Deck 2: Being Accurate, Relying on the Facts

Question 1

Accuracy is ______.

A) the most important aspect of your job
B) a waste of time
C) impossible to achieve
D) optional

Answer 1

A

Question 2

What is the goal of good media writers?

A) to entertain the audience
B) to inform the readers
C) to persuade the audience
D) to reinforce the audience's beliefs

Answer 2

B

Question 3

In the past, a selection process known as ______ allowed media professionals to determine what people would and would not see.

A) sequestering
B) gatekeeping
C) publishing
D) editing

Answer 3

B

Question 4

What is a simple fact check?

A) defining your sources
B) citing your quotes
C) defining your facts
D) examining each fact for inaccuracies

Question 5

Fake news ______.

A) takes on a variety of meanings
B) does not exist in current times
C) only includes things like hoaxes
D) is easy to distinguish from real news

Question 6

When you are researching a topic or interviewing a source, ______.

A) seek "email" correspondence
B) go by memory as much as possible
C) don't bother checking your work
D) write as quickly as possible so you don't forget as much

Question 7

Newspapers, magazines, books, and other publications ______.

A) are too old to be useful in researching your topic
B) are not always infallible, but you know from where they came
C) are not recommended to use by the author of this book
D) no longer exist in the digital age

Question 8

Official websites that end in .gov or .edu ______.

A) are not trustworthy sites
B) are not as trustworthy as .com, .net, or .us sites
C) can be more trustworthy than .com, .net, or .us sites
D) should be avoided

Question 9

A simple fact check ______.

A) is rarely necessary
B) is not a good idea
C) is often overlooked
D) can take a significant amount of time

Question 10

When it comes to spelling, you should ______.

A) always run a computer-based spell-check
B) always assume the first choice is correct
C) go through it as quickly as possible
D) avoid using the computer-based spell-check

Question 11

You need to do a ______ examination of every proper noun in anything you write.

A) word-for-word
B) computer-based spell-check
C) visual
D) letter-by-letter

Question 12

Look at the ______ in your writing and make sure it's right.

A) length
B) flow
C) math
D) rhythm

Question 13

When you list places for your events, ______.

A) go by memory
B) don't bother checking the addresses
C) Google them
D) double-check the addresses

Question 14

When you have to write something and attribute it to a source, you should ______.

A) stick to what the person said
B) go by memory
C) make it as powerful a quote as possible
D) paraphrase as often as possible

Question 15

When you are writing, you need to make sure you ______.

A) make your story sound as interesting as possible no matter what
B) only say what you know for sure
C) enhance concrete details
D) use a lot of adjectives

Question 16

In most cases, stating a(n) ______ is the first step toward trouble.

A) absolute
B) truism
C) theory
D) opposite

Question 17

The ability to support an argument often rests on ______.

A) hearsay
B) the truth
C) how loud you argue
D) the quality and quantity of your source material

Question 18

A ______ source allows you to take information from someone or something that was present for whatever it is you are researching.

A) secondary
B) primary
C) quantitative
D) qualitative

Question 19

______ sources retell or interpret what the primary sources provided them.

A) Primary
B) Qualitative
C) Quantitative
D) Secondary

Question 20

Wikipedia is an example of a ______ source.

A) quantitative
B) primary
C) secondary
D) qualitative

Question 21

______ is another internet trend that can cause problems for media outlets.

A) Focus
B) Fame
C) Hoaxes
D) Oddity

Question 22

When you are a "non-denominational skeptic," you treat all content as______.

A) equal
B) myth
C) fact
D) entertaining

Question 23

______ is the most important skill you will learn as you read this book.

A) Writing
B) Accuracy
C) Editing
D) Publishing

Question 24

If you don't know something for sure, ______.

A) guess
B) skip it
C) look it up
D) ignore it

Question 25

Accuracy is the most important aspect of your job, regardless of whether you are publishing a newspaper, broadcasting a news report, issuing a press release, or sending out an advertisement.

Question 26

The goal of good media writers is strictly to provide entertainment.

Question 27

The more mistakes we make in journalism, the harder it is to maintain trust with our audiences.

Question 28

In the past, gatekeeping allowed media professionals to determine what people would and would not see.

Question 29

Just because a quick Google search reveals dozens of stories on a given topic, it doesn't always follow that the information is true.

Question 30

Links in source information always lead to credible sources.

Question 31

If you find only one source for your story, it's a pretty safe bet you're looking at some level of fake news.

Question 32

Where information comes from is not important in determining how much credence you should put into a story.

Question 33

It is not necessary to get copies of original documents, because people remember what they have said.

Question 34

It's a good idea to get copies of original documents so you can compare what people have told you with what someone wrote.

Question 35

Newspapers, magazines, books, and other publications are not good sources of information for media writers.

Question 36

In most cases, .gov and .edu sites can be more trustworthy than .com, .net, or .us sites, which anyone can start.

Question 37

It's rarely a good idea to use yourself as a source, even if you've become an expert on the topic.

Question 38

It is easy to dig into a piece or challenge a statement when that information comes from a source you dislike or that espouses a position with which you disagree.

Question 39

Spelling errors have no effect on credibility.

Question 40

Why is accuracy important in media writing?

Question 41

What is "fake news?"

Question 42

What are some ways to avoid spreading fake news?

Question 43

What are some places to verify information?

Question 44

What are some of the basic items you need to look at during a basic fact check?

Question 45

Why is journalism so picky?

Question 46

Why do media professionals matter now more than ever?

Question 47

What are the best ways to fight fake news?

Question 48

What are some tips for basic fact checking?

Question 49

How do you examine a piece of writing to finalize it?