Final Exam Content Information

Although the final exam may include any concept we covered this quarter, I intend to focus on the following: 

I. Sentence-level issues:

A. Commas

• Separating items in a series

• With coordinating conjunctions to form compound sentences

• After introductory elements

• With non-restrictive (non-essential) elements

• Comma splices

• Fused sentences (run-ons)

B. Fragments
C. Apostrophes
D. Punctuation with quotation marks
E. Manuscript format
F. Title format
G. Dashes vs. hyphens
H. Subjects, verbs, and modifiers
I. Active/Passive voice
J. Metaphor and imagery
K. Usage: its/it's, every day/everyday, affect/effect
L. Subject-verb agreement
M. Vague pronoun reference
N. Pronoun-antecedent agreement

     

II. Paragraph and essay-level issues

A. Specific and concrete language

• Avoiding generalizations and clichés

B. Paragraph focus

• Topic sentences
• Supporting examples and development
• Sensory details, analogies, facts, statistics, testimony, metaphors

C. Essay focus and argument

• Thesis/claim
• Evidence/support
• Counterarguments
• Types of appeals: logical, ethical, emotional

D. Research, documentation, and integrating source material