Exam: 500497RR - Planning a Research Paper and Evaluating Sources
1. Benet's Reader's Encyclopedia, The Oxford English Dictionary, and Roget's Thesaurus are all considered
A. peer-reviewed compendiums.
B. secondary sources.
C. reference works.
D. trade references.
2. Using _______ searches in digital articles can help you locate topics you're researching.
A. database
B. index
C. citation
D. keyword
3. Which type of writing assignment would benefit the most from the use of outside sources such as scholarly works or reference works?
A. An essay about your grandmother's immigration to the United States
B. An essay describing your first car
C. An informative essay about the development of steam engines
D. The first act of a play about Taylor Swift
4. When writing a research paper about a specific event, you can use sources to
A. create an outline or graphic organizer.
B. compare information about similar events.
C. narrow the thesis.
D. explain the topic.
5. Which of the following is probably not going to be found in a popular source?
A. Interviews
B. Opinion pieces and editorials
C. In-depth evaluations of specialized topics
D. Articles of general interest
6. When the instructions for a writing assignment ask you to explore or explain a topic, the purpose of the assignment is most likely
A. persuasive.
B. argumentative.
C. informative.
D. figurative.
7. Which of the following is an example of a secondary source?
A. A novel by Pearl S. Buck
B. A biography of Pearl S. Buck
C. Pearl S. Buck's letters to her editor
D. An interview with Pearl S. Buck
8. Which of the following is not typically considered a criterion for determining whether or not you would choose a particular source?
A. Your audience
B. Previous citations
C. The genre of the source
D. Your purpose for writing
9. In general, a source that claims to summarize research or provide facts would not be considered reliable if it
A. cites only secondary sources.
B. is written by a popular author.
C. uses charts or other visuals.
D. does not provide a list of works cited.
10. After being assigned a research project, Jessica immediately sets out to choose an interesting and workable topic. Gene launches immediately into seeking out appropriate sources. Which one is following the correct procedure for planning a research paper?
A. Both Jessica and Gene are correct.
B. Only Jessica is correct.
C. Neither Jessica nor Gene is correct.
D. Only Gene is correct.
11. Publications geared toward audiences made up of people in specific professions are called
A. general-interest nonfiction books.
B. popular sources.
C. trade journals.
D. reference works.
12. You know a potential source is relevant if it A. is both persuasive and fair. B. is reliable and unbiased. C. answers one or more of your research questions. D. provides both historical and current information.
13. Which of the following is an example of a primary source?
A. A journal article that reviews various reports on Abraham Lincoln
B. A website that tells stories about Abraham Lincoln
C. Abraham Lincoln's letters
D. A biography of Abraham Lincoln
14. Eric and Heather are choosing a topic for their research paper. Eric will choose a topic that he knows can be covered adequately in his five-page paper. Heather will choose a topic about a current news event. Who is choosing a workable topic?
A. Only Eric
B. Only Heather
C. Both Eric and Heather
D. Neither Eric nor Heather
15. Which of the following would not be considered a secondary source?
A. Letters, diaries, or speeches
B. Journal articles that review previously published research reports
C. A nonfiction history of the Civil War
D. A biography
16. The author of a source would probably not be considered reliable if he or she
A. states a strong opinion.
B. ignores opposing views.
C. includes information that doesn't fit his or her opinion.
D. specializes in a particular field.
17. Jonathan is writing a research paper about African migrants seeking refuge in Europe. Rather than simply write that "the number of migrants has increased dramatically over the past four years," he would most likely need to use information from sources to
A. compare information about similar events.
B. reinforce his opinion with concrete evidence.
C. make his general comment more specific.
D. eliminate bias.
18. While _______ may provide interesting sources for a particular point of view, many are heavily biased and/or contain factual errors.
A. popular magazines
B. blogs
C. trade journals
D. abstracts.
19. Most scholarly journals are published
A. quarterly.
B. semi-annually.
C. monthly.
D. annually.
20. While evaluating Internet sources, John questions the reliability of articles that contain
A. highly charged, emotional language.
B. charts, tables, or other visuals.
C. background information about the author.
D. citations from primary sources.
1. Benet's Reader's Encyclopedia, The Oxford English Dictionary, and Roget's Thesaurus are all considered
A. peer-reviewed compendiums.
B. secondary sources.
C. reference works.
D. trade references.
2. Using _______ searches in digital articles can help you locate topics you're researching.
A. database
B. index
C. citation
D. keyword
3. Which type of writing assignment would benefit the most from the use of outside sources such as scholarly works or reference works?
A. An essay about your grandmother's immigration to the United States
B. An essay describing your first car
C. An informative essay about the development of steam engines
D. The first act of a play about Taylor Swift
4. When writing a research paper about a specific event, you can use sources to
A. create an outline or graphic organizer.
B. compare information about similar events.
C. narrow the thesis.
D. explain the topic.
5. Which of the following is probably not going to be found in a popular source?
A. Interviews
B. Opinion pieces and editorials
C. In-depth evaluations of specialized topics
D. Articles of general interest
6. When the instructions for a writing assignment ask you to explore or explain a topic, the purpose of the assignment is most likely
A. persuasive.
B. argumentative.
C. informative.
D. figurative.
7. Which of the following is an example of a secondary source?
A. A novel by Pearl S. Buck
B. A biography of Pearl S. Buck
C. Pearl S. Buck's letters to her editor
D. An interview with Pearl S. Buck
8. Which of the following is not typically considered a criterion for determining whether or not you would choose a particular source?
A. Your audience
B. Previous citations
C. The genre of the source
D. Your purpose for writing
9. In general, a source that claims to summarize research or provide facts would not be considered reliable if it
A. cites only secondary sources.
B. is written by a popular author.
C. uses charts or other visuals.
D. does not provide a list of works cited.
10. After being assigned a research project, Jessica immediately sets out to choose an interesting and workable topic. Gene launches immediately into seeking out appropriate sources. Which one is following the correct procedure for planning a research paper?
A. Both Jessica and Gene are correct.
B. Only Jessica is correct.
C. Neither Jessica nor Gene is correct.
D. Only Gene is correct.
11. Publications geared toward audiences made up of people in specific professions are called
A. general-interest nonfiction books.
B. popular sources.
C. trade journals.
D. reference works.
12. You know a potential source is relevant if it A. is both persuasive and fair. B. is reliable and unbiased. C. answers one or more of your research questions. D. provides both historical and current information.
13. Which of the following is an example of a primary source?
A. A journal article that reviews various reports on Abraham Lincoln
B. A website that tells stories about Abraham Lincoln
C. Abraham Lincoln's letters
D. A biography of Abraham Lincoln
14. Eric and Heather are choosing a topic for their research paper. Eric will choose a topic that he knows can be covered adequately in his five-page paper. Heather will choose a topic about a current news event. Who is choosing a workable topic?
A. Only Eric
B. Only Heather
C. Both Eric and Heather
D. Neither Eric nor Heather
15. Which of the following would not be considered a secondary source?
A. Letters, diaries, or speeches
B. Journal articles that review previously published research reports
C. A nonfiction history of the Civil War
D. A biography
16. The author of a source would probably not be considered reliable if he or she
A. states a strong opinion.
B. ignores opposing views.
C. includes information that doesn't fit his or her opinion.
D. specializes in a particular field.
17. Jonathan is writing a research paper about African migrants seeking refuge in Europe. Rather than simply write that "the number of migrants has increased dramatically over the past four years," he would most likely need to use information from sources to
A. compare information about similar events.
B. reinforce his opinion with concrete evidence.
C. make his general comment more specific.
D. eliminate bias.
18. While _______ may provide interesting sources for a particular point of view, many are heavily biased and/or contain factual errors.
A. popular magazines
B. blogs
C. trade journals
D. abstracts.
19. Most scholarly journals are published
A. quarterly.
B. semi-annually.
C. monthly.
D. annually.
20. While evaluating Internet sources, John questions the reliability of articles that contain
A. highly charged, emotional language.
B. charts, tables, or other visuals.
C. background information about the author.
D. citations from primary sources.
