Journalism Final - Practice Test

What is the primary goal of journalism ethics?

• To promote sensationalism and entertainment in news.
• To prioritize the opinions of journalists over facts.
• To increase profits for media companies.
• To provide, accurate, fair and balanced reporting.

Which of the following best describes the principle of objectivity in journalism?

• Reporting news with personal opinions included.
• Focusing solely on sensational stories.
• Prioritizing entertainment over factual accuracy.
• Reporting news in a fair and unbiased manner.

A journalist receives free tickets to a concert they are covering. Accepting these tickets is a potential violation of which ethical principle?

• Conflict of interest
• Integrity
• Transparency
• Accountability

A reporter discovers their source has provided false information. What is the ethical course of action?

• Publish the false information without verification.
• Correct the false information and ensure transparency with the audience.
• Blame the source publicly without correcting the report.
• Ignore the false information and continue reporting.

Why is it important for journalists to attribute sources in their articles?

• Journalists should only use their own opinions in articles.
• To make the article longer

• To avoid copyright infringement

• To improve the credibility of the article

Which of the following is an example of plagiarism in journalism?

• Rewriting a press release in your own words

• Copying someone else's article without attribution

• Citing another journalist's work in your article

• Conducting interviews to gather original quotes

A journalist uses an anonymous source in a story. What is the ethical guideline for this situation?

• Always disclose anonymous sources to the public.
• Use anonymous sources to add drama and appeal to the story.

• Rely on anonymous sources only if they are famous.
• Use anonymous sources sparingly and ensure credibility.

A journalist discovers that a colleague fabricated parts of a story. What is the ethical responsibility of the journalist?

• Ignore the fabrication and continue working with the colleague.
• Confront the colleague publicly about the fabrication.
• Write a new story based on the fabricated parts.
• Report the fabrication to the appropriate authority.

What does the principle of minimizing harm require journalists to do?

• Avoid reporting on sensitive topics

• Report all facts, regardless of consequences

• Balance the public's right to know with the impact of their reporting

• Publish stories that evoke strong emotional reactions

A journalist is covering a story about a political campaign but has publicly supported one of the candidates on social media. What ethical concern does this raise?

• Plagiarism

• Bias and conflict of interest

• Lack of attribution

• Violation of copyright