Research & Citing Sources — Answer Key
Part A: Fill in the Blank
Write the missing word or number on each line.
1. A primary source gives firsthand information, such as a diary or an interview.
Primary sources are original, firsthand materials created at the time of an event — diaries, letters, photographs, speeches, and artifacts are all primary sources.
2. A textbook that explains a historical event is an example of a secondary source.
Secondary sources interpret, analyze, or summarize primary sources. Textbooks, encyclopedias, and biographies written after the events they describe are secondary sources.
3. The first step of the research process is choosing a focused topic.
A clearly defined research topic guides your search, helps you choose relevant keywords, and prevents you from collecting information that is off-topic.
4. When you quickly look through a text to find specific facts, you are scanning the source.
Scanning is a reading strategy used to locate specific facts or keywords quickly. It differs from skimming, which gives a general overview of content.
5. A published book is usually a reliable source because editors review it before printing.
Reference books like encyclopedias and atlases provide reliable overview information on a wide range of topics and are useful starting points for research.
6. Checking more than one source to confirm a fact is called verifying.
Verifying information by cross-checking multiple reliable sources helps ensure accuracy. A fact that appears in only one source may be unreliable.
7. An article written by a university professor is more credible than one by an unknown blogger.
Authors with credentials — such as professors, scientists, or journalists at reputable outlets — bring verified expertise that adds credibility to their sources.
8. The date of a source tells you whether the information is still current and useful.
Publication or update dates matter because information changes over time. For topics like science or current events, outdated sources may contain inaccurate information.
9. A credible news article includes the reporter's name and the date it was published.
Recording source details (author, title, date, publisher, URL) immediately prevents the difficulty of trying to find this information again when creating your bibliography.
Part B: Matching
Match each item on the left to the correct answer on the right.
1. Match each item to its correct answer.
A diary entry written by a soldier in 1863
→ Primary source — a firsthand account from the past
Secondary source — interprets events after they happened
A textbook chapter about the Civil War
→ Secondary source — interprets events after they happened
Secondary source — summarizes information from many sources
A newspaper interview with an eyewitness
→ Primary source — direct words from someone who was there
Primary source — a firsthand account from the past
An encyclopedia article about volcanoes
→ Secondary source — summarizes information from many sources
Primary source — direct words from someone who was there
Diary (1863) = Primary firsthand; textbook = Secondary summarizes; eyewitness newspaper = Primary direct words; encyclopedia = Secondary interprets/summarizes.