphs written
- Use of advanced vocabulary only
Correct answer: Effective development of a central idea with supporting details
THEA essay scorers focus on how well the writer develops and supports a central idea with relevant details and examples.
Question 5: Which organizational strategy presents arguments from least important to most important?
- Chronological order
- Spatial order
- Order of importance (climactic order) (Correct answer)
- Compare and contrast
Correct answer: Order of importance (climactic order)
Climactic order saves the strongest argument for last, leaving the reader with the most persuasive point fresh in mind.
Question 6: What should the conclusion paragraph of a THEA essay do?
- Introduce new evidence not discussed in the body
- Restate the thesis in new words and summarize key points (Correct answer)
- Ask the reader a series of questions
- Copy the introduction paragraph word for word
Correct answer: Restate the thesis in new words and summarize key points
An effective conclusion restates the thesis using different wording and briefly summarizes the main supporting points.
THEA THEA Essay Writing Strategies 1
What is the primary purpose of a thesis statement in a THEA essay?