AQL Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield AQL facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. Which of the following represents a linear equation? → y = 2x + 5
2. An inference in academic reading is best described as: → A conclusion drawn from evidence not explicitly stated
3. Simplify: (x³y²)(x²y⁴) → x⁵y⁶
4. In an APA in-text citation, what information is typically included? → Author's last name and year of publication
5. Which text structure presents events or steps in the order they occur? → Chronological order
6. What is the purpose of a 'hook' at the beginning of an academic essay? → To grab the reader's attention and encourage them to continue reading
7. A scatter plot with data points scattered randomly with no clear trend indicates: → No correlation between the two variables
8. If the probability of event A occurring is 0.3, what is the probability that event A does NOT occur? → 0.7
9. What is an 'abstract' in an academic journal article? → A brief summary of the article's purpose, methods, results, and conclusions
10. A bag contains 5 red marbles and 3 blue marbles. What is the probability of randomly selecting a blue marble? → 3/8
11. When analyzing an argument, 'validity' refers to: → Whether the conclusion logically follows from the premises
12. Which of the following is an example of a logical fallacy known as 'ad hominem'? → Attacking the person making the argument rather than the argument itself
13. In critical thinking, 'synthesis' involves: → Combining information from multiple sources to form a new, integrated understanding
14. Which of the following is an example of proper parallel structure in a sentence? → She enjoys reading, writing, and studying.
15. Which of the following is NOT related to dealing with extraneous variables in a quantitative research? → Bracketing
16. What is a 'DOI' and why is it important for academic sources? → A Digital Object Identifier that provides a permanent link to an article online
17. What is the purpose of a topic sentence in an academic paragraph? → To introduce the main point that the paragraph will develop
18. What is a 'thesis statement' in an academic essay? → The central claim or argument that the entire essay supports
19. Which of the following is the LEAST reliable source for an academic research paper? → An anonymous blog post with no cited sources
20. When a plot is sold for Rs. 18,700, the owner loses 15%. At what price must that plot be sold in order to gain 15%? → Rs. 25,300
21. Which of the following is not a leap year? → 700
22. Basic principles that are accepted as being true on the basis of logic or reason, without proof or verification is termed as: → Assumptions
23. When should you use a direct quotation rather than a paraphrase? → When the original wording is particularly powerful, precise, or distinctive
24. In a scatter plot, a positive correlation means that: → As one variable increases, the other variable also tends to increase
25. If a rectangle has a length of 9 cm and a width of 5 cm, what is the area? → 45 cm²
26. Which of the following is an example of an irrational number? → √2
27. Which of the following is true about negative exponents? → x⁻² = 1/x²
28. In academic reading, 'context clues' are used to: → Determine the meaning of unfamiliar words from surrounding text
29. Why is it important to cross-check information across multiple sources? → To verify accuracy and reduce the risk of relying on incorrect or biased information
30. When reading an academic argument, which element is most important for evaluating its validity? → The quality and relevance of the evidence provided