Evaluation of Sources

 

  1. What is the primary purpose of a credible author?
    1. To win support by using only an emotional appeal
    2. To inform or persuade the reader through reasoned and/or scholarly argument
    3. To benefit personally from posting opinions and/or research
    4. To sell a product
  2. How should you evaluate the credibility of an author?
    1. Identify whether the author has advanced degrees from a well-respected university
    2. Search the web or library to find reviews of the author’s work or to obtain other works by the author
    3. Check for the author’s name in online library catalogs and published works on the topic
    4. All of the above
  3. Which is the best way to find information about the author on an Internet article?
    1. By referring to the home page of the sit
    2. By referring to the author’s home page
    3. By emailing the author
    4. By conducting an Internet search on the author
  4. Which types of websites are most likely credible and unbiased?
    1. Commercially sponsored (.com)
    2. Homepages and student discussion boards
    3. Governmental (.gov), non-profit (.org), and educational sites (.edu)
    4. Politically sponsored by an organization such as the National Rifle Association
  5. What is another valid sign of a credible website?
    1. Popularity
    2. Brevity and graphics
    3. Inflammatory language or propaganda
    4. Balanced discussion with links to other reputable sources
  6. Which of the following is least likely to be a credible source for a college paper?
    1. Library database (e.g., FirstSearch)
    2. Entertainment (e.g., peoplemagazine.com)
    3. Scholarly (e.g., http://utoronto.ca/twain)
    4. Non-profit (e.g., http://www.npr.org)
  7. Which of the following indicates a less-than-credible source?
    1. Formal diction with good vocabulary
    2. Informal diction with grammar of poor quality
    3. Prior publication of information in a book
    4. Statistics and quotations from experts in the field
  8. Which tone is more likely to contribute to a credible argument?
    1. Aggressive
    2. Sensational
    3. Sarcastic and condescending
    4. Serious
  9. Which search tool provides access to all the following: peer reviewed, published articles; full-length copies of many published articles; in-depth information that includes works cited pages and/or footnotes?
    1. FirstSearch or Infotrac, online databases from the library
    2. Yahoo.com
    3. AOL
    4. MSN.com
  10. Which of the following is least effective in supporting an argument?
    1. Facts and statistics
    2. Expert opinion
    3. Personal opinion
    4. Consideration of opposing viewpoints