Free Praxis® Journalism (5224) Practice Questions

Sample Practice Questions

Try these 10 sample questions from the Praxis® Journalism (5224) practice bank. Each includes the answer and explanation. Continue with the interactive practice above to review the full question set.

1. 1How does accurate reporting contribute to democratic self-government?

   1. A.It enables citizens to make informed public decisions.Correct answer: A
   2. B.It ensures that elected officials share a single viewpoint.
   3. C.It gives news organizations authority to enact public policy.
   4. D.It replaces public deliberation with editorial decisions.

   Explanation: The handbook states, "the news media are a primary source of the information people need in order to govern themselves." Accurate reporting supports informed participation; it does not transfer governing authority to journalists.

   Reference: Handbook of Independent Journalism — Introduction, p. 2

2. 2A small event across the country becomes a local front-page story because several participants live in the newspaper's community. Which news value most directly explains the local interest?

   1. A.Timeliness
   2. B.ProximityCorrect answer: B
   3. C.Oddity
   4. D.Prominence

   Explanation: The handbook defines proximity by asking, "Did something happen close to home, or did it involve people from here?" The local participants create the connection.

   Reference: Handbook of Independent Journalism — Chapter 1, Proximity, p. 5

3. 3A reporter invents a quotation to represent what an absent student probably would have said. Which ethical violation has occurred?

   1. A.FabricationCorrect answer: A
   2. B.Attribution
   3. C.Paraphrasing
   4. D.Corroboration

   Explanation: The handbook states, "Ethical journalists do not put words in people’s mouths". Creating a nonexistent quotation fabricates evidence; it is not an accurate paraphrase of something actually said.

   Reference: Handbook of Independent Journalism — Chapter 7, Ethical Principles, p. 55

4. 4A journalism teacher is selecting model reporting for a unit on local issues. Which selection best follows JEA guidance on classroom materials?

   1. A.Examples from one familiar outlet, selected without considering perspective or format
   2. B.Appropriate examples from diverse sources in both print and digital formatsCorrect answer: B
   3. C.Only the most popular posts, selected without regard to their reporting quality
   4. D.Only examples written by the teacher, selected to avoid differences in approach

   Explanation: JEA directs teachers to "Select appropriate and diverse teaching materials in print and digital formats for classroom use." The selection should support learning while exposing students to relevant varied sources and formats.

   Reference: Standards for Journalism Educators — Standard #1A, Performance

5. 5A newsroom investigates whether a public agency's actions match its promises. Which democratic function does this reporting perform?

   1. A.Building public relations for the agency
   2. B.Exercising judicial review of the agency
   3. C.Providing independent scrutiny of governmentCorrect answer: C
   4. D.Negotiating policy on behalf of the agency

   Explanation: The handbook describes news media as "watchdogs on the activities of the political and judicial branches of government." Comparing promises with documented actions performs that oversight function.

   Reference: Handbook of Independent Journalism — Introduction, p. 3

6. 6An editor prioritizes a transit shutdown because thousands of students and workers will lose their usual transportation. Which news value is the editor emphasizing?

   1. A.Oddity
   2. B.Prominence
   3. C.Currency
   4. D.ImpactCorrect answer: D

   Explanation: For impact, the handbook asks, "Are many people affected or just a few?" The shutdown has broad practical consequences for the audience.

   Reference: Handbook of Independent Journalism — Chapter 1, Impact, p. 5

7. 7A student copies another publication's original reporting into a story and presents the work as their own. Which ethical violation does this illustrate?

   1. A.Fabrication
   2. B.Invasion of privacy
   3. C.PlagiarismCorrect answer: C
   4. D.An undisclosed conflict of interest

   Explanation: The handbook says journalists "do not pass off the work of others as their own." Appropriating another publication’s reporting is plagiarism. Fabrication invents material; privacy invasion concerns disclosure of private matters; a conflict of interest involves a competing personal interest. Those facts are not the act described.

   Reference: Handbook of Independent Journalism — Chapter 7, Ethical Principles, p. 55

8. 8A course is intended to prepare students for reporting across media. Which unit plan best supports that instructional goal?

   1. A.Teach print reporting alone and assume students will infer audio and visual techniques.
   2. B.Teach software commands alone and omit decisions about reporting and story form.
   3. C.Use one identical presentation for every platform regardless of its audience.
   4. D.Connect reporting tasks with decisions about text, audio and visual delivery.Correct answer: D

   Explanation: JEA expects teachers to "Construct lesson plans that cover the full range of journalistic storytelling and multiplatform delivery." Connecting reporting with appropriate delivery develops platform-aware journalism skills.

   Reference: Standards for Journalism Educators — Standard #1A, Performance

9. 9What distinguishes journalistic verification from simply distributing information?

   1. A.Selecting claims that attract the most online attention
   2. B.Establishing reliability before passing claims to the publicCorrect answer: B
   3. C.Presenting a source's confidence as proof of a claim
   4. D.Treating repeated publication as independent confirmation

   Explanation: The handbook explains that a journalist "determines how much of it is valuable and reliable before passing it on to the public." Popularity, confidence and repetition do not establish reliability.

   Reference: Handbook of Independent Journalism — Chapter 1, The Journalist's Role, p. 8

10. 10A company release announces a successful product trial but gives no information about failed trials. How should a reporter use the release when developing a news story?

    1. A.Treat it as a lead for independent reporting into the full results.Correct answer: A
    2. B.Publish it unchanged because the company has direct knowledge.
    3. C.Reject it as unusable because interested sources cannot supply facts.
    4. D.Label it an independent investigation because it contains statistics.

    Explanation: The handbook explains that releases "usually include only those facts that reflect positively on the person or organization featured in the release." Authenticity and the full story require further reporting; interested sources are not automatically useless.

    Reference: Handbook of Independent Journalism — Chapter 1, Where the News Comes From, p. 7