HP Communication & Documentation 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In an Honors Program thesis, the 'literature review' section primarily serves to:
- Summarize every book ever written on the topic
- Contextualize the research within existing scholarship and identify gaps (Correct answer)
- List all references in alphabetical order
- Describe the researcher's personal interest in the subject
Correct answer: Contextualize the research within existing scholarship and identify gaps
A literature review situates your research within the existing body of scholarship and identifies the gap your study addresses.
Question 2: Which citation element is typically NOT required in an APA in-text citation?
- Author's last name
- Year of publication
- Page number for direct quotes
- Author's first name (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Author's first name
APA in-text citations include the author's last name, year, and page number for quotes — first names are omitted.
Question 3: When writing an Honors thesis abstract, the recommended length is typically:
- 50 words
- 150–250 words (Correct answer)
- 500–750 words
- One full page
Correct answer: 150–250 words
Most Honors thesis abstracts fall between 150 and 250 words, capturing the study's purpose, methods, findings, and conclusions concisely.
Question 4: A peer-reviewed academic article differs from a popular magazine article mainly because it:
- Uses more colorful language and images
- Has been evaluated by experts in the field before publication (Correct answer)
- Is always longer than 20 pages
- Is available only in print format
Correct answer: Has been evaluated by experts in the field before publication
Peer-reviewed articles undergo evaluation by subject-matter experts to verify methodological rigor and scholarly accuracy.
Question 5: In a formal Honors research presentation, the Q&A session is best handled by:
- Deflecting difficult questions with humor
- Acknowledging limitations honestly and offering to follow up in writing (Correct answer)
- Reading directly from your notes to appear authoritative
- Asking the audience to submit questions in advance and ignoring unexpected ones
Correct answer: Acknowledging limitations honestly and offering to follow up in writing
Acknowledging limitations and offering follow-up demonstrates intellectual integrity and professional communication.
Question 6: Which document type is used to record and preserve the proceedings of an Honors Program committee meeting?
- Annotated bibliography
- Meeting minutes (Correct answer)
- Progress report
- Research proposal
Correct answer: Meeting minutes
Meeting minutes are the official record of discussions, decisions, and action items from a committee meeting.
Question 7: The primary purpose of an annotated bibliography in Honors research is to:
- Replace the references page in a final thesis
- Summarize and evaluate each source's relevance and credibility (Correct answer)
- List sources without commentary to save space
- Provide a narrative history of the research topic
Correct answer: Summarize and evaluate each source's relevance and credibility
Each annotation briefly summarizes a source and assesses its quality and relevance to the research question.
HP Communication & Documentation 2
In an Honors Program thesis, the 'literature review' section primarily serves to: