Why Does Thomas Discuss the Fact That Patterns of Citation

question 748

Multiple Choice

Why does Thomas discuss the fact that patterns of citation do not always reflect sources that are good and true?

• A) Thomas discusses this fact to object to the argument that academics only care about knowledge and only cite what they take to be good and true arguments.
• B) Thomas uses this fact as an example of the ways in which trust and gratitude are important in the academy because students and mentors tend to cite works of those with whom they have developed relationships of trust and gratitude.
• C) Thomas discusses this fact to report the results of studies that show academic citations are predominantly of white men, rather than women or minorities.
• D) Thomas uses this fact to argue that the academy should stop requiring that people cite sources, since citations are not helpful for discerning good research.

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Definitions:

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A process where a change in a variable triggers mechanisms that amplify that change.

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A control system where a trigger produces a contrary effect to sustain an optimal state of the regulated subject.

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