Expository Writing Final Exam
The objective portion of the exam will count for 50% of your exam grade. You will take this
part of the exam during the last regular class period of the semester. There are
approximately 70 questions. Here’s an overview of what you’ll see on the objective exam:
1) Grammar
 You will need to identify sentences that contain fragments, run-ons, comma
mistakes, or agreement errors. Here’s a website with some helpful review quizzes
and answers.
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/
(go to Quizzes drop down menu, choose 170+ interactive quizzes and see exercises
68-77; 80-83; 85-86; 8-9.)
 Review the PowerPoint presentations in the grammar folder under handouts on
Sharepoint
2) Thesis statements
 You will be given a thesis statement and will have to decide if it is
too broad, too narrow, or appropriate for a 2-4 page paper.
3) Strategies used this semester and source attribution format
 The writing strategies we have covered this semester are description (dominant
impression, figurative language—metaphor, simile, hyperbole, personification, etc.),
research (summary, paraphrase, direct quotes—how to avoid plagiarism, source
reliability, parenthetical citations, works cited), persuasion (ethos, pathos, logos,
claim, counter argument), comparison/contrast (organizational patterns)
4) Stylistic elements/devices
 Diction, rhetorical questions, parallelism, fragments, figurative language, transitions
(some of the Powerpoint presentations on Sharepoint address style as well)
The essay will count for the other 50% of your exam grade. You will write the essay during
your scheduled exam period. You will be given the prompt and a planning sheet in advance
so that you can do some planning. You will not be able to bring in a completed draft of any
kind. The essay will feature comparison/contrast as a primary writing strategy but will
allow you to utilize multiple writing strategies to craft your message. Details to come.