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1. What should you do first when creating a research plan?
A) Keep track of your sources
B) Find the sources you need
C) Evaluate the credibility of your sources
D) Inventory your research needs
2. Citations are an important part of the research process because they __________.
A) act as a guide when interviewing an expert
B) help you identify your research needs
C) will be used later as presentation aids
D) identify where your evidence can be found
3. A source is considered __________ if he or she can reasonably be trusted to present
accurate, objective information.
A) plagiarized
B) biased
C) credible
D) to lack observational capacity
4. Which person would be considered an expert source for a presentation on feline rabies?
A) Licensed veterinarian
B) Cardiologist
C) Cat food manufacturer
D) Journalist
5. Sources are commonly biased due to __________.
A) lack of experience
B) lack of ego
C) economic self-interest
D) observational capacity
6. Tom, a college student studying to be a chemist, witnessed a crime. He is considered a
valid source of information for the police investigation because he __________.
A) lacks objectivity
B) has observational capacity
C) has legal expertise
D) lacks recency
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7. Which offers access to the broadest range of credible sources of information for a
speech?
A) Encyclopedia
B) Government agency
C) Internet
D) Library
8. Relative to other information sources used for research, books are most likely to
__________.
A) be quickly searchable
B) have undergone peer review before publication
C) offer the most in-depth information
D) contain the most timely information
9. Articles in __________ are subject to peer review.
A) newspapers
B) scholarly journals
C) newsmagazines
D) topical-interest magazines
10. Which would be the best source of information about an oil spill that happened in the past
few days?
A) Scholarly journal
B) Book
C) Newspaper
D) Encyclopedia
11. Which of the following topics would be best researched using government documents?
A) Changes in federal health-care legislation
B) Habitat of the white owl
C) Latest developments in a criminal case
D) Recent soil-science studies
12. Which of the following is a disadvantage of Internet research?
A) Relevant information is often difficult to find.
B) Internet searches take a long time.
C) Internet searches typically turn up little information.
D) The information available on the Internet may not be credible.
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13. If you find an Internet article that appears to be a good source of information for your
speech but you are not sure whether the information is credible, what should you do?
A) Immediately disregard the information
B) Use the information and cite it as “source unknown”
C) Present the information without citing the source
D) Research the content’s author online or in periodical indexes
14. The information on a website is likely to be credible if it __________.
A) presents arguments on both sides of an issue
B) contains information not seen on other credible sites addressing the same topic
C) is not linked to any other sites
D) contains significant advertising
15. What should you do after preparing for your interview?
A) Plan your interview questions
B) Decide what you want to learn from the interview
C) Set up the interview
D) Conduct the interview
16. What is the best way to set up an interview?
A) Call the subject on the phone
B) Contact the subject in person
C) Send the subject an e-mail
D) Send the subject a handwritten letter
17. Which of the following is an example of an open-ended question?
A) “Are you saying you disagree?”
B) “Has that always been the case?”
C) “How do you feel about government waste?”
D) “Would you support animal rescues?”
18. When conducting an interview, you should __________.
A) start with your most difficult questions
B) avoid making direct eye contact
C) secretly record the interview
D) be open to new information
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19. When presenting evidence in a speech or an outline, it is unnecessary to identify the
__________.
A) author’s credentials
B) date of your research
C) name of the author
D) name of the publication
20. __________ are the different types of information that you use to develop and support
your main ideas.
A) Supporting materials
B) Periodicals
C) Research plans
D) Statistics
21. Which statement about supporting materials is FALSE?
A) They help build audience interest.
B) They help win audience agreement.
C) They prevent the audience from becoming emotional.
D) They enhance audience understanding.
22. Mitchell is preparing a speech on global warming and asks his younger sister, a high
school student named Maya, for her opinion on the issue. Maya explains that she’s concerned
about global warming because she thinks it could lead to an increase in natural disasters in the
future. Maya’s opinion on global warming is an example of __________.
A) lay testimony
B) expert testimony
C) statistics
D) an analogy
23. When presenting statistics in a speech, you should __________.
A) include as many statistics as possible
B) use presentation aids to explain your statistics
C) present your statistics without additional context
D) string multiple statistics together
24. A(n) __________ is a comparison based on similarities between two phenomena.
A) narrative
B) extended example
C) definition
D) analogy
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25. Plagiarism refers to __________.
A) misleading the audience by making a true statement that omits relevant information
B) intentionally seeking to deceive the audience by saying something untrue
C) presenting another person’s words or ideas as if they were your own
D) making a statement with the intent to lead listeners to an incorrect conclusion
26. Evidence can convince audiences to accept speakers’ claims.
A) True
B) False
27. The first step when developing a research plan is tracking down sources.
A) True
B) False
28. When creating research plans, speakers should consult school or community libraries as
well as the Internet.
A) True
B) False
29. When citing an Internet source, the only information you need to include is the URL.
A) True
B) False
30. Audiences are likely to accept biased evidence because it demonstrates an opinion.
A) True
B) False
31. Observational capacity enhances a source’s credibility on a topic.
A) True
B) False
32. In general, older evidence is more reliable than newer evidence.
A) True
B) False
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33. Periodicals are publications that appear at regular intervals—for example, weekly,
monthly, or quarterly.
A) True
B) False
34. If your topic relates to government activities, laws, or regulations, government
documents can provide useful information for your speech.
A) True
B) False
35. College students should not use advanced search features on search engines because
these are reserved for experts and professionals.
A) True
B) False
36. Wikipedia provides more in-depth and accurate information than most scholarly journals.
A) True
B) False
37. Speakers can assess websites’ credibility by evaluating those sites’ web addresses.
A) True
B) False
38. Academic Search Premier is an example of an online periodical index.
A) True
B) False
39. Websites that contain advertising are more likely to be credible than those that do not.
A) True
B) False
40. During interviews, paraphrasing key responses back to interviewees is an effective way
to ensure accurate communication.
A) True
B) False
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41. Extended examples provide details about the instance being used, giving your audience a
deeper and richer picture of your point.
A) True
B) False
42. Expert testimony consists of statements made by credible sources who have professional
or other in-depth knowledge of the topic.
A) True
B) False
43. As your use of statistics increases, your listeners are more likely to perceive your topic
as simple and straightforward.
A) True
B) False
44. Narratives are anecdotes or somewhat longer accounts that can be used to support your
main points.
A) True
B) False
45. In a figurative analogy, the two entities being compared belong to the same category.
A) True
B) False
46. The most basic ethical guideline for public speaking is this: tell your audience what they
want to hear.
A) True
B) False
47. When speakers make statements with the intent to lead listeners to an incorrect
conclusion, they are telling a half-truth.
A) True
B) False
48. Plagiarism is sometimes ethical.
A) True
B) False
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49. Out-of-context evidence quotes the author’s words selectively to support a claim that the
author did not make.
A) True
B) False
50. Whenever you use information that you have researched, you need to acknowledge the
source of that information in your speech.
A) True
B) False
51. You can use _____________, or information gained from research sources, to support
claims in your speech.
52. By presenting evidence, you can also gain _____________ as a speaker—the perception
of your audience that you are qualified to speak on your topic.
53. A(n) _____________ is a strategy for finding and keeping track of information to use in
your speech.
54. _____________ are career professionals who are hired to assist students and faculty
because they are experts at tracking down information.
55. A(n) _____________ contains information about the author of your evidence and where
your evidence can be found.
56. A source with _____________ has the knowledge necessary to offer reliable facts or
opinions about the topic in question.
57. Sources who demonstrate _____________ do not have a bias—prejudice or
partisanship—that would prevent them from making an impartial judgment on your speech’s
topic.
58. Credible sources are characterized in part by _____________, or timeliness.
59. To _____________ means to restate an author’s idea in your own words.
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60. _____________ are samples or instances that support or illustrate a general claim.
61. _____________ consists of statements made by persons with no special expertise in the
subject they are discussing.
62. A(n) _____________ is information (or data) presented in numerical form.
63. The principles and values that should guide your conduct when preparing and delivering
a speech are called _____________.
64. When a speaker makes a statement that includes true facts mixed with false information,
he or she is telling a(n) _____________.
65. A(n) _____________ occurs when a speaker misleads the audience by making a true
statement that leaves out relevant information.
66. Discuss the process of creating a research plan.
67. How can you evaluate a source’s credibility? Discuss the factors that can help you
determine whether a source is credible.
68. Identify the major types of library-based research tools and online research sources, and
discuss the advantages of each.
69. Leslie is writing a speech about traveling abroad but is having difficulty determining
whether she is using the best supporting materials. Suggest guidelines for Leslie that can help,
and explain why each is important.
70. When giving a speech, how can you make sure that you ethically incorporate and
acknowledge the ideas of others? Discuss the guidelines that should be followed.
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Answer Key
1. D
2. D
3. C
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