CAASPP Research Skills 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A student needs to cite a book in a research paper. Which information is ESSENTIAL for a proper citation?
- The book's cover color and size
- Author's name, title, publisher, and year of publication (Correct answer)
- The number of pages the student read
- The price of the book
Correct answer: Author's name, title, publisher, and year of publication
A proper book citation must include the author's name, book title, publisher, and publication year so others can locate the source.
Question 2: What does it mean when a research source is described as 'peer-reviewed'?
- The source was written by a student's classmate
- Other experts in the field examined and approved the source before publication (Correct answer)
- The source received positive reviews from online readers
- The source was published more than ten years ago
Correct answer: Other experts in the field examined and approved the source before publication
Peer-reviewed sources have been evaluated and approved by other subject-matter experts before publication, ensuring quality and accuracy.
Question 3: A student finds a chart in a newspaper article showing rising test scores. What question should the student ask to evaluate the chart?
- Is the chart colorful and easy to look at?
- Where did the data come from and who collected it? (Correct answer)
- Does the chart have a title?
- Is the chart bigger than a full page?
Correct answer: Where did the data come from and who collected it?
To evaluate a chart, you must know the data's origin and who collected it to assess whether the information is accurate and unbiased.
Question 4: Which of the following BEST describes the difference between a topic and a research question?
- A topic is a broad subject; a research question is a specific inquiry that can be investigated (Correct answer)
- A research question is always shorter than a topic
- A topic requires sources; a research question does not
- There is no meaningful difference between a topic and a research question
Correct answer: A topic is a broad subject; a research question is a specific inquiry that can be investigated
A topic is a general area of interest, while a research question focuses on a specific aspect that can be explored and answered with evidence.
Question 5: A student wants to find information about a California law passed last year. Which source is MOST likely to have current and accurate information?
- An encyclopedia published fifteen years ago
- The official California Legislature website (Correct answer)
- A fictional story set in California
- A magazine article from five years ago
Correct answer: The official California Legislature website
The official California Legislature website provides up-to-date and authoritative information about current state laws.
Question 6: What is the MAIN purpose of using quotation marks when including someone else's exact words in a research paper?
- To make the paper appear more formal
- To signal to the reader that these are the author's exact words, not your own (Correct answer)
- To indicate that you disagree with what was said
- To avoid having to write a citation for the source
Correct answer: To signal to the reader that these are the author's exact words, not your own
Quotation marks signal to the reader that the enclosed text is taken directly from another source and is not your own writing.
Question 7: A student discovers that the author of an article they planned to cite works for a company that profits from the article's conclusions. What concern does this raise?
- The article must be inaccurate and should never be read
- The author may have a conflict of interest that could introduce bias into the article (Correct answer)
- The article is automatically more credible because the author has professional experience
- The student should only use the article if it is more than ten pages long
Correct answer: The author may have a conflict of interest that could introduce bias into the article
When an author stands to benefit financially from their conclusions, there is a potential conflict of interest that may introduce bias.
CAASPP Research Skills 5
A student needs to cite a book in a research paper.
Which information is ESSENTIAL for a proper citation?