Developing the Topic Quick Check
English Writing Explanatory Text
Lesson 5: Developing the Topic
Quick Check
Q1 An author is writing an explanatory text and wants to include relevant and sufficient facts to develop the topic. Select the two questions that would best help the author decide which facts to include. (1 point)
A. Is the fact something that would surprise people?
B. Will the fact support my thesis statement?
C. Will the fact help the reader understand the topic?
D. Will the fact likely entertain the reader?
E. Is the fact from a fairly recent source?
Q2 Use the thesis statement to answer the question.
Despite many urban legends and anecdotes, there is little scientific evidence that a full moon can influence behavior.
Which sentence would be best for a writer to include in order to develop the topic with well-chosen, relevant, and sufficient facts? (1 point)
A. Data collected by a local police station failed to show an increase in crime during full moons.
B. A survey conducted with nurses showed emergency rooms can be very busy during full moons. C. Most people are familiar with stories about werewolves appearing when the moon is full.
D. People can look up into the clear night sky and see a beautiful glowing sphere when the moon is full.
Q3 How should writers take into account their audience when developing a topic? (1 point)
A. They should assume that the writer has no knowledge of the topic they are discussing.
B. They should consider the likely age of the audience and their knowledge of the topic.
C. They should not be concerned about the audience because anyone could read the text.
D. They should avoid giving information that the audience is likely to be unfamiliar with.
Q4 Select the correct answer from the list.
Properly crediting sources is necessary to avoid _ .
Q5 (1 point) When writers use the Modern Language Association (MLA) style, where do they create citations?
Select the two correct answers. (1 point)
A. in apostrophes in the header
B. in quotations in the footer
C. in the Acknowledgements section
D. in parentheses in the text
E. on a Works Cited page
Q1: B. Will the fact support my thesis statement?
C. Will the fact help the reader understand the topic?
Q2: A. Data collected by a local police station failed to show an increase in crime during full moons.
Q3: B. They should consider the likely age of the audience and their knowledge of the topic.
Q4: Plagiarism
Q5: D. in parentheses in the text
E. on a Works Cited page
A1:
B. Will the fact support my thesis statement?
C. Will the fact help the reader understand the topic?
A2:
A. Data collected by a local police station failed to show an increase in crime during full moons.
A3:
B. They should consider the likely age of the audience and their knowledge of the topic.
A4:
Plagiarism
A5:
D. in parentheses in the text
E. on a Works Cited page
Q1: The two questions that would best help the author decide which facts to include are:
B. Will the fact support my thesis statement?
C. Will the fact help the reader understand the topic?
To develop a topic with relevant and sufficient facts, the author needs to ensure that the facts align with the main argument (thesis statement) and contribute to the reader's understanding of the topic.
Q2: The sentence that would be best for a writer to include in order to develop the topic with well-chosen, relevant, and sufficient facts is:
A. Data collected by a local police station failed to show an increase in crime during full moons.
This sentence provides factual information that supports the thesis statement by presenting evidence that contradicts the belief that a full moon influences behavior.
Q3: Writers should take into account their audience by considering the likely age of the audience and their knowledge of the topic.
B. They should consider the likely age of the audience and their knowledge of the topic.
Understanding the audience's background and familiarity with the topic helps the writer tailor their content and language to effectively communicate with the readers.
Q4: Properly crediting sources is necessary to avoid plagiarism.
When authors do not give credit to the sources they use, they run the risk of plagiarism, which is the act of using someone else's work or ideas without authorization or acknowledgment.
Q5: When writers use the Modern Language Association (MLA) style, they create citations in two places:
D. in parentheses in the text
E. on a Works Cited page
In MLA style, authors include in-text citations within parentheses to indicate the source of information they used within the text, and they also compile a Works Cited page at the end of their document to provide a detailed list of all the sources they referenced.