Research
Name at least one context clue you can use to decide if a source best supports a topic sentence.
(What should match in the topic and the support statement?)
- Answers the question
- Who it's about (subject)
- Matches the tone (informative)
- *Gives an example from other questions*
The sentence that introduces the reader to what the paragraph is about and sets the tone.
*Double Jeopardy if answered in Jeopardy format.*
- Topic Sentence
- *What is a Topic Sentence? *
Name at least two reasons to remove a sentence from a piece of writing.
- Does not match the tone/style
- Contains redundant information
- Is not related to the topic
The difference of using your own words to give information and using the exact same words as a source separates these two things.
*Double Jeopardy if answered in Jeopardy format.*
- Paraphrase/Plagiarism
-*What are paraphrasing and plagiarism?*
Name at least two things that can show you a source is reliable and credible.
- An interview with specialists/professionals
- A web source with the ending ".edu" or ".org"
- A published journal, book, magazine, or article with an informative tone
Read the given passage below and answer the question.
Jessica wrote an essay arguing that physical education (PE) should be mandatory for all students. She supported her claim with, “PE is fun and keeps students moving.”
Which revision would strengthen Jessica’s argument with credible evidence?
- "PE is important because it helps students stay healthy, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)."
- "Everyone likes PE because it’s fun and helps students burn off energy."
- "Students should do PE because it’s good to move around."
- "PE is great because it gives students a break from academic subjects."
- "PE is important because it helps students stay healthy, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)."
Read the passage and answer the question.
Washing clothes is a difficult task. The skill has to be learned and mastered. It is a tedious and tiresome process, which often discourages a person from going through the exercise. In spite of the availability of modern detergent powders, it remains a difficult task. An expert knows which parts of the dress need special care and attention. The collars of shirts and the seat and pockets of pants are generally dirtier than the other parts. But to wash well, what you require most is patience and the knowledge of the texture and quality of the cloth you are washing so that you can differentiate between clothes which can be put in warm water and which must never be washed in hot water. Woolens, silken and cotton clothes need different types of washing and detergents. One must have proper knowledge of these before washing clothes.
What is the above passage about?
- Washing machines
- Washing clothes
- Washing dishes
- Difficult things in life
*Double Jeopardy if you include the full topic sentence in your answer.*
- Washing clothes
-*Washing clothes is a difficult task.*
Read the paragraph from a student's draft of a letter to the school principal. Select the two sentences that should be revised to better match the style of the letter.
"(1)I am writing to express concern over the recent decision to take recess out of the sixth grade schedule. (2) We do not have time to hand out with our friends during school, and that's not fair. (3)Our school recently added health classes and the lunchroom has added healthier foods. (4) The physical activity we receive during recess should also be important to our health. (5) Due to the reasons set forth, the inclusion of recess is quite necessary. (6) I ask you to reconsider and leave recess in the sixth grade schedule.
*Double Jeopardy if you include the reason/example of why they should be removed.*
- Sentences 2 and 5
-*Sentence 2 does not match the serious or professional tone of the essay. Sentence 5 is too formal to match a student writing to a principal.*
Read the paragraph from a source.
"While some actors enjoy working in front of a camera, there are some who prefer standing behind a microphone. They are voice actors, and their job includes everything from commercials to cartoons. Voice actors might seem to have it easy but their job is actually quite difficult. They have to work long hours in the studio, sometimes reading the same few lines over and over again. A lot of voice actors have studios in their homes so that they can practice or produce demo tapes. Demo tapes have examples of what they can do. They're used in place of auditions. Many famous actors do voice work. In fact, you can often hear the same voices in video games that are in the shows that inspired them."
A student wants to include information from the source in his report about voice actors but does not want to plagiarize the author's ideas. Read the paragraph from the student's report. Select two sentences in the paragraph that are plagiarized.
"(1) It's not easy becoming a voice actor. It takes a lot of work and training, just like a movie actor.(2) Voice actors work a long time in the studio, and they might ave to say the same lines again and again.(3) Just like regular actors, voice actors have to audition to get jobs.(4) Voice acting auditions are different though.(5) Voice actors with send demo tapes that have examples of what they can do.(6) There is a lot of competition in voice acting too.(7) Fortunately, there are many opportunities out there!
*Double Jeopardy if you paraphrase one of the plagiarized sentences.*
- Sentences 3 and 6
-*Paraphrasing either sentence 3 or 6*
The difference between these two things is that one shows that you can trust a resource while the other shows information is directly related to the topic sentence.
*Double Jeopardy if in Jeopardy format.*
- Reliable/Relevant
_*What are reliable and relevant?*
Research Report Plan
Topic: Energy Drinks
Audience: 6th Grade Students
Purpose: to inform
Question: Are Energy Drinks Harmful?
Of the following which 2 options are credible and relevant information?
-an article about the potential dangers of energy drinks
-a newspaper article about a local energy drink company
-an online blog post about different types of energy drink
-a social media video of an influencer sampling an energy drink
-an interview with a health professional about consuming energy drinks
-an article about the potential dangers of energy drinks
-an interview with a health professional about consuming energy drinks
Read the student's draft paragraph from an informational essay.
"____. Historians examine primary and secondary sources so they can understand the daily life of historical people. Archaeologists search to uncover artifacts from ancient civilizations. Scientists study the artifacts and historians' notes in order to develop their own theories about historical civilizations. Together, the work of archaeologists, historians, and scientists has taught us a great deal about the past."
Which sentence best introduces the topic with precise information?
- Learning about history can teach us about our past.
- There are many methods for people to learn about history.
- Archaeologists, historians, and scientists have difficult jobs.
- Many occupations work together to allow people to learn history.
- Many occupations work together to allow people to learn history.
A student is writing a report about Pluto. Read her draft.
"Many adults grew up learning that Pluto was the ninth planet from the sun. In 2006, though, astronomers announced that Pluto was no longer considered a planet. The scientists said that to be a planet, an object must meet three conditions. First, it has to be in orbit around the sun. Second, it must be big and heavy enough to have a round shape. Third, it has two be the biggest object in its own path around the sun. Pluto is round, and it travels around the sun. However, it is not always the largest object in its orbit."
Which sentence would make the best conclusion for the student's draft?
- Although Pluto is small, it has several moons.
- Because of this, scientists now call Pluto a "dwarf planet."
-Astronomers are now looking at objects far beyond Pluto.
- Therefore, Pluto's discovery in the 1930s is now considered insignificant.
- Because of this, scientists now call Pluto a "dwarf planet."
Select the sentence that correctly quotes the given sentence.
The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining. John F. Kennedy
- President Kennedy said, "The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining."
- President Kennedy said that the time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining.
- "President Kennedy said, The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining".
- President Kennedy said, The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining.
*Double Jeopardy question: Why is quoting not plagiarizing?*
- President Kennedy said, "The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shinning."
-*You are giving credit to the person who said/wrote the information you are using.*
Read the given passage below and answer the question.
Eli wrote a persuasive essay arguing that cities are the best places to live. He supported his claim by saying, “Cities have on average one shelter per city block, while suburbs and rural areas have far less.”
Which revision would provide clearer reasoning and relevant evidence to support Eli’s claim?
- "According to Habitat for Humanity, cities have greater support networks and offer more services than rural areas."
- "Cities are cleaner."
- "Cities are best because I live in one."
- "Cities are great because celebrities live there, too."
*Double Jeopardy question: Which of the following would be a reliable source this information could be found on?
- A website ending in ".org" or ".edu"
- A real-estate brochure
- A post on social media
- A friend convincing you to move closer to them
- "According to Habitat for Humanity, cities have greater support networks and offer more services than rural areas."
-*A website ending in ".org" or ".edu"
Students are trying to prove the claim that using praise and food for dog training is more effective than punishment. Which research question would help them prove the claim?
- Which type of treats do dogs prefer the most?
- How well do different dog breeds learn new tricks?
- What effect does positivity have on dogs' behavior?
- What does a dogs' body language tell us about their moods?
- What effect does positivity have on dogs' behavior?
A student is writing a paragraph about the luna moth. Read the draft.
"____. Its bright green color and four-and-a-half-inch wingspan give the luna moth a distinctive appearance. Even though the luna moth is easy to identify, it is rarely seen by people. This is because it is mostly active at night and has a short life span. After leaving its cocoon, the adult luna moth lives for only about a week. As an adult, it does not eat and has no mouthparts! The luna moth is native to the forests of eastern North America, and its main predator is the bat. For those who love nature, seeing a luna moth can be a special experience."
Write a sentence that introduces the topic of the paragraph to the reader.
-*A Topic sentence regarding luna moths and what we know about their lives.*
Example: While many people have not seen luna moths in person, we still know quite a lot about them.
Read the paragraphs from a student's draft essay.
"Jump-starting a school club or organization takes up a lot of effort and collaboration between students and adults. Both students and adults should participate in the planning phases to start the process. There are several procedures to follow, so it's important to work together. _______.
One of the first steps to starting a new club is determining what the purpose of the club will be. From there, a list of signatures is needed from the student body to show that there is sufficient interest. Once the signatures have been obtained, a presentation will need to made to the administration. If the presentation is approved, you are on to the next step!"
Which sentence provides the best transition between the first and second paragraphs?
- Therefore, getting people to join the club without the help of an adult is not possible.
- The students who plan to lead the club should plan to present ideas to school administrators.
- By working together, you will have a good chance of successfully completing the many steps in creating a new club.
- Once the steps are completed and everything has been approved, you have successfully created a new club for your school.
- By working together, you will have a good chance of successfully completing the many steps in creating a new club.
Pick the option that is the closest paraphrase of the sentence provided among the given options.
Roger Federer, born on August 8, 1981, is a Swiss professional tennis player who held the ATP No. 1 position for a record 237 consecutive weeks. Federer has won a record 16 Grand Slam singles titles. There have been few tennis players who have been as successful.
- Roger Federer was born on August 8, 1981. He is a Swiss professional tennis player. He has held the ATP No. 1 position for a record 237 consecutive weeks. Federer has won a record 16 Grand Slam singles titles. There have been many tennis players who have been as successful.
- Roger Federer, a Swiss professional tennis player born on August 18, 1981, has undoubtedly been one of the most successful tennis players. He has held the ATP No. 1 position for a record 237 consecutive weeks. In addition to this, he has also won a record number of 16 Grand Slam singles titles.
- Roger Federer was born on August 8, 1981. He is a Swiss professional tennis player. He has held the ATP No. 1 position. He has held that position for a record 237 consecutive weeks. He has won 16 Grand Slam singles titles. He has a record. He is one of the few tennis players who have also been successful.
- Roger Federer, born on August 8, 1981, is a Swiss professional tennis player who held the ATP No. 1 position for 237 consecutive weeks. That is a record indeed. Federer has won 16 Grand Slam singles titles. That's another record, indeed. There have been few tennis players who have been as successful as Roger, and he is one of them.
*Double Jeopardy if you underline the transitional phrase included in the correct answer.*
- Roger Federer, a Swiss professional tennis player born on August 18, 1981, has undoubtedly been one of the most successful tennis players. He has held the ATP No. 1 position for a record 237 consecutive weeks. *In addition* to this, he has also won a record number of 16 Grand Slam singles titles.
Which clue can indicate that an online source is not credible?
- The extension .edu, showing that it is a school website.
- Articles that include an interview with only one person.
- Questions answered by members who can join for free.
- The extension .org, showing that it is a nonprofit organization website.
- Questions answered by members who can join for free.
Students are writing an argumentative essay about stopping production of the penny. They found sources for their essay. Which sources would provide the most relevant information about the topic? Choose two answers.
- A book on the development of ancient money systems in Europe.
- A blog about the different types of coins found throughout the world.
- An opinion article in the local newspaper about throwing pennies into fountains.
- An article on the website for the U.S. Mint that describes the process of making money.
- A report in a newsmagazine about the effects of eliminating pennies in the United Kingdom.
- An article on the website for the U.S. Mint that describes the process of making money.
- A report in a news magazine about the effects of eliminating pennies in the United Kingdom.
(1.) Books were hard to get for the mountain men among the western settlers.(2.) Sometimes a mountain man would carry a single battered book with him for years.(3.) Some of the men had Bibles, and even more had Shakespeare’s plays.(4.) Shakespeare was a favorite with mountain men, even if they could not read.(5.) When they found someone who could read, he was often asked to read one of Shakespeare’s plays to a group over a campfire.(6.) There were mountain men who could not sign their own names, but could quote passages of Shakespeare by heart.Which of the following sentences does not directly support the main idea?
- Sentence #2
- Sentence #3
- Sentence #5
- Sentence #6
*Double Jeopardy if you include what the main idea is.*
- Sentence #6
-*Mountain Men hardly knew how to read because it was hard for them to get books.*
The article about healthy eating habits started with a clear, factual tone, presenting research about different types of foods. The conclusion, however, included the phrase, “You’ve got to give this stuff a try, or you’re totally missing out!”
Which phrase would maintain a consistent formal tone in the conclusion of the article?
- "You really need to check out these foods!"
- "It’s highly recommended that individuals incorporate these foods into their diet."
- "You’d be crazy not to try these."
- "These foods are awesome, and you should eat them every day."
- "It's highly recommended that individuals incorporate these foods into their diet."
Pick the option that is the closest paraphrase of the sentence provided among the given options.
People in Asia and Africa were busy gazing at the skies on Wednesday. They were looking at the partial solar eclipse. They were wearing dark glasses to protect their eyes from being damaged. The eclipse doesn't occur every day.
- On Wednesday, individuals in Asia and Africa dedicated their time to observing a partial solar eclipse by gazing at the sky. In order to protect their eyes from damage, they wore dark glasses while observing. As this eclipse is an infrequent occurrence, they didn't want to miss the opportunity to witness it.
- The solar eclipse doesn't occur every day. People in Asia and Africa were busy gazing at the skies on Wednesday. They were looking at the partial solar eclipse. They were wearing dark glasses to protect their eyes from being damaged.
- "People in Asia and Africa were busy gazing at the skies on Wednesday. They were looking at the partial solar eclipse. They were wearing dark glasses to protect their eyes from being damaged. "The eclipse doesn't occur every day."
- People in Asia and Africa were busy gazing at the skies on Wednesday. They were trying to look at the partial solar eclipse, which was indeed rare. Why were they wearing dark glasses? They were wearing dark glasses to protect their eyes from being damaged. What causes the damage? Seeing the sun directly has this effect. Does the eclipse occur every day? The eclipse doesn't occur every day.
- On Wednesday, individuals in Asia and Africa dedicated their time to observing a partial solar eclipse by gazing at the sky. In order to protect their eyes from damage, they wore dark glasses while observing. As this eclipse is an infrequent occurrence, they didn't want to miss the opportunity to witness it.
Read the given passage below and answer the question.
Ryan’s speech about the importance of recycling included the statement, “Recycling reduces waste, conserves natural resources, and helps protect the environment for future generations.
Which of the following would best support Ryan’s claim with credible evidence?
- "People should recycle because it’s good for the environment."
- "Recycling reduces waste and conserves natural resources, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)."
- "I believe recycling is great because it makes the world a better place."
- "Recycling is important because everyone does it."
- "Recycling reduces waste and conserves natural resources, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)."