Nonfiction Writing Quiz

Example Questions From the Test

• 1A writer finds a useful paragraph in a history book and wants to include its information. Which method avoids plagiarism?
  • Restate the information genuinely in the writer’s own wording and structure, while citing the source.
  • Copy the paragraph exactly and list the book only in a general reading list.
  • Change several nouns and verbs while keeping the original sentence structure, with no citation.
  • Use the paragraph without citation because historical information belongs to everyone.
• 2A personal essay begins, “Since the beginning of time, people have faced difficult decisions.” What revision would most improve its focus?
  • Open with the particular decision, moment, or image that drives the essay.
  • Add more broad statements about the history of decision-making.
  • Replace “difficult” with a more sophisticated adjective.
  • Insert a dictionary definition of the word “decision.”
• 3A draft accuses a local organization of misconduct based on one interview. What is the strongest next step before publication?
  • Publish promptly so the allegation reaches readers before anyone else reports it.
  • Remove the source’s name but leave every allegation unchanged.
  • Add vivid descriptive language to make the source’s account more persuasive.
  • Seek corroborating evidence and give the organization a fair opportunity to respond.