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Trivia preparation · October 30, 2026

Research Edge and
general PTK trivia

Fast answers to questions about Honors in Action, research methods, PTK history, symbols, programs, and people.

57 core Research Edge questions · 15 additional Research questions · 55 general PTK questions · 13 common mix-ups

Match the question’s edition or year. Current guide facts refer to 2026–2027; historical course examples and officer terms are labeled. These are study questions, not an official trivia question bank.

Quick recall sheet

Research Edge

Honors Study Topic began1968; PTK’s 50th anniversary
Biennial topic cycle2002 onward
2026–2027 topicWhat’s Next? Imagining the Future
Research → actionConclusions determine the action
Rubric split34 research + 33 action + 33 impact
Selected sourcesFive; review more before choosing
Citation editionAPA 7th
Essay / abstract / visuals2,600 total / ≤300 recommended / ≤3
Three HIA phasesInvestigate–Analyze; Act–Collaborate; Assess–Reflect
Quantitative / qualitativeNumbers / meaning and experience
IRBInstitutional Review Board
RAGRetrieval-augmented generation
Badges / unitsThree / Units 2, 3 and 4
Quiz threshold80% = 8/10

General PTK

FoundedSpring 1918.
HallmarksScholarship, Leadership, Service, Fellowship.
ColorsBlue and gold.
PredecessorKappa Phi Omicron, with six members. (1910)
HeadquartersJackson, Mississippi.
HIA publicationCivic Scholar
College Project publicationChange Makers
Current five starsGrow, Engage, Network, Lead, Discover.
Staff leaderDr. Lynn Tincher-Ladner

Research Edge questions

Learn the short answer, then check the names, counts, sequences, and edition labels. Source numbers link to the references.

Foundations, dates, and names

Question or clueShort answer
R01 What does HIA stand for?1Honors in Action.
R02 When did the Honors Study Topic begin, and what anniversary did it mark?1,21968, PTK’s 50th anniversary. The first listed topic was Our Cultural Heritage: 1800–1860.
R03 When did the Honors Study Topic switch from annual to biennial?12002; topics had been annual through 2001.
R04 Who develops the biennial Honors Study Topic?3The Honors Program Council.
R05 What are the eight topic-selection criteria?3Interdisciplinary, international, intellectual, interesting, important, in-the-news, theme-oriented, action-oriented.
R06 How many HIA learning outcomes does the introduction present?1Seven.
R07 Which Five Star Chapter Plan category includes HIA?4Discover.
R08 Who is the animated Research Edge overview guide?5,6,7Sam.
R09 What is the 2026–2027 Honors Study Topic, and how many themes does it have?2What’s Next? Imagining the Future; eight themes.2026–2027 official guide
R10 What were the 2022–2023 and 2024–2025 study topics?2The Art and Science of Play; The Power of Stories.Historical course example

Research questions and credible sources

Question or clueShort answer
R11 What should directly determine an HIA project’s action?1,8,9The conclusions drawn from credible Honors Study Topic research.
R12 What two sets of objectives do the core lessons distinguish?10,9Research objectives first, then action objectives.
R13 What makes an objective measurable?11,12A specific, observable target with defined evidence of success—for example, a count or attendance percentage and a deadline.
R14 What two counts appear in the measurable-objective exercise?11Recruit five team members; review, summarize, and share ten academic sources.Historical course example
R15 What are the six source-evaluation dimensions?13Authority, bias, credibility, currency, depth, and purpose.
R16 Who developed Analyzing Sources, and which college and chapter are named?13Jackie Pierce; Lake-Sumter State College, Florida; PTK Rho Eta advisor.
R17 How do primary and secondary sources differ?2Primary sources present firsthand research or knowledge creation; secondary sources analyze or review others’ work.2026–2027 official guide
R18 What four periodical types does Analyzing Sources distinguish?13Newspapers, popular magazines, academic journals, and trade publications.
R19 What distinguishes academic peer review?13Other subject experts evaluate a work’s rigor, contribution, and suitability before publication.
R20 Which four titles were classified as academic or popular in the source-sorting activity?14Academic: Modern American Literature and American Economic Review. Popular: New York Times and Newsweek.
R21 What is a seminal source?14A classic or essential work in its field.
R22 Expand NIL and NCAA in the college-sports research example.14Name, image, and likeness; National Collegiate Athletic Association.Historical course example
R23 Expand IRB.15Institutional Review Board.
R24 What small-scale step tests survey questions before full administration?15A pilot.
R25 Who presents the intellectual-humility Pinkcast, and whose book does he cite?8Daniel Pink, citing Warren Berger’s The Book of Beautiful Questions.
R26 What short question tests the significance of a conclusion?8So what?—why the finding matters.

AI-assisted research

Question or clueShort answer
R27 Who describes ten invented citations about the New Critics, and when did the example occur?16Dr. Liza Long; early 2023. All ten initial suggested articles were nonexistent.Historical course example
R28 What three research stages organize Long’s lesson?16Generate questions; find quality sources; synthesize and organize research.
R29 Which skills pair with finding sources and synthesizing research?16Information literacy; integrative thinking.
R30 Expand RAG.16,17Retrieval-augmented generation.
R31 Which institution is linked to STORM, and which tool is highlighted for podcast summaries and mind maps?16,17Stanford; Google NotebookLM.

2026–2027 guide and rubric numbers

Question or clueShort answer
R32 What is the official 100-point HIA rubric split?2Rigor of Research 34; Service/Action 33; Impact 33.2026–2027 official guide
R33 How many sources go in the selected-source list, and how is it ordered?2Five most impactful credible sources, alphabetized by the first author’s surname; consult more before selecting them.2026–2027 official guide
R34 Which APA edition is required, and when was it released?2,18APA 7th edition; October 2019.2026–2027 official guide
R35 What are the total essay limit, recommended abstract limit, and optional visual limit?22,600 words across the whole application; abstract recommended at no more than 300 words; up to three visuals.2026–2027 official guide
R36 What are the eight 2026–2027 theme areas, in order (paraphrased)?21 Relationships/identity; 2 separation/reconciliation; 3 conviction/culture; 4 liberties/social responsibility; 5 migration/exchange; 6 data/decisions; 7 living/working/playing; 8 designing a better future and barriers.2026–2027 official guide
R37 What are the three HIA phases, in order?2Investigate and Analyze → Act and Collaborate → Assess and Reflect.2026–2027 official guide
R38 What is convergent versus divergent exploration in the workbook?2Convergent: brainstorm interests, then choose a theme. Divergent: choose a theme, then brainstorm approaches.2026–2027 official guide
R39 How many prompts are in the workbook, and what objective-count range does it suggest?2Fourteen prompts; three to five measurable objectives.2026–2027 official guide

Action, collaboration, impact, and reflection

Question or clueShort answer
R40 What three forms can an HIA action take?9Traditional service, awareness campaign, or advocacy.
R41 Who should collaborate beyond the chapter, and when?9Campus people outside the chapter and community members, throughout planning, implementation, and reflection.
R42 Which Service/Action rubric criterion is worth six points?6,2Action’s connection to PTK’s Honors Study Topic.2026–2027 official guide
R43 Which Impact rubric criterion is worth six points?7,2Contribution to understanding the Honors Study Topic.2026–2027 official guide
R44 Which sorting examples are quantitative, and which are qualitative?19Quantitative: 15 town-hall participants and 23 books/articles. Qualitative: learning interview skills and appreciating others’ opinions.
R45 What should accompany a reported percentage?19Its underlying count or denominator; the lesson gives 65% of 100 survey respondents.
R46 Who should journal, how often should reflection occur, and how many key findings per source are requested?20Everyone on the team; throughout the project; three meaningful findings per source.
R47 Why keep a communications journal?9Track shared decisions and work, support reflection, and supply evidence for the HIA Hallmark entry.

Writing, editing, and historical planning examples

Question or clueShort answer
R48 What are the four writing/submission steps?21Plan and delegate → prepare/draft/edit → submit → celebrate and archive.
R49 Who reports Chapter Delegates, what can delegates access, and how many people should edit one application at a time?21Chapter advisors report them; delegates can access all chapter applications; one person edits a given application at a time.
R50 Does a paraphrase need a citation?21Yes. Restating a borrowed idea does not remove the need to credit its source.
R51 What should outside reviewers receive?21The draft entry, Honors Program Guide, and HIA rubric, with clear deadlines and enough review time.
R52 Which section do the optional timelines recommend writing first and last?22Impact first; introduction last.Historical course example
R53 Which months start the three optional timeline templates?22Spring: April; summer: June; fall: October.Historical course example
R54 Who created The Writer’s Diet, and what are zombie nouns?21Dr. Helen Sword; nominalizations—abstract nouns formed from other parts of speech.
R55 How many WordRake proofreading strategies are listed, and which keyboard shortcut appears?21Ten strategies; Ctrl+F.

Course structure and quizzes

Question or clueShort answer
R56 How many Research Edge badges are offered, and which units award them?23Three: Investigation (Unit 2), Action (Unit 3), and Impact (Unit 4). Unit 1 introduction has no badge.
R57 What quiz score is needed for a Research Edge badge?23,12At least 80% (8/10); the module quizzes are untimed and allow unlimited attempts.

Additional names and terms

Question or clueShort answer
S01 Which four Research criteria are worth five points each?5,2Research question, research objectives, study-topic research, and research conclusions.2026–2027 official guide
S02 How do the nine Research criteria total 34?5,2Four criteria ×5, four criteria ×3 (annotations, credible sources, APA citations, viewpoint range), plus spelling/grammar 2.2026–2027 official guide
S03 How do the seven Service/Action criteria total 33?6,2Research-to-action connection 6; five criteria ×5 (objectives, outreach, communication, awareness, lifelong service); writing 2.2026–2027 official guide
S04 How do the seven Impact criteria total 33?7,2Topic understanding 6; five criteria ×5 (lifelong service, issue impact, research outcomes, action outcomes, reflection); writing 2.2026–2027 official guide
S05 What undergraduate journal and selection count does the glossary name?3Civic Scholar; 15 top Honors in Action Hallmark entries. This is the glossary’s stated count.Historical course example
S06 Who wrote Make Us All Islands?13Richard Georges of the British Virgin Islands.
S07 Which publisher/series and anthology editor appear in the opposing-arguments example?13Greenhaven Press, Opposing Viewpoints; Janelle Rohr edited the 1987 Death and Dying anthology.Historical course example
S08 Which two general library databases appear in Analyzing Sources?13Academic Search Complete and General OneFile.
S09 Expand FATE in the Additional Sources annotation.2Fairness, Accountability, Transparency, Explainability.2026–2027 official guide
S10 Expand BIM and IoT in the updated housing-search example.2Building Information Modeling; Internet of Things.2026–2027 official guide
S11 Which five categories does The Writer’s Diet analyze?21Forms of be; nominalizations; prepositions; selected academic adjectives/adverbs; it/this/that/there.
S12 Who wrote the five-method plagiarism article, and what update date is shown?21Jennifer Calonia; April 25, 2023.
S13 Who authored the AI verification checklist, and what assistance does it disclose?17Liza Long; Claude.ai assistance.
S14 Which three established research services are named for checking AI suggestions?16,17JSTOR, EBSCO, and Google Scholar.
S15 What is the original versus revised Bloom sequence in the linked resources?9Original 1956: knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, evaluation. Revised: Remember, Understand, Apply, Analyse, Evaluate, Create.Historical course example

General PTK questions

Founding and history

Question or clueShort answer
G01 When was PTK founded?24Spring 1918.
G02 Where was PTK organized?24Stephens College, Columbia, Missouri.
G03 What precursor began in 1910?24Kappa Phi Omicron, with six members.
G04 How many colleges originally united?24Eight Missouri junior colleges for women.
G05 Which honor society inspired PTK?24Phi Beta Kappa.
G06 How were original chapter names assigned?24Greek letters were drawn from a hat.
G07 Which chapter first admitted men?24Kappa, at St. Joseph Junior College, in 1926.
G08 Which chapter first formed outside Missouri?24Mu, at Northeast Junior College, Oklahoma.
G09 When did national recognition occur?24November 19, 1929.
G10 Who granted national recognition?24American Association of Junior Colleges, now AACC.
G11 When was PTK’s seal created?241924.
G12 What did the 1921 pin resemble?24A blue triangle with Greek letters and pearls.

Symbols and identity

Question or clueShort answer
G13 What is PTK’s primary symbol?25The Golden Key.
G14 What do Phi, Theta, Kappa signify?25Wisdom, aspiration, purity, respectively.
G15 Which Greek words correspond to the letters?25Phronimon, thumos, katharotes.
G16 What does oak represent?25Stability and strong character.
G17 What does laurel represent?25Achievement and success.
G18 Whose head appears on the key?25Athena’s, representing learning.
G19 What does the key’s bottom inscription mean?25Light: learning and knowledge; letters phi, omega, sigma.
G20 What is PTK’s full name?25Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society.
G21 Where is PTK headquartered?25Jackson, Mississippi.

Hallmarks and colors

Question or clueShort answer
G22 What are PTK’s four Hallmarks?26Scholarship, Leadership, Service, Fellowship.
G23 What are PTK’s official colors?26Blue and gold.
G24 What does blue signify?26Scholarship.
G25 What does gold signify?26Purity.

Historical distinctions

Question or clueShort answer
G26 When is Founders Day observed?27,24November 19; distinguish the observance from the spring 1918 founding.
G27 Who was first named National President?27Ruth Barnard, Eta Chapter, William Woods College; 1929.
G28 Who became the first elected National President?27Margaret James, Whitworth College; 1930. Later known as Margaret James Mosal.
G29 Who was the first male National President?27John Hill, Mu Chapter; 1932.
G30 Where and when was the first convention?27Stephens College, Columbia, Missouri; 1919.

Membership and organization

Question or clueShort answer
G31 How does a student join PTK?28By invitation from the college’s PTK chapter; local eligibility standards apply.
G32 What coursework minimums does the FAQ generally list?2812 degree-applicable credits, or 6 credits toward a one-year certificate.
G33 What GPA does the FAQ generally describe for an invitation?283.5 cumulative; chapters can set different constitution-compliant standards.
G34 What GPA appears in the national Bylaws’ minimum-guidance table?263.0 (B average); local chapter requirements can be higher. Do not confuse this with the FAQ’s typical 3.5.
G35 Is the membership fee annual?28No. It is a one-time fee, with lifetime access to membership resources.
G36 Which scholarship helps cover the international membership fee?28Golden Opportunity Scholarship.
G37 Who sets the GPA required to maintain membership?28The local chapter; ask its advisor for its maintenance standard.
G38 What can members search for through PTK Connect?29Scholarship and college-transfer opportunities.

Programs and publications

Question or clueShort answer
G39 What is the College Project?30A chapter–college administration collaboration supporting the college’s mission and needs.
G40 Which publication features College Projects?30Change Makers: Phi Theta Kappa Journal of Student Leadership.
G41 Which publication features Honors in Action research?31Civic Scholar: Phi Theta Kappa Journal of Undergraduate Research.
G42 What submission enables a chapter’s consideration for Civic Scholar?31An Honors in Action Hallmark Awards entry.
G43 What is PTK Catalyst?32PTK’s annual convention.
G44 What does Honors Institute center on?33Students and advisors investigating the Honors Study Topic through educational activities and small-group seminars.

Five Star Chapter Plan

Question or clueShort answer
G45 Name the five current stars.34Grow, Engage, Network, Lead, Discover.
G46 Which star includes Honors in Action?34Discover.
G47 Which star includes the College Project?34Lead.
G48 How many essentials are in the current plan, and what is its timeframe?34Ten essentials during a calendar year, January 1–December 31; stars can be completed in any order.

People and roles in 2026–2027

Question or clueShort answer
G49 Who is PTK’s President and CEO?35Dr. Lynn Tincher-Ladner. This staff position differs from the student International President.
G50 How many student International Officers serve, and what are their roles?36Five: one International President and four divisional Vice Presidents.
G51 Who is the 2026–2027 International President?36,37José Fuentes — Northeast Texas Community College; Alpha Mu Chi.2026–2027 officer term
G52 Who is the 2026–2027 Division I Vice President?36,37Endri Dobrovoda — Bergen Community College; Alpha Epsilon Phi.2026–2027 officer term
G53 Who is the 2026–2027 Division II Vice President?36,37Catherine Derival — Polk State College; Xi Pi.2026–2027 officer term
G54 Who is the 2026–2027 Division III Vice President?36,37Samuel Pembele — Metropolitan Community College; Beta Pi Beta.2026–2027 officer term
G55 Who is the 2026–2027 Division IV Vice President?36,37Krisy Rachal — Tacoma Community College; Chi Gamma.2026–2027 officer term

Common mix-ups

Five sources or eight?5,7,2The updated Investigation lesson/quiz and 2026–2027 guide/rubric use five selected sources. A legacy Unit 4 rubric image says eight. Answer for the edition named; broader research may use more.
Which study topic is current in these materials?10,14,22026–2027: What’s Next? Imagining the Future. The Power of Stories is 2024–2025; The Art and Science of Play is 2022–2023. Older lesson examples retain those topics.
Do the optional timelines give verified 2026 deadlines?22,2No. They contain 2024 grant dates (April 17/September 18), December 31, 2024 action completion, and January 2025 references. The 2026–2027 guide directs users to the PTK dashboard for the applicable entry deadline.
Is the source-currency filter a universal eligibility rule?14,5,2No. Optional lesson 860 suggests five years; the 2026–2027 guide suggests five–ten years, with seminal/relevance exceptions. These search heuristics are distinct from the rubric’s past-year research wording.
Do journal in a title, a domain suffix, or no advertisements prove scholarly quality?14,13No. Providence Journal and Wall Street Journal are newspapers; domains and advertising are clues, not proof. Inspect author expertise, evidence, publication, and review process.
Is the 2,600-word limit per question? Is 300 words a mandatory abstract length?2No: 2,600 words covers all essay responses together. An abstract of no more than 300 words is recommended. Up to three visuals are optional.
Can a convincing AI citation or summary replace source checking?16,17No. Independently locate the source, read it, and check whether it supports the claim. Long’s ten nonexistent citations were a specific early-2023 example, not a universal current-model statistic.
Can an HIA team choose its action first and fit research around it?1,8,9The intended sequence is credible investigation → synthesis/conclusions → directly connected action. Conclusions explain significance and relationships, not just a list of summaries.
Does changing words eliminate plagiarism, and is plagiarism checking the same as AI detection?21No to both. Borrowed ideas still need attribution. Similarity/plagiarism tools compare existing writing; AI detectors estimate possible AI origin.
Does a 100-point rubric mean a 100% quiz pass is required?23,4,12,2No. The project rubric totals 100 points; Research Edge badge quizzes require 80% (8/10). The seven-question, one-attempt diagnostic does not determine course passage.
Is 3.5 the same as the national minimum-guidance GPA?28,26The FAQ describes 3.5 as typical. The national Bylaws’ guidance table lists 3.0; actual invitation and maintenance requirements depend on the chapter and constitution.
Are the two PTK presidents the same role?35,36No. Dr. Lynn Tincher-Ladner is President and CEO; José Fuentes is the student International President for 2026–2027.
Which college originally drew the Alpha chapter designation?24Hardin College drew Alpha; the designation later moved to Stephens College. Today’s chapter name does not identify the original draw.

Sources and edition notes

General PTK facts were checked against official PTK pages on October 30, 2026. Research Edge sources are the reviewed course lessons and their linked publications; Moodle links require login. Theme areas are paraphrased. Officer names apply to the labeled term.

  1. Research Edge — Introduction: What is Honors in Action?
  2. Research Edge — Introduction: Read More About Honors in Action (Optional)
  3. Research Edge — Introduction: Course Glossary (Optional)
  4. Research Edge — Introduction: Pre-Test
  5. Research Edge — Investigation of Credible Sources: Learning Outcomes, Overview and Judging Rubric
  6. Research Edge — From Research to Action: Learning Outcomes, Overview and Judging Rubric
  7. Research Edge — Impact, Reflection, and Writing: Learning Outcomes, Overview and Judging Rubric
  8. Research Edge — Investigation of Credible Sources: Developing Research Conclusions
  9. Research Edge — From Research to Action: Service/Action and Collaboration
  10. Research Edge — Investigation of Credible Sources: Developing Research Questions and Objectives
  11. Research Edge — Investigation of Credible Sources: Activity: Identifying Measurable Objectives
  12. Research Edge — Investigation of Credible Sources: Investigation quiz and badge
  13. Research Edge — Investigation of Credible Sources: Analyzing Sources
  14. Research Edge — Investigation of Credible Sources: What Is an Academic Source? (Optional)
  15. Research Edge — Investigation of Credible Sources: Academic Surveys and Interviews as Sources
  16. Research Edge — Investigation of Credible Sources: I Asked ChatGPT for Research Help—And It Lied to Me
  17. Research Edge — Investigation of Credible Sources: AI Research Tools
  18. Research Edge — Investigation of Credible Sources: APA Citations
  19. Research Edge — Impact, Reflection, and Writing: Impact
  20. Research Edge — Impact, Reflection, and Writing: Reflection
  21. Research Edge — Impact, Reflection, and Writing: Writing and Editing Hallmark Award Entries
  22. Research Edge — Introduction: Honors in Action Timelines (optional): Spring, Summer, and Fall originals
  23. Research Edge — Introduction: Start Here: Course Map
  24. Our First 100 Years
  25. Branding Standards and Guidelines
  26. Constitution and Bylaws
  27. Visionary 2008 official historical timeline
  28. Membership FAQ
  29. Contact PTK
  30. Campus and Community Service
  31. Civic Scholar
  32. Guide to Attending PTK Catalyst 2025
  33. Honors Institute
  34. Five Star Chapter Plan
  35. President and CEO
  36. Meet the 2026–2027 International Officers, May 6, 2026
  37. International Officer roster