VCLA Research and Information Literacy 2

Question 1

What is the key difference between a primary source and a secondary source?

Accepted Answer

Primary sources are firsthand accounts; secondary sources analyze or interpret them

Answer

Primary sources provide direct, firsthand evidence from the original event or time period, while secondary sources interpret or analyze primary sources.

Question 2

When paraphrasing a source, a writer must:

Accepted Answer

Restate the idea in their own words and still cite the source

Answer

Paraphrasing requires restating the author's ideas entirely in your own words, but you must still cite the original source because the idea belongs to that author.

Question 3

Which citation style is most commonly used in education, social sciences, and psychology?

Accepted Answer

APA (American Psychological Association)

Answer

APA format is the standard citation style used in education, psychology, and the social sciences, focusing on the date of publication as a key element.

Question 4

What is an annotated bibliography?

Accepted Answer

A list of sources with a brief summary and evaluation of each one

Answer

An annotated bibliography includes each citation followed by a brief descriptive and evaluative paragraph (annotation) that explains the source's relevance and quality.

Question 5

Which of the following is the BEST strategy when a research topic is too broad?

Accepted Answer

Narrow the topic by focusing on a specific aspect, time period, or population

Answer

Narrowing a topic by selecting a specific aspect, time period, location, or group allows a researcher to go deeper and produce a more focused, manageable paper.

VCLA Exam Practice Test

VCLA Exam Practice Test

VCLA Research and Information Literacy 2