Asking AI 'who funded this and why?'

End-of-lesson check

15 questions · take it digitally for instant feedback at tendril.neural-forge.io/learn/quiz/end-builders-research-AI-bias-of-the-source

1. Why is it important to know who funded a source before using it in your research?

   1. Because funding information tells you the exact publication date
   2. Because you need to know how much money they made
   3. Because funded sources are always wrong
   4. Because funding sources often have a specific perspective they want to promote

2. A research study about the health benefits of a product is funded by the company that makes that product. What should you be most careful about?

   1. Whether the study uses enough colors
   2. Whether the funding might influence the study's conclusions
   3. Who the lead author is
   4. How many pages the study has

3. Which of the following is a question you should ask when evaluating any source?

   1. How long did it take to write this article?
   2. What is the author's favorite color?
   3. What groups would benefit if I believed this article?
   4. What website host does this source use?

4. You find an article on a website that an AI describes as '右倾' (right-leaning). What does this mean for your research?

   1. The source should never be used
   2. The source only reports on sports
   3. The source is always accurate
   4. The source presents information from a conservative political perspective

5. When using AI to check a source's background, which question would be LEAST useful?

   1. What is this site's typical political leaning?
   2. Who funds this organization?
   3. What is the author's track record on this topic?
   4. What is the author's favorite movie?

6. A website publishes an article claiming a new diet product helps people lose weight. The website is owned by the company that sells the diet product. Why should you be extra cautious?

   1. The company has a financial interest in making the product look effective
   2. The company is always truthful
   3. The company has no connection to the product
   4. The article must be peer-reviewed

7. What does it mean to read a source through 'detective glasses'?

   1. To question who created it, why, and what they might want you to believe
   2. To only read the pictures
   3. To skip the introduction
   4. To read as fast as possible

8. An AI tool tells you that a news website has a history of publishing misinformation. What should you do?

   1. Be very cautious and verify claims with other reliable sources
   2. Use it as your only source for important topics
   3. Ignore all news from that website forever
   4. Stop using AI tools

9. Which scenario represents the strongest potential conflict of interest?

   1. A university funding research on student study habits
   2. A tobacco company funding research on the health effects of smoking
   3. A government agency funding research on road safety
   4. A charity funding research on poverty

10. You find two articles about the same topic with opposing viewpoints. One is from a source AI describes as '左倾' (left-leaning) and one as '右倾' (right-leaning). What is the best approach?

    1. Only read the one that matches your existing beliefs
    2. Use whichever one was published first
    3. Pick the one with more pictures
    4. Read both to understand different perspectives, while keeping their biases in mind

11. What is 'source bias'?

    1. A method for formatting citations
    2. A type of computer error
    3. A tool for measuring website traffic
    4. The tendency of a source to present information from a particular perspective or with certain inclinations

12. After asking an AI about a source's funding and bias, what should you do next?

    1. Stop using AI for research
    2. Delete your research notes
    3. Immediately cite the source without question
    4. Consider that information when evaluating the source's reliability

13. A health blog recommends a specific vitamin supplement. When you check, you find the blog is owned by a company that sells vitamins. This is an example of:

    1. A government health agency
    2. An unbiased educational resource
    3. A potential conflict of interest where the source may be biased
    4. A peer-reviewed medical journal

14. Why might an AI be useful for checking source background information?

    1. It can write your essay for you
    2. It can guarantee that sources are always truthful
    3. It can quickly search large amounts of information about a source's funding and history
    4. It can read your assignment for you

15. You want to use a source for a school project, but an AI tells you the organization is funded by a group with strong opinions on your topic. What should you do?

    1. Use the source without telling your teacher
    2. Only use that source since you found it first
    3. Avoid using any sources about that topic
    4. Be aware of the potential bias and consider finding additional sources to balance your research