EAP Research and Source Evaluation 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is a 'peer-reviewed' source?
- A source written by more than one author
- A source that has been evaluated and approved by other experts in the field (Correct answer)
- A source published on an academic university website
- A source that has been cited by other researchers
Correct answer: A source that has been evaluated and approved by other experts in the field
Peer-reviewed sources are evaluated by other qualified experts before publication, ensuring scholarly credibility.
Question 2: Which type of source is generally considered MOST reliable for academic research?
- A personal blog post by an expert
- A Wikipedia article
- A peer-reviewed journal article (Correct answer)
- A news article from a major newspaper
Correct answer: A peer-reviewed journal article
Peer-reviewed journal articles undergo rigorous evaluation by subject matter experts, making them the most credible for academic research.
Question 3: What does 'primary source' mean in academic research?
- The first source listed in a bibliography
- An original document, data, or firsthand account (Correct answer)
- The most important secondary source used in a paper
- A source published before 2000
Correct answer: An original document, data, or firsthand account
Primary sources are original materials such as research studies, historical documents, interviews, or raw data collected firsthand.
Question 4: When evaluating a source using the CRAAP test, what does the 'A' in CRAAP stand for?
- Accuracy (Correct answer)
- Author
- Analysis
- Applicability
Correct answer: Accuracy
In the CRAAP test, 'A' stands for Accuracy, which involves checking whether the information is supported by evidence and free from errors.
Question 5: What is the difference between a primary source and a secondary source?
- Primary sources are longer; secondary sources are shorter
- Primary sources are original works; secondary sources analyze or interpret primary sources (Correct answer)
- Primary sources are published online; secondary sources are in print
- Primary sources are recent; secondary sources are older
Correct answer: Primary sources are original works; secondary sources analyze or interpret primary sources
Primary sources provide original evidence or data, while secondary sources interpret, analyze, or summarize primary sources.
Question 6: Which of the following would be considered a credible source for an academic paper on climate science?
- A climate change opinion post on a personal blog
- A peer-reviewed article from the journal Nature (Correct answer)
- An anonymous Wikipedia article
- A social media post by a celebrity scientist
Correct answer: A peer-reviewed article from the journal Nature
Peer-reviewed publications like Nature follow rigorous editorial and review standards, making them credible academic sources.
EAP Research and Source Evaluation 1
What is a 'peer-reviewed' source?