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English 101/102 Final Exam Study Guide

The exam will cover all chapters from the course pack except Article 10: Presentations.

The exam will include 30 multiple choice questions (no writing section).

Here are some key concepts from the course pack to focus your review.

Working with Sources (Week 11 Slides, Coursepack Article 9):

Full citations and in-text citations:

● Full citation:
○ Hussein, A. & Alharbi, B. (2017). A study of the effects of students’
sleep habits. Journal of Teaching and Learning 2(12), 20-27.

● In-text citation:
○ One study found that students perform, on average, 7% better on tests
following at least 8 hours of sleep (Hussein & Alharbi, 2008, p. 23).

● Remember that the author’s last name comes first in a citation.

→ Be able to identify an in-text citation and a full citation (coursepack pgs. 71-72).

Signal phrases and transition words:

● Signal phrases: used to introduce an author’s idea

○ Example: According to Price (2018)…

● Transition words: used to connect ideas together

○ Examples: in addition, furthermore…

→ Be able to identify signal phrases and transition words in context (coursepack pgs. 72-
73).

Quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing:

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● Quotation: word/phrase/sentence taken word-for-word from a source and placed

in quotation marks
○ used when you would like to use the author’s original wording
○ used to provide evidence in an essay

Example direct quotation from a source with a signal phrase and an in-text
citation: As Rokach (2005) notes, the homeless “often have no one to care for
them and no one knows them intimately” (p. 477).

● Paraphrase: rephrases one sentence(s) from the source in your own words
○ used when you need to provide a supporting idea but the original writer’s
exact words are not important

Example paraphrase of the quotation above with an in-text citation: Many

homeless experience isolation in part due to suffering from abuse or neglect
during their childhood (Rokach, 2005).

● Summary: restates a writer’s ideas in shortened form

○ used when you need to give an overview of a source to orient your reader

Example summary with an in-text citation: Those who are homeless who lack
familial bonds and social support (Rokach, 2005).

→ Know the purposes of quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing (coursepack pgs. 78-
79).

Strong paraphrases/summaries:

Remember that strong summaries/paraphrases:

- capture the author’s main ideas
- rephrase the passage in your own word choice and sentence structure

Original Source: “Education combats easy overgeneralizations…” (Allport,

1949, p. 422).
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Weak Paraphrase: Learning fights against stereotypes… (Allport, 1949, p.

422). (the sentence structure is too similar to the original source’s sentence
structure)

Strong Paraphrase: Allport (1949) explains that the more we learn, the harder
we will find it to make unfair assumptions… (p. 422).

→ Be able to identify strong paraphrases and summaries (coursepack pgs. 77-79).

Grammar (Week 9 Slides, Coursepack Article 7):

Common grammar errors:

○ Sentence fragment:
■ Make sure each sentence 1) contains both a subject and a verb and
2) expresses a complete thought.

Incorrect: Sally sells seashells at the seashore. Although she has

not sold many shells.

Correct: Sally sells seashells at the seashore, although she has not
sold many shells.

○ Misplaced and dangling modifiers:

■ Place modifiers (phrases that add detail) near the words they
describe, and make sure the modified words appear in the
sentence.

Incorrect: Working through the night, the report was finished in

time for class.

Correct: Working through the night, the teacher finished the

report in time for class.

○ Faulty parallelism:
■ Use similar grammatical structures to express a series of related
ideas in a sentence.
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Incorrect: Elmo’s favorite hobbies are to dance, songs, and

riding his tricycle.

Correct: Elmo’s favorite hobbies are dancing, singing, and riding

his tricycle.

○ Unclear pronoun reference:

■ Clarify which nouns your pronouns are referring to.

Incorrect: When Batman banged his arm into the glass door, he
broke it.

Correct: When Batman banged his arm into the glass door, he
broke the door.

○ Incorrect pronoun agreement:

■ Be sure that each pronoun agrees in number with the noun and
gender that it’s referring to.

Incorrect: When a koala is hungry, they eat eucalyptus leaves.

Correct: When a koala is hungry, it eats eucalyptus leaves.

○ Incorrect pronoun case:

■ Match the pronoun with the correct case (subject, object, or
possessive).

Incorrect: Bill Nye gave my friend and I some tips for success.

Correct: Bill Nye gave my friend and me some tips for success.

○ Common errors related to unnecessary commas and missing

commas:
■ Use commas to clarify ideas.
■ Take out unnecessary commas to make sentences easier to read.

Incorrect: When it comes to eating people differ in their tastes.

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Correct: When it comes to eating, people differ in their tastes.

○ Comma splice:
■ A comma splice occurs when you join two complete sentences
using a comma.
■ Replace the comma with a semicolon, split it into two sentences,
or add a coordinating conjunction (e.g., and, so, yet, but).

Incorrect: Mickey Mouse became the first animated character to

get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Mickey's 50th
anniversary was celebrated in 1978 with the addition of his very
own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Correct: Mickey Mouse became the first animated character to get

a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Mickey's 50th anniversary
was celebrated in 1978 with the addition of his very own star on
the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

○ Run-on sentence:
■ Run-on sentences occur when you join two complete sentences
together without using proper punctuation, such as a period or a
semicolon.
■ Fix run-on sentences by adding a period or a semicolon.

Incorrect: Phoebe played a song on her guitar the audience

clapped.

Correct: Phoebe played a song on her guitar, and the audience

clapped.

○ Common apostrophe errors:

■ Apostrophes show contractions (can’t) and possessives (Noura’s)
but not plurals (two cats).

Incorrect: Whether their real fights or blown out of proportion,

theres nothing we love more than a good celebrity feud.

Correct: Whether they’re (they are) real fights or blown out of

proportion, there’s (there is) nothing we love more than a good
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celebrity feud.

→ Be able to identify the error in a sentence (coursepack pgs. 59-64).

Elements of an Essay (Week 9 Slides, Coursepack Article 6):

Elements of an essay:

○ Introduction
■ Hook: gets the reader’s attention and focuses them on the topic of
the paper
● Usually the first sentence of the introduction
● Can be in question form
■ Thesis Statement: states the paper’s main idea
● Usually the last sentence of the introduction
● Should be in statement form (not question form)

○ Body paragraphs
■ A topic sentence at the beginning of each paragraph
● Should be in statement form (not question form)
■ Supporting details in each paragraph

○ Conclusion
■ Summary of main points
■ Takeaway for the reader

→ Know what each element of an essay usually includes and what its purpose is
(coursepack pgs. 50-52).

Elements of a body paragraph:

- Main idea: the part of a topic sentence that states the main idea of the body
paragraph

Example of a main idea: Banning social media just isn’t realistic.

- Evidence: the parts of a paragraph that support the main idea (e.g., examples,
data)
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Example of evidence: According to a 2017 study by CareerBuilder with more

than 2,300 hiring managers, more than half won’t interview someone they can’t
find online.

- Analysis: the parts of a paragraph that explain the evidence

Example of analysis: By teaching kids to use social media in a healthy way,

parents can help them take charge of their online reputation and follow positive
role models who can push them toward their goals.

- Transition: the part of a paragraph that helps you move fluidly from the last
paragraph or sentence (e.g., not only, but also; in addition; by contrast)

Example of a transition: Not only can students use social media to fuel their
success, but they will be increasingly expected to do so.

Example paragraph with the elements highlighted:

[Main idea] Banning social media just isn’t realistic. [Transition] Not only can
students use social media to fuel their success, but they will be increasingly
expected to do so. [Evidence] According to a 2017 study by CareerBuilder with
more than 2,300 hiring managers, more than half won’t interview someone they
can’t find online. [Analysis] By teaching kids to use social media in a healthy
way, parents can help them take charge of their online reputation and follow
positive role models who can push them toward their goals.

→ Know the elements of a body paragraph (coursepack pgs. 52-54).

→ Be able to identify the elements of a body paragraph in a sample passage.

Thesis Statements for Op-Ed Essays (Week 12 Slides, Coursepack Article 8)

Op-ed thesis statements:

Op-ed thesis statements include:

- an acknowledgement of the opposing perspective
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- a statement of the author’s position

Example op-ed thesis statement:

- “While cancel culture aims to hold people accountable for their words and
actions, cancel culture does more harm than good because it does not align with
restorative justice practices that offer a chance for redemption.”

→ Be able to identify the elements of an op-ed thesis statements.

Elements of a strong thesis statement:

- Remember that strong thesis statements are specific.

Example op-ed thesis statements:

- “While cancel culture aims to hold people accountable for their words and actions,
cancel culture does more harm than good because it does not align with restorative
justice practices that offer a chance for redemption.” ✅ (specific)

- “There are many harms of cancel culture.” X (too general)

- “Cancel culture is beneficial for society.” X (too general)

- “This paper will discuss the advantages of cancel culture.” X (too general)

→ Be able to identify strong thesis statements (coursepack pgs. 54-57).

Rhetorical Modes (Weeks 6-7 Slides, Coursepack Article 5):

Rhetorical modes:

- Narration: any account of any event or series of events

- Example of narration: “During the coronavirus lockdown in the summer

of 2020, I quickly got bored with Netflix shows and decided to try
watercolor painting.”
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- Process analysis: usually arranges a series of events in order and relates them to
one another (e.g., an instruction manual)

- Example of directional process analysis: step-by-step directions for

making instant coffee

- Example of informational process analysis: a textbook explaining how

the human heart functions

- Definition: allows you to communicate precisely what you want to say

- Example of definition: “Inertia is a property of matter.”

- Division/classification: separating a class of things or ideas into categories

following a clear principle or basis, grouping individual objects or ideas into
already established categories

- Example of classification: dividing and classifying TV shows into news,

sitcoms, and reality TV shows

- Comparison/contrast: the ways that two or more people, places, or things are
alike or how they differ

- Example of comparison/contrast: comparing/contrasting Riyadh and

Dammam

- Cause/effect: asking “why” and “what if”

- Example of cause/effect: the effects that the Covid vaccine has had on
social behavior patterns among Saudis

→ Know the definition of each mode (coursepack pages 31-35).

→ Be able to identify each mode in context.

Ethos, Pathos, Logos (Week 5 Slides, Coursepack Article 4):

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Ethos, pathos, and logos:

- Ethos: the appeal to the authority and credibility of the speaker or writer

- Example of ethos: “As a tenured professor of climate science with years

of research experience, I can tell you that the effects of climate change…”

- Pathos: appeal to the emotions, including word choices that signal emotions

- Example of pathos: “Every day, the rainforests shrink and innocent

animals are killed. We must do something about this calamitous trend
before the planet we call our home is damaged beyond repair.”

- Logos: appeal to logic; any time you build a case by presenting logical reasons
(causal explanations, facts, statistics, etc.), you are using logos

- Example of logos: “Sales of computer chips have increased by 300% in

the last five years.”

→ Know the definition of each appeal (coursepack pages 27-30).

→ Be able to identify each appeal in a short passage.

Literacy Narrative (Weeks 2-3 Slides, Coursepack Article 3):

Elements of a narrative arc:

- Exposition: introduction, background, and setting

- Example of exposition: “In a small town in Tennessee, there lived a

young Afghan girl named Leila. She had recently moved to the United
States with her family, leaving behind her homeland, where she had
spoken Dari and Pashto. Leila was excited about her new life but faced a
daunting challenge: learning to read and write in English.”

- Rising action: details that lead up to the conflict

- Example of rising action: “As Leila attended her American high school,
she realized that English was the key to unlocking her dreams.
Determined to fit in and succeed academically, Leila began attending
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ESL (English as a Second Language) classes after her regular school

hours. She spent countless hours studying, practicing, and seeking help
from teachers and peers.”

- Conflict: main external event or internal conflict or challenge/struggle

- Example of conflict: “Leila experienced self-doubt and the fear of not

being able to communicate effectively. She often felt isolated when she
couldn’t express herself or understand her classmates. This struggle was
compounded by the challenge of adapting to a new culture and
educational system.”

- Falling action: details that lead up to the resolution

- Example of falling action: “Leila’s determination paid off. With the

support of her ESL teacher, Ms. Gold, and her newfound friends who
patiently helped her practice, Leila’s English skills began to improve.”

- Resolution: insight and lesson learned from the experience

- Example of resolution: “Leila realized that learning English was not just
about assimilating into a new culture but also about sharing her unique
experiences and perspectives with others. She continued to improve her
English skills and became a bridge between her Afghan heritage and her
American identity. In the end, Leila’s literacy journey wasn’t just about
learning a new language; it was about finding her voice and the courage
to tell her story.”

→ Be able to identify the elements of a narrative arc (coursepack page 19).

How to Read Like a Writer (Week 2 Slides, Coursepack Article 2):

Reading like a writer:

- “When you Read Like a Writer (RLW), you work to identify some of the
choices the author made so that you can better understand how to make smart
choices in your own writing. The idea is to carefully examine the things you
read, looking at the authors’ techniques in order to decide if you might want to
use similar techniques in your own writing.” - Mike Bunn
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→ Know what it means to read like a writer (coursepack pages 12-16).

Writing Process (Week 1 Slides, Coursepack Article 1):

Writing process:

- The writing process is not always linear.

- We sometimes repeat steps or do the steps in a different order.

- The process is different for each person.

Revising versus editing:

- Revising: making bigger changes to your writing: adding sections, moving

sections

- Editing: making smaller changes, including grammar

→ Know the difference between revising and editing (coursepack pgs. 7-10).

Audience, Purpose, Genre (Week 1 Slides, Coursepack Article 1):

Audience, purpose, and genre:

- Purpose: the goal of your writing, what you are trying to accomplish with a
piece of writing (e.g., to inform, to persuade, etc.)

- Audience: to whom you are writing (e.g., researchers, professors, the public)

- Genre: the type of writing (e.g., a Tweet, a research paper) and the features of
the writing (including the structure/organization, language and vocabulary, and
format, such as diagrams, graphs, and illustrations)

→ Be able to identify the primary purpose, primary audience, and genre of a text
(coursepack pages 3-7).