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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. In Chapter 8, "Bringing the News," Foster makes the point that during the Nassar scandal, the Lansing State Journal did what?
(a) Initially helped Michigan State University cover up the story but later pivoted to full coverage.
(b) Devoted its resources fully to the story and stuck with it over a long period of time.
(c) Covered the breaking news and then allowed local magazines to take over coverage.
(d) Covered the scandal primarily as a sports story.

2. In Chapter 6, "Source Code," what does Foster call the "gold standard" of sources (63)?
(a) Statistics.
(b) Expert sources.
(c) Eyewitness testimony.
(d) Professional expertise.

3. In Chapter 1, "The Structure of Nonfiction Information," what are the "four Ps" that Foster discusses?
(a) Purpose, proposal, program, and plan.
(b) Problem, promise, program, and platform.
(c) Purpose, paraphrase, platform, and paragraph.
(d) Problem, proposal, program, and plan.

4. In Chapter 2, "The Ecology of the Nonfiction Biosphere," what implicit assertion about online writing does Foster make?
(a) It is nearly always lower quality than the writing in print sources.
(b) It is susceptible to fewer hidden biases and is therefore more objective.
(c) It is capable of presenting hard news in a more timely fashion than print media can.
(d) It is often more accurate and more engaging than print media.

5. Based on Chapter 2, "The Ecology of the Nonfiction Biosphere," how would Foster sum up the place of newspapers in today's world?
(a) In a connected world, newspapers are simply irrelevant.
(b) Because we have invested heavily in modern newspapers, they have grown in popularity.
(c) Print newspapers may be obsolete, but online newspapers serve the same purpose.
(d) Although they are losing popularity, they are still an essential form of news media.

6. In Chapter 8, "Bringing the News," one of the main points that Foster wants to make about All the President's Men is that it is a kind of writing he calls what?
(a) Investigative journalism.
(b) Exposé.
(c) Meta-journalism.
(d) Reportage.

7. In Chapter 2, "The Ecology of the Nonfiction Biosphere," Foster notes that the expectation for a writer to be engaging does not apply to which types of writing?
(a) Academic.
(b) Technical.
(c) Political.
(d) Informational.

8. In Chapter 8, "Bringing the News," Foster maintains that types of newspaper writing like advice columns and human interest stories exist for what reason?
(a) Because they are traditional.
(b) To fill up space not needed for daily news.
(c) To sell newspaper advertising.
(d) Because readers can not live without them.

9. According to Chapter 8, "Bringing the News," at what level are most news stories written?
(a) The ninth to eleventh grade levels.
(b) The fourth to sixth grade levels.
(c) The twelfth grade level.
(d) The college sophomore level.

10. In Chapter 6, "Source Code," what consequence does Foster say the rise of the internet has had?
(a) A lack of respect for, and recognition of, expertise.
(b) A decline in the average American's reading ability.
(c) A new respect for minority opinions.
(d) A rise in people's awareness of current events.

11. In Chapter 5, "It May Just Be Me, But..." what does Foster say is true about quotes attributed to anonymous sources?
(a) There are likely to be good reasons for the source to stay anonymous.
(b) These quotes are often made up.
(c) There is never a good reason to use a quote from an anonymous source.
(d) These quotes are often just the reporter's interpretation of a source's meaning.

12. In Chapter 2, "The Ecology of the Nonfiction Biosphere," what does Foster call the rules governing different forms of nonfiction?
(a) Syntax.
(b) Precepts.
(c) Grammar.
(d) Laws.

13. In Chapter 2, "The Ecology of the Nonfiction Biosphere," how does Foster define "specialty journalism"?
(a) Editorial writing.
(b) Forms of journalism devoted to a single subject area.
(c) Feature writing.
(d) The newspaper sports section.

14. In Chapter 3, "The Power of the Prologue," Foster uses the word "etymologically" to describe what?
(a) The definitions of words.
(b) Similar sounding words.
(c) The origins of words.
(d) The opposites of words.

15. In Chapter 7, "All in How You Look at Things," Foster says that which type of nonfiction is usually better off starting at the beginning chronologically?
(a) Philosophy.
(b) History.
(c) Reportage.
(d) Biography.

Short Answer Questions

1. In Chapter 7, "All in How You Look at Things," what does Foster cite as one of the main reasons that Americans have historically trusted the news media?

2. In Chapter 7, "All in How You Look at Things," what does Foster say beginning writers often get too caught up in?

3. In Chapter 1, "The Structure of Nonfiction Information," what does Foster say is the purpose of the "four Ps?"

4. According to "The Building Blocks of Arguments," what are the "grounds" of a argument?

5. In Chapter 2, "The Ecology of the Nonfiction Biosphere," what problem does Foster say can arise if readers do not understand the forms of writing?

(see the answer keys)

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