Evaluating Sources of Information

What is a primary source?

• A source created at the time of an event by an individual who was there

• A source that is used often

• The first source listed in an article or on a webpage

• A source created after an event has happened

Which source of information would be the least biased in determining the durability of various brands of computers?

• a neighbor who works for a computer manufacturing company

• an independent survey of consumers who have purchased computers

• a salesman at a computer products store

• a television advertisement for the most popular brand of computer

The idea that many important political events or economic and social trends are the products of secret plots that are largely unknown to the general public

• historical fiction

• urban legends

• narratives

• conspiracy theories

Which characteristic indicates that a source of information is credible?

• The author of an article who is not a recognized authority on the topic.

• The source contains mainly opinions but lacks supporting documents.

• The information in the source cannot be verified.

• The facts presented are logical and reasonable

Which of the following is an example of a secondary source?

• A textbook chapter on World War II and its famous battles

• Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech

• A photograph of an immigrant family arriving at Ellis Island

• A journal kept by a soldier during the American Revolution

Of the following, which would be the most credible source on the safety of muscle building products?

• A health professional specializing in muscle development

• A friend who enjoys weightlifting

• A body-building magazine

• A web site sponsored by a company that sells dietary supplements

In researching a court case, you want to check on some testimony. Which of the following sources would be most reliable?

• The written record of the court proceedings

• An interview with the judge

• A newspaper article on the trial

• A book written by a juror after the trial.

Of the following web sites, which one would be the most reliable source on government loans for college students?

• The site of the government office that handles loans for college students.

• A site maintained by students who post miscellaneous college information

• A site sponsored by a bank

• A site for a college debt consolidation company

Which of the following methods would help you prepare an unbiased overview of an issue?

• Taking a survey among your friends

• Discussing only opinions and no facts

• Showing both sides of the issue

• Including quotations from people who feel strongly about the issue.

Which of the following sources about the Civil War would likely be biased and unreliable?

• A Civil War text by a Columbia University history professor

• Encyclopedia Britannica article on the Civil War

• A collection of diary entries of Civil War soldiers

• A website named “Confederate Pride.”