Research & Source-Based Writing — Chapter Practice, Grade 9

Develop a focused research question about the assigned book or the source packet’s issue. Collect and evaluate additional verifiable sources, build an evidence matrix, and write a source-based explanation or argument.

Problem 1

Which is the MOST focused research question?
  1. What is video game addiction?
  2. Are video games bad?
  3. How does daily screen time above three hours affect sleep quality in teenagers, according to recent studies?
  4. Tell me about video games.
Answer and explanation

How does daily screen time above three hours affect sleep quality in teenagers, according to recent studies?

Only this option is specific enough — a measurable factor, a population, and a clear relationship to investigate — to guide real research.

Problem 2

Explain why a researcher might need to narrow OR broaden a question partway through a project.
Answer and explanation

If there's too much information to cover, the question needs to narrow to stay manageable; if there's barely any information available, the question needs to broaden so there's enough to research and support a thesis.

Problem 3

Why is it important to keep a running log of sources while researching, instead of only at the end?
  1. It is not important; sources can be found again easily later.
  2. It saves time and prevents errors, since tracking down a source after the fact is difficult and can lead to inaccurate citations.
  3. Logs are only required for informative essays, not research.
  4. Teachers require it only as busywork.
Answer and explanation

It saves time and prevents errors, since tracking down a source after the fact is difficult and can lead to inaccurate citations.

Reconstructing where information came from after finishing research is time-consuming and risks misattributing facts.

Problem 4

Take the broad topic 'sports' and narrow it into one focused research question.
Answer and explanation

Answers vary; accept any specific, answerable question, such as, 'How has the increase in youth specialization in a single sport affected injury rates among high schoolers?'

Problem 5

Midway through research, a student finds that their question, 'How does music affect people?' has thousands of contradictory studies with no clear focus possible. What is the BEST next step?
  1. Give up on research entirely.
  2. Narrow the question further, such as specifying a genre, an age group, or a specific outcome like focus during studying.
  3. Answer the question using only personal opinion instead of sources.
  4. Keep the question exactly as it is and hope for the best.
Answer and explanation

Narrow the question further, such as specifying a genre, an age group, or a specific outcome like focus during studying.

When a question is too broad to manage, the right move is to narrow its scope further with specifics, not abandon it or ignore the evidence problem.

Problem 6

Narrow the inquiry without presuming bias. Give a detail and explain its relevance.
Answer and explanation

Ask how the mural program represents a named worker’s role compared with the archive records. Analyze what each source includes, its purpose, and omissions; visitor comments may show responses but not the full audience.

Use the criteria to compare your reasoning, not to copy the model’s wording. A supported alternative interpretation may earn full credit.

Response criteria

  • Make an accurate, focused claim or revision.
  • Use a relevant detail or a clearly explained language choice.
  • Explain the relationship and recognize a relevant limit.

Problem 7

A learner writes: “Why are all public displays misleading?” Explain the problem and produce a better response.
Answer and explanation

The question assumes a universal answer. Specify a display and ask how excerpt selection affects the representation of speakers.

Use the criteria to compare your reasoning, not to copy the model’s wording. A supported alternative interpretation may earn full credit.

Response criteria

  • Make an accurate, focused claim or revision.
  • Use a relevant detail or a clearly explained language choice.
  • Explain the relationship and recognize a relevant limit.

Problem 8

Compare what you must inspect in these two cases. What can transfer, and what must be checked again?
Answer and explanation

Turn a broad topic into a question with a manageable place, time, population, and purpose. A question should require inquiry rather than assume its answer. The method transfers, but the particular detail, scope, and context must be read again. Ask how the mural program represents a named worker’s role compared with the archive records. Analyze what each source includes, its purpose, and omissions; visitor comments may show responses but not the full audience.

Use the criteria to compare your reasoning, not to copy the model’s wording. A supported alternative interpretation may earn full credit.

Response criteria

  • Make an accurate, focused claim or revision.
  • Use a relevant detail or a clearly explained language choice.
  • Explain the relationship and recognize a relevant limit.

Problem 9

Using an assigned reading or one exercise source, write a developed response applying the research process. Aim for 180–250 words; name the reading or reproduce the sentence you revise.
Answer and explanation

Ask whether a twice-weekly later opening at this school attracted enough use to justify its staffing cost during the trial. Compare the attendance log and budget, then interview staff about supervision limits. A complete response supplies context, a focused claim, a brief supporting detail, explanation, and a relevant qualification. Do not simply repeat this model.

Use the criteria to compare your reasoning, not to copy the model’s wording. A supported alternative interpretation may earn full credit.

Response criteria

  • Make an accurate, focused claim or revision.
  • Use a relevant detail or a clearly explained language choice.
  • Explain the relationship and recognize a relevant limit.

Problem 10

Write two specific feedback comments on a response to this unit: one on accuracy or meaning and one on evidence or language. Then state a revision priority.
Answer and explanation

Check whether the response explains turn a broad topic into a question with a manageable place, time, population, and purpose. a question should require inquiry rather than assume its answer. Ask for a relevant detail and the reason it supports the conclusion. Prioritize the mistaken assumption shown here: “Why are all public displays misleading?”

Use the criteria to compare your reasoning, not to copy the model’s wording. A supported alternative interpretation may earn full credit.

Response criteria

  • Make an accurate, focused claim or revision.
  • Use a relevant detail or a clearly explained language choice.
  • Explain the relationship and recognize a relevant limit.

Problem 11

Choose a fresh sentence or detail from the assigned selection. Explain how this unit’s method applies, and identify one uncertainty or limitation.
Answer and explanation

The archive proposal values participation, the historian asks for traceable uncertainty, and the resident asks for consent. A labeled memory layer with dates and participant approval connects these concerns without turning memory into the original map. The response must supply its own precise detail and explain it; copying the model without fresh evidence is insufficient.

Use the criteria to compare your reasoning, not to copy the model’s wording. A supported alternative interpretation may earn full credit.

Response criteria

  • Make an accurate, focused claim or revision.
  • Use a relevant detail or a clearly explained language choice.
  • Explain the relationship and recognize a relevant limit.

Problem 12

Which source is generally MOST credible for a research question about vaccine safety?
  1. A random social media post with no citations
  2. A peer-reviewed medical study
  3. An anonymous online forum comment
  4. A blog post with no listed sources
Answer and explanation

A peer-reviewed medical study

Peer-reviewed studies are vetted by other experts and rely on verifiable methodology, making them the most credible option here.

Problem 13

Explain the difference between a primary and a secondary source, using an example of each related to a historical event.
Answer and explanation

A primary source is firsthand, like a soldier's diary written during a war; a secondary source analyzes that event afterward, like a historian's book that references and interprets several diaries and records.

Problem 14

A news article about a new law is published on a website funded entirely by a political party that supports the law. What should a careful researcher do?
  1. Trust the article completely, since it is published online.
  2. Ignore the source completely and refuse to read it.
  3. Read it, but check its claims against independent, less biased sources before using it as evidence.
  4. Assume everything in the article is false.
Answer and explanation

Read it, but check its claims against independent, less biased sources before using it as evidence.

A source with a clear motive can still contain accurate information, but its claims should be verified against independent sources rather than trusted or dismissed automatically.

Problem 15

Why does the 'currency' of a source (how recent it is) matter more for some research topics than others? Give an example.
Answer and explanation

Fast-changing topics like technology or current events need recent sources to be accurate, while topics like ancient history or well-established scientific principles may rely fine on older sources; for example, a five-year-old article about the newest smartphones would already be outdated.

Problem 16

A student finds a compelling statistic on a website but cannot find the original study it claims to cite anywhere else. What is the BEST course of action?
  1. Use the statistic anyway, since it sounds convincing.
  2. Treat the statistic with skepticism and avoid using it unless the original source can be verified.
  3. Change the statistic slightly to make it easier to cite.
  4. Assume the website invented the statistic and report the website to authorities.
Answer and explanation

Treat the statistic with skepticism and avoid using it unless the original source can be verified.

An unverifiable claim should not be trusted as evidence; careful researchers only use statistics they can trace to a real, checkable source.

Problem 17

Decide how to use the sources. Give a detail and explain its relevance.
Answer and explanation

Trace the count to the original report and check whether attendance includes a different group. Until that distinction is documented, cite the report’s 38 volunteers and label the larger claim unverified.

Use the criteria to compare your reasoning, not to copy the model’s wording. A supported alternative interpretation may earn full credit.

Response criteria

  • Make an accurate, focused claim or revision.
  • Use a relevant detail or a clearly explained language choice.
  • Explain the relationship and recognize a relevant limit.

Problem 18

A learner writes: “A .org address guarantees an unbiased source.” Explain the problem and produce a better response.
Answer and explanation

An address describes registration, not evidence quality. Investigate authorship, funding, method, and corroboration.

Use the criteria to compare your reasoning, not to copy the model’s wording. A supported alternative interpretation may earn full credit.

Response criteria

  • Make an accurate, focused claim or revision.
  • Use a relevant detail or a clearly explained language choice.
  • Explain the relationship and recognize a relevant limit.

Problem 19

Compare what you must inspect in these two cases. What can transfer, and what must be checked again?
Answer and explanation

Evaluate expertise, access to evidence, method, publication context, purpose, date, and traceability. These are questions to investigate, not a scorecard based on appearance. The method transfers, but the particular detail, scope, and context must be read again. Trace the count to the original report and check whether attendance includes a different group. Until that distinction is documented, cite the report’s 38 volunteers and label the larger claim unverified.

Use the criteria to compare your reasoning, not to copy the model’s wording. A supported alternative interpretation may earn full credit.

Response criteria

  • Make an accurate, focused claim or revision.
  • Use a relevant detail or a clearly explained language choice.
  • Explain the relationship and recognize a relevant limit.

Problem 20

Using an assigned reading or one exercise source, write a developed response applying evaluating sources & bias. Aim for 180–250 words; name the reading or reproduce the sentence you revise.
Answer and explanation

The company has a sales interest, but that alone does not prove the count false. Ask for sample size, measurement, selection and comparison; the claim cannot establish tutoring caused the improvement without those details. A complete response supplies context, a focused claim, a brief supporting detail, explanation, and a relevant qualification. Do not simply repeat this model.

Use the criteria to compare your reasoning, not to copy the model’s wording. A supported alternative interpretation may earn full credit.

Response criteria

  • Make an accurate, focused claim or revision.
  • Use a relevant detail or a clearly explained language choice.
  • Explain the relationship and recognize a relevant limit.

Problem 21

Write two specific feedback comments on a response to this unit: one on accuracy or meaning and one on evidence or language. Then state a revision priority.
Answer and explanation

Check whether the response explains evaluate expertise, access to evidence, method, publication context, purpose, date, and traceability. these are questions to investigate, not a scorecard based on appearance. Ask for a relevant detail and the reason it supports the conclusion. Prioritize the mistaken assumption shown here: “A .org address guarantees an unbiased source.”

Use the criteria to compare your reasoning, not to copy the model’s wording. A supported alternative interpretation may earn full credit.

Response criteria

  • Make an accurate, focused claim or revision.
  • Use a relevant detail or a clearly explained language choice.
  • Explain the relationship and recognize a relevant limit.

Problem 22

Choose a fresh sentence or detail from the assigned selection. Explain how this unit’s method applies, and identify one uncertainty or limitation.
Answer and explanation

The archive proposal values participation, the historian asks for traceable uncertainty, and the resident asks for consent. A labeled memory layer with dates and participant approval connects these concerns without turning memory into the original map. The response must supply its own precise detail and explain it; copying the model without fresh evidence is insufficient.

Use the criteria to compare your reasoning, not to copy the model’s wording. A supported alternative interpretation may earn full credit.

Response criteria

  • Make an accurate, focused claim or revision.
  • Use a relevant detail or a clearly explained language choice.
  • Explain the relationship and recognize a relevant limit.

Problem 23

Which is a correctly formatted MLA in-text citation for an idea found on page 23 of a book by author Marcus Lee?
  1. (Lee, page 23)
  2. (Marcus 23)
  3. (Lee 23)
  4. [Lee, 23]
Answer and explanation

(Lee 23)

MLA in-text citations use the author's last name followed by the page number, with no comma and no 'page' label: (Lee 23).

Problem 24

Explain the difference between a direct quotation and a paraphrase, and name one thing both still require.
Answer and explanation

A direct quotation copies the source's exact words inside quotation marks, while a paraphrase restates the idea in your own words. Both still require a citation crediting the original source.

Problem 25

In an MLA Works Cited page, entries are organized…
  1. by the order they appear in the essay
  2. alphabetically by the author's last name
  3. from shortest to longest
  4. by publication date, newest first
Answer and explanation

alphabetically by the author's last name

MLA Works Cited entries are alphabetized by the author's last name.

Problem 26

A student copies a sentence directly from a website but changes two or three words, without using quotation marks or a citation. Is this plagiarism? Explain.
Answer and explanation

Yes. Changing only a few words is not the same as paraphrasing in your own words and sentence structure, and without a citation the reader would believe the idea and phrasing are the student's own.

Problem 27

A student uses a direct quote, cites it correctly with (Nguyen 14), but never includes a Works Cited entry for Nguyen's source anywhere in the paper. What is the problem?
  1. There is no problem; the in-text citation alone is always sufficient.
  2. The in-text citation is incomplete without a full Works Cited entry, since readers need both to trace the source.
  3. The page number should not have been included.
  4. The author's first name should have been used instead.
Answer and explanation

The in-text citation is incomplete without a full Works Cited entry, since readers need both to trace the source.

In-text citations are short pointers that only work alongside a full Works Cited entry; without it, a reader cannot identify or find the actual source.

Problem 28

Explain why this is not yet a sound paraphrase. Give a detail and explain its relevance.
Answer and explanation

The wording remains nearly identical. Quote the phrase accurately, or recast the idea genuinely: Lee argues that labels should indicate where the evidence remains incomplete. Attribution is still needed.

Use the criteria to compare your reasoning, not to copy the model’s wording. A supported alternative interpretation may earn full credit.

Response criteria

  • Make an accurate, focused claim or revision.
  • Use a relevant detail or a clearly explained language choice.
  • Explain the relationship and recognize a relevant limit.

Problem 29

A learner writes: “Changing three words means I no longer need a citation.” Explain the problem and produce a better response.
Answer and explanation

Borrowed ideas still need attribution, and borrowed distinctive wording needs quotation marks. Rewriting is not a numerical word-substitution rule.

Use the criteria to compare your reasoning, not to copy the model’s wording. A supported alternative interpretation may earn full credit.

Response criteria

  • Make an accurate, focused claim or revision.
  • Use a relevant detail or a clearly explained language choice.
  • Explain the relationship and recognize a relevant limit.

Problem 30

Compare what you must inspect in these two cases. What can transfer, and what must be checked again?
Answer and explanation

A citation allows readers to trace borrowed words and ideas. MLA in-text references direct readers to a Works Cited entry, adding an available locator such as a page number when appropriate. The method transfers, but the particular detail, scope, and context must be read again. The wording remains nearly identical. Quote the phrase accurately, or recast the idea genuinely: Lee argues that labels should indicate where the evidence remains incomplete. Attribution is still needed.

Use the criteria to compare your reasoning, not to copy the model’s wording. A supported alternative interpretation may earn full credit.

Response criteria

  • Make an accurate, focused claim or revision.
  • Use a relevant detail or a clearly explained language choice.
  • Explain the relationship and recognize a relevant limit.

Problem 31

Using an assigned reading or one exercise source, write a developed response applying citing sources: mla basics. Aim for 180–250 words; name the reading or reproduce the sentence you revise.
Answer and explanation

If Lee is not named in the sentence, use (Lee); if the prose already names Lee, do not repeat it without a locator. The entry uses Lee, the article title, the site title, date, and URL. Do not add a made-up page. A complete response supplies context, a focused claim, a brief supporting detail, explanation, and a relevant qualification. Do not simply repeat this model.

Use the criteria to compare your reasoning, not to copy the model’s wording. A supported alternative interpretation may earn full credit.

Response criteria

  • Make an accurate, focused claim or revision.
  • Use a relevant detail or a clearly explained language choice.
  • Explain the relationship and recognize a relevant limit.

Problem 32

Write two specific feedback comments on a response to this unit: one on accuracy or meaning and one on evidence or language. Then state a revision priority.
Answer and explanation

Check whether the response explains a citation allows readers to trace borrowed words and ideas. mla in-text references direct readers to a works cited entry, adding an available locator such as a page number when appropriate. Ask for a relevant detail and the reason it supports the conclusion. Prioritize the mistaken assumption shown here: “Changing three words means I no longer need a citation.”

Use the criteria to compare your reasoning, not to copy the model’s wording. A supported alternative interpretation may earn full credit.

Response criteria

  • Make an accurate, focused claim or revision.
  • Use a relevant detail or a clearly explained language choice.
  • Explain the relationship and recognize a relevant limit.

Problem 33

Choose a fresh sentence or detail from the assigned selection. Explain how this unit’s method applies, and identify one uncertainty or limitation.
Answer and explanation

The archive proposal values participation, the historian asks for traceable uncertainty, and the resident asks for consent. A labeled memory layer with dates and participant approval connects these concerns without turning memory into the original map. The response must supply its own precise detail and explain it; copying the model without fresh evidence is insufficient.

Use the criteria to compare your reasoning, not to copy the model’s wording. A supported alternative interpretation may earn full credit.

Response criteria

  • Make an accurate, focused claim or revision.
  • Use a relevant detail or a clearly explained language choice.
  • Explain the relationship and recognize a relevant limit.

Problem 34

Which of these is an example of TRUE synthesis, not just summary?
  1. Source A says X. Source B says Y. Source C says Z.
  2. Explaining what Source A argues in one paragraph, with no other sources mentioned.
  3. Comparing Source A and Source B's differing conclusions, then explaining what that disagreement suggests about the issue overall.
  4. Copying three quotations in a row with no connecting sentences.
Answer and explanation

Comparing Source A and Source B's differing conclusions, then explaining what that disagreement suggests about the issue overall.

True synthesis puts sources into conversation with each other and adds original analysis, rather than listing or copying them separately.

Problem 35

Explain what a 'signal phrase' is and why it helps when integrating a quotation into your own writing.
Answer and explanation

A signal phrase, like 'According to Dr. Ruiz,' introduces a quotation or paraphrase so it doesn't feel dropped into the paragraph out of nowhere; it also gives the reader context about who is being cited and why they're credible.

Problem 36

A paragraph is made up mostly of quotations strung together with almost no original sentences from the writer. What is the problem?
  1. There is no problem; more quotations mean stronger evidence.
  2. The paragraph has stopped being the writer's own analysis and become mostly other people's words.
  3. Quotations should never be used in research writing.
  4. The paragraph needs even more quotations to be complete.
Answer and explanation

The paragraph has stopped being the writer's own analysis and become mostly other people's words.

Good synthesis balances evidence with the writer's own original analysis; a paragraph that is mostly quotation has lost that balance.

Problem 37

Two sources disagree: one says a four-day school week improves student well-being, and another says it harms working families who rely on five days of childcare. Write one or two sentences that synthesize both viewpoints into an original insight.
Answer and explanation

Answers vary; look for a sentence that references both viewpoints (well-being versus family and childcare impact) using signal phrases and adds an original concluding thought, such as noting a possible trade-off or unanswered question worth further research.

Problem 38

Which paragraph structure BEST reflects strong synthesis?
  1. Quotation, quotation, quotation, no explanation.
  2. Original topic sentence, evidence from multiple sources with signal phrases, original analysis connecting it to the writer's claim.
  3. A single source summarized at length with no other sources referenced.
  4. A list of citations with no sentences connecting them.
Answer and explanation

Original topic sentence, evidence from multiple sources with signal phrases, original analysis connecting it to the writer's claim.

This structure leads with the writer's own point, brings in multiple sources properly introduced, and closes with original analysis — the hallmark of synthesis.

Problem 39

Synthesize without pretending all sources agree. Give a detail and explain its relevance.
Answer and explanation

A labeled evidence panel could add agency while preserving a welcoming mural and attributing historical claims. The sources still differ on priorities; the proposal answers overlapping concerns rather than eliminating disagreement.

Use the criteria to compare your reasoning, not to copy the model’s wording. A supported alternative interpretation may earn full credit.

Response criteria

  • Make an accurate, focused claim or revision.
  • Use a relevant detail or a clearly explained language choice.
  • Explain the relationship and recognize a relevant limit.

Problem 40

A learner writes: “All three sources discuss the museum, so they prove the same thesis.” Explain the problem and produce a better response.
Answer and explanation

A shared topic is not shared reasoning. State each position and connect specific agreements, conflicts, and conditions.

Use the criteria to compare your reasoning, not to copy the model’s wording. A supported alternative interpretation may earn full credit.

Response criteria

  • Make an accurate, focused claim or revision.
  • Use a relevant detail or a clearly explained language choice.
  • Explain the relationship and recognize a relevant limit.

Problem 41

Compare what you must inspect in these two cases. What can transfer, and what must be checked again?
Answer and explanation

Synthesis organizes several sources around your question or claim. It is more than a paragraph summarizing Source A followed by a paragraph summarizing Source B. The method transfers, but the particular detail, scope, and context must be read again. A labeled evidence panel could add agency while preserving a welcoming mural and attributing historical claims. The sources still differ on priorities; the proposal answers overlapping concerns rather than eliminating disagreement.

Use the criteria to compare your reasoning, not to copy the model’s wording. A supported alternative interpretation may earn full credit.

Response criteria

  • Make an accurate, focused claim or revision.
  • Use a relevant detail or a clearly explained language choice.
  • Explain the relationship and recognize a relevant limit.

Problem 42

Using an assigned reading or one exercise source, write a developed response applying synthesizing evidence. Aim for 180–250 words; name the reading or reproduce the sentence you revise.
Answer and explanation

The sources agree on the value of access but reveal an unfunded staffing condition. A limited trial could test demand only after identifying wage funding; the materials grant cannot be treated as available staffing money. A complete response supplies context, a focused claim, a brief supporting detail, explanation, and a relevant qualification. Do not simply repeat this model.

Use the criteria to compare your reasoning, not to copy the model’s wording. A supported alternative interpretation may earn full credit.

Response criteria

  • Make an accurate, focused claim or revision.
  • Use a relevant detail or a clearly explained language choice.
  • Explain the relationship and recognize a relevant limit.

Problem 43

Write two specific feedback comments on a response to this unit: one on accuracy or meaning and one on evidence or language. Then state a revision priority.
Answer and explanation

Check whether the response explains synthesis organizes several sources around your question or claim. it is more than a paragraph summarizing source a followed by a paragraph summarizing source b. Ask for a relevant detail and the reason it supports the conclusion. Prioritize the mistaken assumption shown here: “All three sources discuss the museum, so they prove the same thesis.”

Use the criteria to compare your reasoning, not to copy the model’s wording. A supported alternative interpretation may earn full credit.

Response criteria

  • Make an accurate, focused claim or revision.
  • Use a relevant detail or a clearly explained language choice.
  • Explain the relationship and recognize a relevant limit.

Problem 44

Choose a fresh sentence or detail from the assigned selection. Explain how this unit’s method applies, and identify one uncertainty or limitation.
Answer and explanation

The archive proposal values participation, the historian asks for traceable uncertainty, and the resident asks for consent. A labeled memory layer with dates and participant approval connects these concerns without turning memory into the original map. The response must supply its own precise detail and explain it; copying the model without fresh evidence is insufficient.

Use the criteria to compare your reasoning, not to copy the model’s wording. A supported alternative interpretation may earn full credit.

Response criteria

  • Make an accurate, focused claim or revision.
  • Use a relevant detail or a clearly explained language choice.
  • Explain the relationship and recognize a relevant limit.

Browse all courses