CCE Fact-Checking and References Questions and Answers

Question 1

A copyeditor is reviewing a manuscript for a trade history book.
The author states, 'The treaty was signed on July 4, 1776, by all 56 delegates.' While the date is correct for the Declaration of Independence, the copyeditor suspects the detail about the signing is inaccurate.
According to professional copyediting standards, what is the most appropriate first step?

Accepted Answer

Query the author, citing a reliable source that indicates the signing process occurred over several months, and suggest a revision.

Answer

Consult a single, reputable online encyclopedia to quickly verify the information and make the correction.

Answer

Delete the specific number of delegates and the signing detail to avoid potential inaccuracies without consulting the author.

Answer

Assume the author, a subject matter expert, is correct and that this is a lesser-known historical fact.

Question 2

When fact-checking the spelling of a proper name, such as a company or an institution, what is generally considered the most authoritative source?

Accepted Answer

The organization's official website.

Answer

A recent article from a major national newspaper.

Answer

A popular, user-edited online encyclopedia.

Answer

The first result on a standard internet search engine.

Question 3

Which of the following factual details in a manuscript warrants the HIGHEST priority for a copyeditor to verify?

Accepted Answer

A direct quotation attributed to a living person.

Answer

The color of a historical figure's eyes mentioned in a descriptive passage.

Answer

The publication year of a novel cited in the bibliography.

Answer

The estimated population of a large city mentioned in passing.

Question 4

A copyeditor encounters a statistic in a nonfiction manuscript: 'A recent study by the Smith Institute found that 58% of adults prefer coffee over tea.' The author has not provided a citation. What is the copyeditor's most responsible course of action?

Accepted Answer

Accept the statistic as fact, assuming the author has done the necessary research.

Answer

Change '58%' to 'more than half' to make the statement less specific and therefore more likely to be true.

Answer

Conduct a brief search for the 'Smith Institute' and the study; if it cannot be easily found, query the author for the source.

Answer

Delete the sentence entirely to ensure the manuscript contains no unsourced data.

Question 5

When evaluating the reliability of a web-based source for fact-checking, which of the following is the LEAST important criterion?

Accepted Answer

The website's visual design and use of high-quality graphics.

Answer

The author's credentials and institutional affiliation.

Answer

Whether the information is corroborated by other reputable sources.

Answer

The purpose of the source (e.g., to inform, persuade, or sell).

Question 6

A copyeditor is checking a reference list in a manuscript that follows Chicago style. They notice an entry for a book: 'Borel, B. (2016). The Chicago Guide to Fact-Checking. University of Chicago Press.' What is the most likely error the copyeditor should correct or query?

Accepted Answer

The publisher's location is missing.

Answer

The author's first name should be spelled out.

Answer

The title of the book should be in sentence case.

Answer

The year of publication is in the wrong position.