Students choose the most reliable source for a water cycle report, compare a marine biologist's site to an anonymous site, and identify a common research mistake. Part B has five fill-in-the-blank problems about .org domains, outdated sources, and author expertise as a credibility marker.
Evaluating source quality from specific attributes — domain, author credentials, and recency — gives students a concrete decision process for every research task they face.
Style:
Research & Citing Sources
Part A: Multiple Choice
Circle the best answer for each question.
1. Which source would be MOST reliable for a report about the water cycle?
A) A classmate's notes from last year
B) A science textbook published by a major educational company
C) A personal blog post titled "My Thoughts on Rain"
D) A social media post with a colorful diagram but no author listed
2. A student finds two websites about sharks. Website A was written by a marine biologist at a university. Website B has no author and was last updated six years ago. Which should the student use?
A) Website B because it has been online longer
B) Both websites equally because all websites are reliable
C) Website A because it has a credible author and likely current information
D) Neither website because online sources are never reliable
3. Which of the following is a common research mistake?
A) Using three different sources to check a fact
B) Recording the author and title of every source you use
C) Copying a sentence from a website and forgetting to add quotation marks
D) Paraphrasing a paragraph in your own words with a citation
4. Why should a student avoid using only one source for an entire research project?
A) One source always contains false information
B) A single source may have errors or a limited viewpoint
C) Teachers only accept reports with pictures from multiple sites
D) Using one source makes the report too short to read
Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the correct answer on each line.
1. A website with a .org domain is run by an organization and may still have a specific viewpoint.
2. An outdated source may contain information that is no longer accurate.
3. Checking whether the author has expertise in the subject helps determine if a source is credible.
4. A source that tries to sell you a product is likely biased rather than informational.
5. Cross-referencing means comparing facts across multiple sources to check for accuracy.
Research & Citing Sources
★ Part A: Multiple Choice
Circle the best answer for each question.
1. Which source would be MOST reliable for a report about the water cycle?
A) A classmate's notes from last year
B) A science textbook published by a major educational company
C) A personal blog post titled "My Thoughts on Rain"
D) A social media post with a colorful diagram but no author listed
2. A student finds two websites about sharks. Website A was written by a marine biologist at a university. Website B has no author and was last updated six years ago. Which should the student use?
A) Website B because it has been online longer
B) Both websites equally because all websites are reliable
C) Website A because it has a credible author and likely current information
D) Neither website because online sources are never reliable
3. Which of the following is a common research mistake?
A) Using three different sources to check a fact
B) Recording the author and title of every source you use
C) Copying a sentence from a website and forgetting to add quotation marks
D) Paraphrasing a paragraph in your own words with a citation
4. Why should a student avoid using only one source for an entire research project?
A) One source always contains false information
B) A single source may have errors or a limited viewpoint
C) Teachers only accept reports with pictures from multiple sites
D) Using one source makes the report too short to read
★ Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the correct answer on each line.
1) A website with a .org domain is run by an organization and may still have a specific viewpoint.
2) An outdated source may contain information that is no longer accurate.
3) Checking whether the author has expertise in the subject helps determine if a source is credible.
4) A source that tries to sell you a product is likely biased rather than informational.
5) Cross-referencing means comparing facts across multiple sources to check for accuracy.
Ready to Practice?
Complete each section carefully.
9 Questions
12-18 minutes
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