Research question: How has Texas water usage changed across regions over the past 20 years? Potential sources:

• Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) Water Use Data Dashboard (updated 2023–2024): State government site with downloadable datasets and interactive charts showing regional and historical water-use trends. Highly credible, very relevant, current, and free.
• Book: Rivers of Texas (2010): Print book by a well-known naturalist covering river histories and ecology. Credible background, but not current and not focused on recent usage data.
• Neighborhood blog post (July 2024): A resident's opinion piece about summer watering restrictions. Current and accessible, but anecdotal and not authoritative.
• Peer-reviewed journal article (2016): Study on conservation policies in Arizona and New Mexico. Credible scholarly source, but not Texas-focused and somewhat dated.
• News article (2023): Major Texas newspaper summarizing statewide drought conditions. Credible and current overview, but limited detailed data for long-term trend analysis.

Which single source would be most relevant and reliable for answering the research question?

Research question: What are the health impacts of vaping among middle school students? Potential sources:

• CDC Data Brief (2024): National Youth Tobacco Survey summary on youth e-cigarette use and associated health concerns. Highly credible, current, broadly relevant.
• NIH MedlinePlus webpage (2023): Plain-language overview of e-cigarette risks. Credible and current, but general and not a deep research synthesis.
• Pediatrics (2022) peer-reviewed meta-analysis: Synthesizes multiple studies on adolescent vaping and health effects. Highly credible, directly relevant, strong evidence.
• TikTok influencer video (2024): Personal claims about vaping. Current and accessible, but not credible or research-based.
• Textbook (2012): Tobacco and Society. Credible for historical smoking information, but outdated and not focused on vaping.

Which combination of sources would provide the best foundation for research on health impacts of vaping among middle school students?

Research question: What is the relationship between screen time and sleep in adolescents? Potential sources:

• Sleep Medicine Reviews (2021) meta-analysis: Peer-reviewed synthesis of multiple adolescent studies on screen time and sleep outcomes. Highly credible, directly relevant, and fairly current.
• American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) webpage (2024): Guidance for families on healthy screen habits. Credible and current, but advice-focused rather than research synthesis.
• Tech magazine article (2017): Popular press piece centered on adult screen use. Some credibility, but older and not focused on adolescents.
• Student blog post (2023): Personal experiences about staying up late with a phone. Accessible and current, but anecdotal and not authoritative.

Which single source is the best choice to answer the research question with strong, research-based evidence?

Research question: What was the economic impact of the State Fair of Texas on Dallas in 2023? Potential sources:

• City of Dallas Office of Economic Development report (2024): Independent analysis of the 2023 fair's local economic effects with methods explained. Government source, highly credible, directly relevant, and current.
• State Fair of Texas press release (2023): Promotes the event and shares headline impact figures. Current and relevant, but potentially biased and may lack methodological detail.
• Travel blog post (2023): Lists popular foods and rides, mentions crowd size. Accessible but not authoritative or rigorous.
• Newspaper article (2015): Earlier economic impact discussion. Credible journalism, but outdated for 2023 data.
• University blog summary (2024): Recap of the city's report. Credible summary, but secondary and not the original analysis.

Which single source is most reliable and relevant for accurately answering the research question?

Research question: How has drought affected the water supply in Texas over the past five years, and what conservation strategies are recommended? Source 1: Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) annual statewide water report (published last year). Government agency, peer-reviewed internally, comprehensive statewide data and recommended strategies; downloadable PDF; highly credible, very relevant, current, and accessible. Source 2: Landscaping company blog post on watering lawns (last updated in 2016). Commercial source with potential bias toward water use; narrow focus; outdated advice; limited citations; accessible but not reliable. Source 3: Recent peer‑reviewed journal article about drought impacts in California (this year). Highly credible but focused on a different state; relevant methods but limited applicability to Texas. Source 4: Local news story from a small-town paper (last week) about new neighborhood watering restrictions. Timely but very localized; credible journalistic source, yet limited scope for statewide research.

Which single source is the most relevant and reliable for answering the research question?

Research question: What safety rules should be followed in a middle school science lab when conducting simple chemistry experiments? Source 1: Your middle school's official lab safety manual (2024 edition), approved by the district science coordinator. Clear rules tailored to your setting; highly credible, directly relevant, current, and easy to access as a PDF. Source 2: National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) article on lab safety (2017). Credible professional organization; solid guidance but somewhat dated and not specific to your school's policies. Source 3: Popular science blog post (last week) with fun experiment ideas. Recent and accessible but lacks citations and formal safety review; credibility concerns. Source 4: Video compilation of "cool chemistry tricks." Entertaining but unsourced and not authoritative; may omit key safety practices.

Which source would be the most reliable and relevant basis for your safety guidelines?

Research question: What factors are contributing to bee population decline in North America, and what solutions are supported by current research? Source 1: Academic paper from 2005 on honeybee health. Scholarly but outdated for a rapidly changing topic. Source 2: U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service topic page (updated 2024) summarizing causes (parasites, pesticides, habitat loss) and evidence-based mitigation strategies, with links to current studies. Government research agency; highly credible, current, and accessible. Source 3: Personal blog by a hobbyist beekeeper (2025) describing local hive experiences. Recent and relevant anecdotes, but lacks peer review; limited credibility. Source 4: National news article (2024) summarizing a new university study on bee health. Timely and accessible, but secondary reporting without full methods.

Which single source offers the most credible, current, and comprehensive foundation for your research?

Research question: How did the 1900 Galveston Hurricane change coastal engineering and disaster preparedness in Texas? Source 1: Scholarly book from a university press (2019) analyzing the hurricane's historical impact on engineering and policy in Texas; peer-reviewed, in-depth, and accessible through libraries. Source 2: Recent travel blog post (2025) about visiting the Galveston seawall; casual tone, photos, minimal sourcing; accessible but not authoritative. Source 3: Digitized primary sources (engineers' reports, city plans, and letters) curated by a Texas university library repository; authentic documents with curator notes; highly relevant and credible as primary evidence. Source 4: Popular magazine article from 1974 summarizing the event; accessible but dated and lightly sourced.

Which combination of sources would provide the best foundation for this historical research?