Research Skills Quiz

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

• A textbook summary of the Civil War

• An original letter from a Civil War soldier

• A documentary about the Civil War

• An encyclopedia entry on the Civil War

What makes a source reliable?

• It is popular and widely used.

• It contains a lot of information.

• It comes from an author with expertise and/or is provided by a reputable organization.

• It is the first source you find.

Which of the following questions is the most viable research question?

• Why is the sky blue?

• What were the causes and effects of the American Civil War?

• How many battles were fought in the American Civil War?

• Is history important?

What is the purpose of evaluating claims and evidence in a text?

• To summarize the text

• To determine the text's complexity

• To assess the text's credibility and the author's argument

• To find the main idea

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

• A diary entry from a World War II soldier

• A research article analyzing data from a recent study

• A photograph taken during the Vietnam War

• An original manuscript of a novel written in the 19th century

What does it mean if information is valid?

• It is related to the topic.

• It is based on the author's opinion.

• It is accurate and well-supported by evidence.

• It is interesting.

How can you tell if a source is relevant to your research question?

• It is the first source you find.

• It directly addresses or is closely related to your research question.

• It is very detailed and long.

• It is written by a famous author.

What is a thesis statement?

• A question that guides your research

• A detailed outline of your paper

• A statement of fact

• A concise statement of the main argument or claim of your paper

In MLA formatting, how is the Works Cited page arranged?

• Alphabetically by author's last name

• Chronologically by publication date

• By order of appearance in the text

• By the length of each source

Which of the following is a characteristic of a strong research question?

• It can be answered with a simple yes or no.

• It is broad and general.

• It is specific and focused.

• It requires no research to answer.