Question
Deo is working on a paper for his journalism class. His thesis is that newspaper reporters should not have to reveal their sources in court. He found journalist Earl Caldwell's story. In 1972, he was sued by the U.S. government for not giving up his sources. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of Caldwell. Deo also found an article on an anonymous journalist's Web site that says in other countries like the People's Republic of China the government decides what journalists can write. This person has to keep his or her identity a secret to avoid getting in trouble with the Chinese government.
How can he decide which source is more credible?
A.
Earl Caldwell's story is more credible because Supreme Court rulings can be easily verified.
B.
The article is more credible because it is written by a journalist who has revealed his or her sources.
C.
Earl Caldwell's story is more credible because it agrees with Deo's thesis on revealing sources.
D.
The article about China is more credible because it includes a spotlight on international journalism.
How can he decide which source is more credible?
A.
Earl Caldwell's story is more credible because Supreme Court rulings can be easily verified.
B.
The article is more credible because it is written by a journalist who has revealed his or her sources.
C.
Earl Caldwell's story is more credible because it agrees with Deo's thesis on revealing sources.
D.
The article about China is more credible because it includes a spotlight on international journalism.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
A. Earl Caldwell's story is more credible because Supreme Court rulings can be easily verified.
This option is the most logical choice, as legal rulings, especially those made by the Supreme Court, are well-documented and can be verified through official court records. Caldwell's experience provides a concrete example of the legal protection for journalists concerning source confidentiality, which directly supports Deo's thesis. In contrast, the credibility of the anonymous article cannot be confirmed due to the lack of specific authorship and verifiable facts, which may reduce its reliability compared to a documented Supreme Court ruling.
This option is the most logical choice, as legal rulings, especially those made by the Supreme Court, are well-documented and can be verified through official court records. Caldwell's experience provides a concrete example of the legal protection for journalists concerning source confidentiality, which directly supports Deo's thesis. In contrast, the credibility of the anonymous article cannot be confirmed due to the lack of specific authorship and verifiable facts, which may reduce its reliability compared to a documented Supreme Court ruling.