Research and fact checking

About this practice suite

This suite prepares candidates for research and fact checking selection in the media, communications, language, and creative operations sector with 5 skill areas: critical thinking, reading comprehension, verbal reasoning, data checking and clerical accuracy and deductive reasoning. Every question was written by Novus editors for this suite — none are taken from live or leaked exams — and the full bank holds 52 scored questions across three modes, plus 8 reserve questions used to vary repeat attempts. Answer keys never ship to the browser: your answers are scored server-side, and results stay on your device.

Skills this suite practises

• Critical thinking — Evaluating evidence, assumptions, arguments, credibility, and alternative explanations.
• Reading comprehension — Understanding passages, instructions, policies, technical material, and workplace documents.
• Verbal reasoning — Drawing conclusions from written information without relying on outside assumptions.
• Data checking and clerical accuracy — Matching, filing, coding, record checking, and identifying discrepancies.
• Deductive reasoning — Applying stated rules and constraints to reach valid conclusions.

Sample questions from the guided bank

Two of the 10 guided-practice questions, shown exactly as they appear in a session. Answers and explanations are not printed here — keys stay on the server — so open guided practice to answer them and see how you did.

1. Research and fact-checking primarily focuses on:

   • A. Whether a story is newsworthy enough to trend
   • B. Which printer signature to use
   • C. Whether each claim can be verified against reliable evidence with a clear trail
   • D. Which media channel has the highest GRP

2. A draft cites a statistic but lists only 'according to studies.' Best first verification step?

   • A. Publish with the vague attribution
   • B. Locate the primary study or dataset, confirm numbers/dates, and cite the specific source
   • C. Ask a coworker if it 'sounds right'
   • D. Replace it with a more dramatic number

Practice modes and timing

Guided practice is untimed-feeling and instructional; the mini-test is a short timed check; the full simulation mirrors a complete sitting. All three draw on separate question sets, so moving up a mode never repeats what you practised.

Study outline

Read the study outline for this suite’s skills, timings, and recommended lessons on one printable page, or download its standalone HTML file. The printable page can also be saved as a PDF from your browser.