Prep Exam UPDATED ACTUAL
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
Political processes - CORRECT ANSWER acquisition of power and influencing
decision making
Public policy processes - CORRECT ANSWER institutional actions involved with
government carrying out its functions
Civic engagement - CORRECT ANSWER apply information literacy, problem -solving
and communication skills to address societal problems
Political parties - CORRECT ANSWER organizations whose members hold similar
views - seek to determine public policy through winning elections and public office
Interest groups - CORRECT ANSWER organizations whose members hold similar
views - seek to influence public policy through the political and public policy processes
Media - CORRECT ANSWER means of mass communication
Political parties and interest groups - CORRECT ANSWER use media to influence the
political and public policy processes
Popular sovereignty - CORRECT ANSWER authority derived from the people;
consent of governed
Limited government - CORRECT ANSWER government can only exercise powers
granted to it; according to the rule of law
, Federalism - CORRECT ANSWER power is divided between a central authority and
constituent units (national government and states)
Separation of powers - CORRECT ANSWER distribution of powers among
independent branches
Checks and balances - CORRECT ANSWER controlling government power - branches
can restrain actions of other branches
Federalists - CORRECT ANSWER supporters of ratification of U.S. Constitution
Anti-Federalists - CORRECT ANSWER against ratification of the Constitution
Researching a civic issue - CORRECT ANSWER determining which sources of info
are relevant, identifying the perspective, evaluating credibility of sources
Public records - CORRECT ANSWER county tax records, state agency report,
Congressional Record
Research data - CORRECT ANSWER may originate with universities to research
institutes
Advocacy groups - CORRECT ANSWER produce literature websites that outlines
positions on public policy issues
Credibility of sources - CORRECT ANSWER qualifications of writer; circumstances
in which sources material was generated; internal consistency and agreement with other
credible sources; use of supporting evidence; bias assumptions
Persuasion - CORRECT ANSWER inducing others into accepting a point of view
through reasoning and argumentation