How to write a great essay

• A. To make the topic broad enough to cover many ideas at once
• B. To focus on a specific, manageable point that can be explored in depth ✓
• C. To avoid doing any research at all
• D. To make sure your essay is as long as possible

Why: A narrow topic allows you to explore ideas in depth within the word limit, rather than offering shallow coverage of too much material.

• A. The effects of social media on teenage sleep patterns
• B. How the 2008 financial crisis affected small businesses in Ohio
• C. Climate change ✓
• D. The role of nurses in reducing hospital infections

Why: Climate change is very broad and could fill entire books. The other options already include a specific focus, such as a group, timeframe, or location.

• A. Is this topic interesting to everyone?
• B. What specific aspect, group, time period, or location can I focus on? ✓
• C. How many words can I fit into this topic?
• D. Has anyone ever written about this before?

Why: Asking about specific aspects, groups, time periods, or locations helps you move from a general subject to a focused research question.

• A. It guarantees your essay will receive a top grade
• B. It lets you compare options and choose the one with the best balance of interest, scope, and available evidence ✓
• C. It removes the need for an outline
• D. It ensures you never have to revise your thesis

Why: Brainstorming gives you several candidates to compare, so you can select a topic that is interesting to you, appropriately scoped, and supported by sources.

• A. You can find very little or no reliable information about it ✓
• B. You can explore it thoroughly within the word count
• C. It has a clear focus and a clear argument
• D. You can state it in a single sentence

Why: If you cannot find enough credible sources, the topic is likely too narrow to support a full essay. A good topic has enough material to explore without being overwhelming.

• A. To summarize the entire essay in a single sentence
• B. To state the main argument or claim the essay will support ✓
• C. To introduce the author's personal background
• D. To list every source the writer consulted

Why: A thesis statement presents the central argument or claim that the rest of the essay develops and supports with evidence.

• A. Social media is something many people use today.
• B. Social media platforms harm teenagers' mental health by increasing comparison and reducing sleep. ✓
• C. There are many opinions about social media.
• D. In this essay I will talk about social media.

Why: A strong thesis is specific, arguable, and previews the reasons supporting it. Option B makes a clear claim with two identifiable supporting points.

• A. So that readers will always agree with the writer
• B. So that it can be supported or challenged with evidence and reasoning ✓
• C. So that it can be written in the first person
• D. So that it is longer than a factual sentence

Why: An arguable thesis takes a position that reasonable people could dispute, which gives the essay something to prove through evidence.

• A. At the very end of the conclusion only
• B. In the title of the essay
• C. Usually at the end of the introduction paragraph ✓
• D. In the middle of the second body paragraph

Why: The thesis is conventionally placed at the end of the introduction so readers know the main argument before the body paragraphs develop it.

• A. Public libraries should receive more funding because they serve low-income communities.
• B. Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius at sea level. ✓
• C. Schools should replace homework with project-based learning to improve engagement.
• D. Renewable energy is the best path forward for cities.

Why: A statement of established fact cannot be argued or defended, so it cannot serve as a thesis. The other options each take a debatable position.

• A. Start writing the introduction immediately
• B. Clarify your research question or thesis focus ✓
• C. Copy quotes from the first article you find
• D. Choose the longest sources available

Why: A clear research question or working thesis guides which sources you look for and helps you judge what evidence is relevant, making the rest of your research more efficient.

• A. It has a colorful design and many images
• B. It was published recently on a popular social media account
• C. It is written by an identifiable expert and published by a reputable outlet ✓
• D. It agrees with your personal opinion

Why: Credible sources come from identifiable authors with relevant expertise and are published through reliable channels such as peer-reviewed journals, academic presses, or respected institutions.

• A. To avoid having to read the sources again
• B. To record information along with its source so you can cite it accurately later ✓
• C. To replace the need for an outline
• D. To count how many pages you have read

Why: Recording each piece of information with its source details prevents accidental plagiarism and makes it easy to provide accurate citations and page numbers when writing.

• A. A personal feeling about the topic
• B. An anonymous comment on a forum
• C. A statistic from a reliable study with a clear method ✓
• D. A rumor heard from a friend

Why: Evidence drawn from reliable, methodologically sound research, such as studies with clear data and methods, is verifiable and persuasive, unlike personal feelings, anonymous claims, or rumors.

• A. Ignore it so your argument stays consistent
• B. Discard your research and start over with a new topic
• C. Acknowledge it and address it, refining your thesis if needed ✓
• D. Remove the source from your bibliography without mentioning it

Why: Engaging with contradictory evidence strengthens your essay by showing critical thinking and balance. You may need to refine your thesis to account for it, which often produces a more nuanced and defensible argument.

• A. To summarize the conclusion of the essay
• B. To state the central claim the essay will defend ✓
• C. To list every source used in the research
• D. To introduce the author's personal background

Why: A thesis statement presents the central claim or position that the rest of the essay supports with evidence and reasoning.

• A. At the very end of the conclusion only
• B. In the middle of the body paragraphs
• C. In the introduction, usually at the end of the first paragraph ✓
• D. In the title of the essay

Why: The thesis is usually placed at the close of the introduction so readers immediately know the essay's direction and main argument.

• A. Place all evidence in one long paragraph
• B. Organize each paragraph around a single main point that supports the thesis ✓
• C. Alternate randomly between different arguments
• D. Begin each paragraph with a new quotation

Why: Each body paragraph should focus on one main point supporting the thesis, making the argument easy to follow and logically developed.

• A. A topic sentence, supporting evidence, and analysis explaining how the evidence supports the claim ✓
• B. Only quotations from other sources
• C. A list of unrelated facts
• D. A personal story with no connection to the thesis

Why: A strong paragraph pairs a clear topic sentence with evidence and analysis, showing the reader how the evidence connects to the argument.

• A. To introduce brand new evidence that was not discussed earlier
• B. To restate the thesis in new words and synthesize the main points ✓
• C. To apologize for the weaknesses of the argument
• D. To copy the introduction word for word

Why: The conclusion reinforces the thesis by restating it in fresh language and tying together the essay's key points without introducing new material.

• A. To summarize every point the essay will make in full detail
• B. To engage the reader and present the topic and thesis statement ✓
• C. To provide a list of sources used in the essay
• D. To restate the conclusion before the body paragraphs begin

Why: A strong introduction hooks the reader's interest, introduces the topic, and states the thesis that guides the rest of the essay. It does not need to summarize every point or present sources.

• A. 'This essay will discuss the topic of recycling.'
• B. 'Every year, Americans throw away enough aluminum cans to build a new airplane.' ✓
• C. 'There are many different opinions about recycling.'
• D. 'In conclusion, recycling is important.'

Why: A hook grabs attention with a surprising fact, vivid image, or intriguing statement. The second option does this, while the others are vague, flat, or misplaced.

• A. At the very beginning, before any context
• B. In the middle of the second body paragraph
• C. Near the end of the introduction, after the background information ✓
• D. In the final sentence of the conclusion only

Why: The thesis typically comes at the end of the introduction, after the hook and background context, so the reader understands the topic before encountering the central claim.

• A. Providing context about the topic
• B. Using a clear and focused thesis
• C. Beginning with a generic phrase like 'Since the beginning of time...' ✓
• D. Previewing the main arguments of the essay

Why: Generic openers like 'Since the beginning of time' or 'Webster's dictionary defines...' are overused and fail to engage the reader. Context, a clear thesis, and previews of arguments are all strengths.

• A. To make the essay longer and meet word count requirements
• B. To give the reader the context needed to understand the thesis ✓
• C. To replace the need for evidence in the body paragraphs
• D. To introduce new arguments not covered later

Why: Background information orients the reader, explaining the relevant context so the thesis makes sense. It should be concise and should not replace evidence or introduce unrelated new arguments.

• A. To introduce the topic and state the thesis
• B. To develop and support one main idea that connects to the thesis ✓
• C. To summarize the entire essay's conclusions
• D. To list every source used in the research

Why: Each body paragraph should develop one main idea and provide evidence or reasoning that supports the thesis statement. Introductions and conclusions serve different purposes.

• A. A topic sentence that states the paragraph's main point ✓
• B. A direct quotation from a source
• C. A concluding sentence that wraps up the essay
• D. A question addressed to the reader

Why: A topic sentence at the beginning of a body paragraph tells the reader what the paragraph will discuss and how it relates to the thesis, guiding the rest of the paragraph.

• A. Your personal opinion about the topic
• B. Facts, examples, quotations, or data that support your claim ✓
• C. The title and author information of your essay
• D. A summary of the introduction

Why: Evidence includes facts, statistics, examples, quotations, or studies that back up the claim made in the topic sentence, making the argument convincing.

• A. It makes the paragraph longer to meet word count requirements
• B. It explains how the evidence supports your point and connects it to your thesis ✓
• C. It repeats the evidence so the reader remembers it
• D. It introduces a completely new topic

Why: Analysis shows the reader why the evidence matters and how it proves your claim. Simply presenting evidence without explaining its significance leaves the argument incomplete.

• A. Including a clear topic sentence
• B. Connecting each paragraph back to the thesis
• C. Covering more than one main idea in a single paragraph ✓
• D. Using transitions between paragraphs

Why: Each body paragraph should focus on one main idea. Mixing several ideas in one paragraph makes the writing confusing and weakens the argument's clarity.

• A. To correct spelling and punctuation errors
• B. To improve the overall ideas, structure, and argument ✓
• C. To shorten the essay to a required word count
• D. To format the essay for submission

Why: Revising focuses on big-picture elements such as the thesis, organization, evidence, and clarity of argument. Correcting spelling and punctuation is part of editing, which comes later.

• A. Fixing a misspelled word
• B. Adding a comma after an introductory phrase
• C. Checking whether each body paragraph supports the thesis ✓
• D. Changing a font size to 12 point

Why: Checking whether each paragraph supports the thesis is a structural, content-level concern. The other options are surface-level editing or formatting tasks.

• A. To rewrite the essay in a different voice
• B. To add new supporting evidence
• C. To carefully check for final errors in grammar, spelling, and typos ✓
• D. To reorganize the paragraphs

Why: Proofreading is the final step, where you look for small mechanical errors like typos, spelling, and grammar mistakes before submitting.

• A. Ideas are lost if they are not written down immediately
• B. It allows you to return with fresh eyes and notice problems you missed ✓
• C. Essays automatically improve over time
• D. Teachers require a waiting period before accepting revisions

Why: Taking a break creates distance from your writing, making it easier to spot unclear sentences, weak arguments, and gaps in logic that felt fine while you were writing.

• A. Adding as many long words as possible
• B. Reading the essay aloud to catch awkward phrasing and wordiness ✓
• C. Removing all transitions to make the writing shorter
• D. Using the same sentence structure throughout for consistency

Why: Reading aloud helps you hear awkward phrasing, repetition, and wordiness that are easy to overlook when reading silently. Varied sentence structure and clear transitions also improve polish.