Deck 2: The Research Process in Technical Communication

Question 1

Social media may provide some credible secondary source content.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Reviews or commentaries about a source are not helpful in determining the credibility of the course. .

Answer 2

False

Question 3

Hard-copy sources are easier to preserve and keep secure than Web-based sources.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Conducting__________ research means getting information directly from the source.

Question 5

Google Scholar can be a helpful tool for searching for credible, reliable secondary sources.

Question 6

When conducting informational interviews, you should

A) put words in the respondent's mouth.
B) avoid providing questions in advance to create a more spontaneous and authentic reaction.
C) use open-ended questions instead of closed-ended questions.
D) always record them.
E) get the most sensitive questions out of the way from the start.

Question 7

Key words and search phrases should be as general as possible.

Question 8

Dissertations and medical pamphlets are examples of __________literature.

Question 9

Thinking critically about research depends on all of the following except

A) finding a definite answer.
B) looking at the research from many viewpoints.
C) achieving sufficient depth.
D) asking the right questions.
E) evaluating the reliability and completeness of sources.

Question 10

Sources known as "gray literature" is available only through libraries.

Question 11

An _________ is a controlled form of observation designed to verify an assumption .

Question 12

Reference works include all of the following except

A) encyclopedias.
B) indexes.
C) abstracts.
D) conference papers.
E) almanacs.

Question 13

A___________research means getting information directly from the is a community encyclopedia that allows users to edit the content.

Question 14

A large, identifiable group of people is called a __________population, while representatives of that group are called a_________

Question 15

Commercial sites should never be used as reliable sources of information since they are inherently biased.

Question 16

Loaded questions are effective tactics for in-depth informational interviews.

Question 17

When creating a survey,

A) phrase questions precisely.
B) use loaded questions.
C) keep it simple and brief.
D) a and b.
E) a and c.

Question 18

When doing research, do all of the following except

A) combine Google searches with library searches.
B) use your own subjective interpretations.
C) add your own finding to existing findings whenever possible.
D) carefully track each source you are using.
E) consider a balance of views.

Question 19

Web-based sources

A) are always very reliable.
B) can often be found in a hard-copy equivalent.
C) are inefficient to research.
D) are more current than hard-copy sources.
E) All of these answers are correct.

Question 20

Questionnaires use closed-ended questions, not open-ended questions.

Question 21

Which of these statements about Web-based research is most accurate?

A) The more design elements on a site, the more reliable the information.
B) Since Web sites are always accessible, you do not need to save any of the material you find on them.
C) Web sites with the domains .gov and .edu will most likely not contain reliable information.
D) Social media sites should be discounted as credible sources.
E) Web-based research is usually sufficient to meet your research needs, since it is so massive in its scope.