CMAS CMAS Research and Critical Thinking Skills 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When evaluating a source for a research project, which question helps determine if it is reliable?
- Is the source written in an interesting way?
- Is the source from a credible author or organization with expertise in the topic? (Correct answer)
- Does the source agree with what you already believe?
- Is the source the most recent one you found?
Correct answer: Is the source from a credible author or organization with expertise in the topic?
Checking whether the author or organization has expertise in the topic is a key step in evaluating a source's credibility.
Question 2: Which type of source would be most reliable for a research report on the health effects of air pollution?
- A social media post from an anonymous user
- A peer-reviewed article from a scientific journal (Correct answer)
- A television commercial for an air purifier
- A blog post by a travel writer
Correct answer: A peer-reviewed article from a scientific journal
Peer-reviewed scientific journal articles are vetted by experts in the field, making them among the most reliable sources for scientific topics.
Question 3: What does it mean to 'cite' a source in a research paper?
- To copy the source word for word into your paper
- To give credit to the author or publication where information was obtained (Correct answer)
- To argue against the information in a source
- To summarize the source in one sentence only
Correct answer: To give credit to the author or publication where information was obtained
Citing a source means providing information about the author, title, and publication so readers can find and verify the original material.
Question 4: A student reads two articles about climate change: one from a government environmental agency and one from a fossil fuel company's website. How should the student approach these sources?
- Trust both equally since all sources are equally valid
- Reject both and find a third source instead
- Consider the potential bias of each source and look for corroborating evidence from neutral parties (Correct answer)
- Only use the government source and ignore the company website entirely
Correct answer: Consider the potential bias of each source and look for corroborating evidence from neutral parties
Critical readers consider the potential bias of each source, especially when a source has a financial or political interest in the topic.
Question 5: Which of the following is an example of a fact rather than an opinion?
- Colorado is the most beautiful state in the U.S.
- Denver is the best city to live in the country.
- The Colorado River originates in Rocky Mountain National Park. (Correct answer)
- Winter in Colorado is better than summer.
Correct answer: The Colorado River originates in Rocky Mountain National Park.
A fact is something that can be verified with evidence; the origin of the Colorado River is a verifiable geographic fact.
Question 6: When summarizing a nonfiction text for research, which approach is most appropriate?
- Copy all important sentences directly from the text
- Restate the main ideas in your own words without changing the meaning (Correct answer)
- Include every detail from every paragraph
- Write only one word to represent the entire text
Correct answer: Restate the main ideas in your own words without changing the meaning
A good summary restates the author's main ideas in your own words, capturing the essential meaning without copying.
CMAS CMAS Research and Critical Thinking Skills 1
When evaluating a source for a research project, which question helps determine if it is reliable?