The Evil Essay Trivia Quiz

Answer: Brainstorm ideas

Brainstorming is an activity in which you simply list every idea that pops in your head related to a specific topic. Brainstorming allows you to dredge up facts stored in your memory, personal opinions, anecdotes, unanswered questions, and much more. Once you have brainstormed for a short period of time, you can look over your list. Before you know it--voila--you will find that certain trends emerge from your thought process, and you actually know where to begin now!

Answer: Develop a clear thesis statement

Literacy Education Online defines a thesis statement as "a sentence that explicitly identifies the purpose of the paper or previews its main ideas." When your readers begin to read your essay, they should know early on what they will be reading about.

Examples of thesis statements:

"'Pride and Prejudice' is a novel that explores women's limited options in Regency England."

"Abraham Lincoln was arguably the greatest president in American history."

(Remember: your thesis statement doesn't have to be a fact!)

Answer: All of these

Your introduction is crucial in gaining the reader's attention. A good idea is to pose a thought-provoking question (ex: "Should mothers leave the workforce?"). Once you draw the reader in, you must impart the main idea of the essay, along with any relevant background information. (Kathleen T. McWhorter, 2007)

Answer: General

In order to back up your thesis, you want to use correct evidence that is directly related to the topic and is well-documented! What you don't want are a lot of generalities. The more specific your information, the more vivid your topic will be for the reader.

For example, instead of saying "In the 1990s, many supermodels were household names," you could try, "In the 1990s, supermodels, like Cindy Crawford and Naomi Campbell, were household names".

Answer: A return to your thesis

Your conclusion should bring your essay to a natural end, while reiterating your thesis/main points.

Answer: Rough draft

A rough draft is like a dress rehearsal for the real essay. You have planned, organized, and written your unique and insightful ideas onto paper. Now, you must review, revise, and re-write.

Answer: Transition words

Transition words help you move from one idea to the next. That way, your writing does not appear choppy and disconnected. Popular transition words include: additionally, consequently, moreover, nevertheless, and furthermore.

Answer: Both of these

If you write about a subject that is too broad, you will find that no essay could possibly cover the entire topic. Example: "Becoming a Doctor." Since there are many different types of doctors and requirements expected of each, a better topic would be the more specific "Becoming a Pediatrician."

On the flip side, a topic can sometimes be too narrow--so narrow that there is very little to say about it. To illustrate, instead of writing about the first trick your dog learned, you could write an essay on common tricks that most dogs learn first.

Answer: Proofreading

Proofreading is the process in which you look for errors of the mechanical or grammatical type. Did you accidentally spell 'Britney Spears' as 'Brittany Spears'? Oops! Or, did you end a question with a period? Proofreading is not the most stimulating aspect of writing a paper, but it is crucial for a polished look to your essay on "The Exploits of Britney Spears".

Answer: True

Once you have written, revised, and proofread your essay, you should develop an eye-catching title. Writing the title last allows you to think of a title that encompasses the essay in its entirety. Try using a creative, unique, and/or specific title. A play on words is fun, too!

Happy writing!

P.S. Please don't actually entitle a paper "Gosh, I Love My Kitty Cat". You'll get me in trouble.