TOEFL LISTENING PART 2 EXAM 3

Summary

In this conversation, Dr. Johnson reviews Lisa's research paper on the nutritional value of chocolate. While Lisa has done well with citing her sources, Dr. Johnson points out some issues with the credibility of her internet resources, especially one linked to a student's paper. He advises her to carefully evaluate online sources and look for independent studies to back up her research. Dr. Johnson also highlights the potential bias in a study funded by a chocolate company, suggesting Lisa find additional supporting studies. Overall, he offers valuable guidance on improving her paper's credibility and reliability.

Takeaways

• 😀 Dr. Johnson appreciates Lisa's effort in citing sources and constructing her reference page.
• 😀 Lisa's use of internet-based resources is highlighted, with a focus on evaluating the credibility of such sources.
• 😀 Dr. Johnson emphasizes that a university domain does not guarantee the reliability of a source, as seen with the student paper.
• 😀 Lisa mistakenly assumed that a student paper hosted on a professor's website was authoritative.
• 😀 Dr. Johnson encourages Lisa to dig deeper when evaluating online materials, advising her to check the sources cited by others.
• 😀 Dr. Johnson points out that the study Lisa used might have potential bias because it was funded by a chocolate company.
• 😀 Lisa learns that a biased study may still be valid but should be corroborated by independent research.
• 😀 Dr. Johnson stresses the importance of replication in scientific experiments and finding independent confirmation of results.
• 😀 Lisa is advised not to discard the chocolate company-funded study but to seek additional studies to support its findings.
• 😀 Dr. Johnson’s overall feedback aims to improve Lisa's research by fostering a more critical approach to evaluating sources and studies.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the research paper discussed in the script?

The main topic of the research paper is the nutritional value of chocolate.

What did Dr. Johnson appreciate about Lisa's research paper?

Dr. Johnson appreciated that Lisa did a fine job of citing her sources and writing up her reference page.

Why did Dr. Johnson raise concerns about the sources Lisa used?

Dr. Johnson was concerned because Lisa used many internet resources without properly evaluating the credibility of some of them.

What specific issue did Dr. Johnson point out regarding the website of the professor?

Dr. Johnson pointed out that Lisa had used a student paper from the professor’s website, which may not be a reliable source as the student may not be an expert in the field.

What advice did Dr. Johnson give Lisa regarding using student work as a source?

Dr. Johnson advised Lisa to be cautious and not rely on student work, even if it is hosted on a professor's website, since students are not experts in the field.

What was the problem with the study funded by a major chocolate company?

The study was funded by a major chocolate company, which could introduce bias in the research. Dr. Johnson recommended finding independent studies to corroborate the results.

What did Dr. Johnson suggest Lisa should do when faced with potentially biased research?

Dr. Johnson suggested that Lisa should find other independent studies that replicate the same experiment to ensure the research is valid and unbiased.

How did Dr. Johnson recommend verifying online resources before using them?

Dr. Johnson recommended checking the sources cited within the online resources to ensure that they come from experts in the field.

Why is it important for a research study to be replicable?

It is important for a research study to be replicable because this ensures that the findings are valid and not the result of bias or error.

What was Lisa’s reaction to Dr. Johnson's feedback?

Lisa appreciated Dr. Johnson's feedback, expressing that it was very helpful and thanking him for the advice.