RSB Final Exam

You are conducting research for a course on Dutch cinema. You would like to use nesting to receive as many relevant results as possible. Choose the appropriate combination to fill the blanks below.

(Dutch OR Netherlands) AND (film OR cinema)

Which of the following sources for a research assignment about the 1968 Democratic National Convention would be considered secondary?

A book of nonfiction published in 2014 exploring the legacy of the events

Most citation details can be found on a book's:

Copyright page.

Doing background research helps you to _______.

Identify main ideas and draw connections to your previous knowledge.

Where is it appropriate to include an in-text citation?

In the body of your paper

What are the two types of citations used in APA style?

In-text and reference list

Assessing your personal biases will help you:

Make informed decisions based on evidence.

What should be included in the body of your research paper?

Multiple paragraphs, topic sentences, bridge sentences, examples that support the main idea

Which of the following subject areas uses APA citations?

Social Sciences

Which of the following is NOT a trait of scholarly journals?

There is a lot of advertising.

True or False: Trade journals are industry publications that rarely include research findings but contain technical language and jargon.

True

When do you need to cite your sources?

When you quote, paraphrase, or summarize

Which term would allow you to search "pharmacy," "pharmacies," and "pharmaceuticals" simultaneously in one search?

pharmac*

Which of the following is an example of a conscious bias?

An Asian studies professor who only assigns books by American authors

When you synthesize information, you:

Are combining information from multiple sources to form new conclusions.

Why are peer-reviewed journals considered the "gold standard" for research projects?

Because articles are written by scholars and reviewed by other scholars in the field.

What are the key concepts in the following research question: "What is the impact of climate change on animal species?"

Climate change, animals

Imagine you have an assignment to convince your state representative to support research into algae as an alternative material to plastic. To do so, you will draw on sources such as scientific studies and expert opinion. Which of the following describes the role that synthesis will play in your assignment?

Comparing multiple background sources to establish context for your argument

Which of the following is a part of academic integrity?

Discerning your work from the work of others

Even though you were the more experienced candidate, your boss promoted the new reporter because they went to the same university. This is an example of:

Ingroup bias.

Which of the following statements about the writing process is TRUE?

Linking your arguments back to your thesis will help your paper stay organized and focused.

What are the key concepts in the following research topic: "Fast food restaurants are responsible for obesity"?

Obesity, fast food

Dictionaries, thesauri, and encyclopedias are considered what type of resource?

Reference works

Which of the following traits DOES NOT apply to popular press publications?

Significant fact-checking

Which of the following is the best example of a thesis statement?

Social media has a negative effect on society and individuals because social media perpetuates cyberbullying.

Which of the following should be included in the conclusion of your research paper?

Summary of the paper, restatement of the thesis, expansion of main idea

Which of the following types of sources is not a periodical?

Textbook

Why is identifying keywords important for research?

Thoughtful keywords give you better search results.

You find a relevant article for your research paper. Where should you look to identify keywords for additional searches?

Title, abstract, subject headings

Choose the item that is NOT true regarding your thesis statement.

A thesis statement can appear in either the introduction or the conclusion of your paper as long as it provides a summary of your topic.

Which of the following terms refers to the subject of the article?

All of the above (controlled vocabulary, subject headings, tags, index terms, descriptors)

Which of the following is a resource that can help you with your writing?

All of the above (professor, your school's writing center, a librarian)

Which of the following statements regarding background research on your topic are TRUE?

All of the above.

What is the purpose of bridge sentences in the body of your research paper?

Bridge sentences ensure a smooth transition between paragraphs in the body.

Which of the following components comes first in an APA book citation?

C. Author

Concept maps are effective for choosing a research topic, because:

Concept maps are brainstorming tools that help you make connections between ideas and keywords.

Reese seeks out proof that a gluten-free diet will make him smarter. Even though scientific evidence suggests otherwise, he values sources that reinforce his beliefs. This is an example of:

Confirmation bias.

Choose the answer that correctly outlines the order of the steps in the research process.

Determine your project requirements. > Choose your topic. > Perform background research. > Create your research question/thesis. > Search for information regarding your topic. > Evaluate your information. > Synthesize the information and write your paper.

True or False: Once you decide on a research question, you must stick with it, because you can never repeat steps of the research process.

False

Imagine you have a historical research assignment. The topic is gender equality in the 21st century. You have found an essay published in 1965 about women's expanded participation in the workforce during the Second World War. What can you do to practice synthesis in this situation?

Locate additional historical and modern sources to analyze how women's roles in the workplace have changed over time.

The first step in the process of going from a research assignment to a thesis statement is:

Start with a general area of interest.

What is the most effective way to begin your keyword search?

Start with the broad concepts related to your topic and then add or try more specific keywords.

The responsibility of academic integrity ultimately falls on:

Students.

Complete the following statement: Being biased means ______.

Tending to favor one way of thinking over another.

Which of the following sentences about thesis statements is accurate?

Thesis statements need to answer your research question and explain how or why.

Which of the following statements about encyclopedias is TRUE?

They can contain either general or more specific subjects such as economics, history, or science.

"Aggregate" is a form of plagiarism that happens when:

You cite your sources, but there is little to no original material from you.

You have conducted a search for Communism and received far too many results about Vladimir Lenin. Choose the logical operator that will exclude Lenin from the results.

NOT

One of the assignments in your English class is to write a literary analysis on The Great Gatsby. You read the book in high school, and you also wrote your senior paper on it. There are many sections from your previous paper you can reuse for this assignment. You include sections from that paper, change some of the wording, but don't cite yourself. Is this OK?

No, if you fail to cite yourself, you are self-plagiarizing.

Another aspect of evaluating a source is determining if the source's content is relevant for your information need. Ask yourself these questions: What is the focus of the web page? How much detail does it go into—too little, too much, or just enough? Does the page link to or point you to other resources for you to explore certain topics further? Does this web page provide enough information for your assignment?

No, it does not have enough coverage on the topic.

Which of the following is a TRUE statement about peer-reviewed articles?

Peer-reviewed articles help to build your knowledge base in a particular field.

For your geology term paper, you've planned to write about Sacred Dog Creek. Instead of finding results about this Texas stream, your searches are filled with records about dogs and other creeks. Which search technique would help you only find results about Sacred Dog Creek?

Quotation marks " "

What is the purpose of a literature review?

To describe and summarize the current scholarship in a specific field on a particular topic

True or False: As the research process is cyclical in nature, it is OK to step back and adjust your approach. If you struggle to find appropriate resources, it may be helpful to filter your results or try other search terms.

True

True or False: If you are having trouble narrowing down a topic for your research, it can be helpful to look at a general area of interest, break it down by listing subjects that fit within the area, choose one point and consider different aspects of it, and finally formulate one issue into a description of your topic.

True

As this source is intended to be used in an academic research paper, it is important that it contains accurate information. When thinking about how to determine if a source is accurate, consider the following questions: How factual is the source? Does it provide reliable references to back up its claims? Are you able to verify the accuracy of the references? Do you think this web page provides accurate information?

Yes, it is accurate.

To start your evaluation of this web page, take a moment to determine its authority. Remember to ask yourself the following questions: Is it clear who the author is? (Hint: An author can be an individual, a group of people, or an organization.) Is there any information about the author and the author's qualifications? Is the author's contact information provided? Does the author have expertise in this topic area? Is this website authoritative?

Yes, it is authoritative.

An important part of evaluating a source is examining its currency. Remember to ask yourself the following questions: How important is it for this source to be current for your information need? Does information about the flu shot change relatively quickly? When was the source created and last updated? How current are the sources references? Is this web page current enough for your information need?

Yes, it is current and appropriate.

When evaluating a source, it is important to consider the source's objectivity and potential bias. Consider the following questions: Is the language used on the site neutral and fact based? Does it provide a balanced argument of multiple sides of an issue? Does it use strong or unnecessary language to persuade the reader? Is this website objective in the way it presents its content?

Yes, it is objective.

Consider the peer-review process, and fill in the blanks in the following sentences. Once an author submits his or her paper to a journal, _____ evaluate the paper. If they determine that it may be a good candidate for publication, the paper is sent to several experts, or _____, for review. If an editor agrees with their recommendation to _____ the paper, the editor and author work together to revise the paper for publication, usually based on feedback from the referees.

editors, peers, publish