UNIVERSITY EXAMINATIONS: 2018/2019
EXAMINATION FOR THE DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN
APPLIED COMPUTING
BAC2207 PROFESSIONAL WRITING
FULLTIME/PART TIME
ORDINARY EXAMINATIONS
DATE: APRIL, 2019 TIME: 2 HOURS
INSTRUCTIONS: Answer Question One & ANY OTHER TWO questions.
QUESTION ONE [30 MARKS]
a) Arrange the following information correctly using the APA style of documentation (6Marks)
i) An article written by Charles Otieno. It appeared in the Sunday Nation. The month of May 23
rd . The title of the article is Enforce Smoking Ban. It is on page 12. The year it appeared in the
newspaper is 2006.
ii) A book edited by Jane Kiiru, Wayne Musungu and John Wafula. The book is entitled Worders
of God and it was published by Mwalimu publishers in Nairobi in the year 2005.
b) Replace the following clunky words with more precise words. (6 Marks)
i. Remainder
ii. Facilitate
iii. Implement
c) From the following select the correct sentence. (6 Marks)
i. a) Fewer ladies are in this class than men.
b) Less ladies are in this class than men.
ii. a) To whom did you betray my secret?
b) To who did you betray my secret?
ii. a) It’s my head on the line.
b) Its my head on the line.
c) Highlight the difference between the following: (6 Marks)
i. Strata v. stratum
ii. Averse v. adverse
iii. Historic v. historical
d) Cite any FOUR reasons why a writer should provide a reference whenever he/she paraphrases
or quotes another source (4 Marks)
QUESTION TWO [20 MARKS]
a) Describe the following terms as they apply to referencing: (3 Marks)
i) Citing
ii) Bibliography
iii) Reference
b) Describe any FIVE common errors of word usage and give examples. (5 Marks)
c) Your proposal describes your proposed plan of work. Describe any FOUR aspects to be
addressed in this document (8 Marks)
d) Outline and FOUR issues that should be brought out in the methodology section a scientific
article (4 Marks)
QUESTION THREE [20 MARKS]
a) Rewrite the following sentences to be correct (4 Marks)
i) He owed over Kes.100,000 to the doctor.
ii) The hero begins to behave strangely and in odd ways following his tryst with the witch
he meets secretly at midnight.
iii) The dessert was comprised of cream and chocolate.
iv) Many of the clinic patients die from complications of diabetes
b) Identify a set of guidelines for someone wishing to write a news article: (6 Marks)
c) Describe how visual aids assist in professional writing and list FOUR types of visual aids
(6 Marks)
d) Outline FOUR things that should be avoided in the discussion section of a scientific article.
(4 Marks)
QUESTION FOUR [20 MARKS]
a) Write short notes on the following: (6 Marks)
i. Abstract
ii. Introduction
iii. Literature Review
b) Rewrite the following sentences using transitions: (4 Marks)
The law does not stop teenagers from drinking therefore it is ineffective.
Many organizations use English for example the UN the EU and NATO.
c) Briefly explain five principles of good writing. (10 Marks)
QUESTION FIVE [20 MARKS]
a) Discuss the four stages involved in writing an academic piece of work. (16Marks)
b) Highlight any four fallacies in academic writing (4Marks)
