CPP Academic & Scientific Proofreading 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In APA 7th edition, how should a journal article with three or more authors be cited in-text?
- List all authors every time
- Use the first author's name followed by 'et al.' (Correct answer)
- Use the first two authors followed by 'et al.'
- Use only the journal name
Correct answer: Use the first author's name followed by 'et al.'
APA 7th edition requires using the first author's surname followed by 'et al.' for works with three or more authors from the first citation.
Question 2: Which error is present in this sentence: 'The data shows a significant increase in test scores.'?
- Incorrect verb tense
- Subject-verb disagreement ('data' is plural) (Correct answer)
- Missing article before 'data'
- Incorrect use of 'significant'
Correct answer: Subject-verb disagreement ('data' is plural)
In formal academic writing, 'data' is treated as plural, so the correct form is 'The data show a significant increase.'
Question 3: In a scientific paper, where should the limitations of a study typically be discussed?
- In the Introduction section
- In the Abstract only
- In the Discussion or Conclusion section (Correct answer)
- In the Methods section
Correct answer: In the Discussion or Conclusion section
Study limitations are conventionally addressed in the Discussion or Conclusion section, after presenting and interpreting results.
Question 4: Which is the correct way to express a p-value in APA style when the value is very small?
- p = 0.000
- p < .001 (Correct answer)
- p < 0.001
- p = <.001
Correct answer: p < .001
APA style omits the leading zero before the decimal in statistics that cannot exceed 1.0, so 'p < .001' is correct.
Question 5: A proofreader notices 'Figure 3' is referenced in the text but the document only contains Figures 1, 2, and 4. What should the proofreader do?
- Delete the reference to Figure 3
- Change Figure 3 to Figure 4 automatically
- Flag the discrepancy as a query for the author (Correct answer)
- Renumber all figures to match the text
Correct answer: Flag the discrepancy as a query for the author
A proofreader should query the author about the missing figure rather than making autonomous changes that could misrepresent the intended content.
Question 6: In scientific writing, what does 'ibid.' indicate in a footnote citation?
- The same author as previously cited
- The same work cited in the immediately preceding note (Correct answer)
- A secondary source
- An unpublished manuscript
Correct answer: The same work cited in the immediately preceding note
'Ibid.' (Latin for 'in the same place') refers to the same source cited in the immediately preceding footnote.
Question 7: Which style guide is most commonly used for chemistry and physical sciences journals?
- APA
- MLA
- ACS Style Guide (Correct answer)
- Chicago Manual of Style
Correct answer: ACS Style Guide
The ACS (American Chemical Society) Style Guide is the standard for chemistry and many physical sciences publications.
CPP Academic & Scientific Proofreading 2
In APA 7th edition, how should a journal article with three or more authors be cited in-text?