Ohio Graduation Test for Social Studies – March 2006
Annotated Item 37
Standard and Benchmark Assessed:
Standard: Social Studies Skills and Methods
Benchmark: A. Evaluate the reliability and credibility of sources.
Multiple Choice Question:
The Statistical Abstract of the United States, published by the U.S. government, contains
statistics gathered by numerous government agencies.
Why would the most recent edition of the Statistical Abstract be a more reliable source of
information than previous editions?
A.
B.
C.
D.
The most recent edition would not contain any errors.
The most recent edition would be less biased than previous editions.
The most recent edition would be a secondary source of information.
The most recent edition would contain the most up-to-date information.
Commentary:
This multiple-choice question asks students to consider the timeliness of a source as a criterion
for determining reliability. Specifically, it asks why a current edition of the Statistical Abstract of
the United States would be more reliable than an earlier edition. The answer is D; the current
edition would contain the most up-to-date information. The current edition would offer no more
protection against error than any earlier editions so Response A is incorrect. Timeliness is not a
guarantee of accuracy. The degree of bias is referred to in Response B, but that response is
incorrect as the appearance of bias is a factor in determining credibility, not reliability. The
Statistical Abstract would be a primary source, but whether a source is primary or secondary is
not a criterion for determining reliability. For both reasons, Response C is incorrect.
Performance Data:
The percent of public school students selecting answer choice D for question 37 on the March
2006 Ohio Graduation Test was 80%.
Keywords: Reliability of sources
Source: Ohio Department of Education
July 06