That is a tricky question indeed! You are not the first person to ask why answer keys for the fact files are not provided.

The short answer is that there are many possible "right" answers (which frequently change), and half the purpose of the exercise is for students to learn how to do research, come to conclusions, and back up their assertions. Even if it seems frustrating, it's a valuable learning time for students as they start to see the world in more nuanced ways.

 

As for resources,  we have been very pleased with the CIA World Fact Book 


Here is a blog post written by Stacey Lane World Fact File for North Star Geography


A few months ago, Bright Ideas Press held a Google Hangout on the topic, How to Homeschool When There Isn’t an Answer Key


You can watch the video or read through the show notes below.


The Many Benefits of Open-Ended Assignments Without Answer Keys

When there is no clearly defined answer, you can focus on the process over the product. There are dozens of benefits to your child or teen as a result of working through open-ended projects.

  • Research and investigation experience
  • Reporting skills
  • Analysis of information
  • Source evaluation
  • Familiarization with the material
  • Following instructions
  • Acknowledging and understanding grey areas and nuances
  • Character training
  • Without an Answer Key, How do You Evaluate Open-Ended Assignments?
  • Without a clear-cut answer in a teacher’s manual, here are areas to look at when evaluating homeschool work:
  • Adherence to instructions
  • Quality of research and sources
  • Depth of thought and evaluation
  • Creativity and effort


Are There Times When an Answer Key is Needed?

Sometimes you do need test questions or homework assignments that have clear right or wrong answers.

  • when you’re testing for knowledge and comprehension, rather than application or evaluation
  • when test-taking effort is substantial
  • when the subject material lends itself to quantitative, T/F, or black and white answers
  • when you must assign a letter grade to a particular assignment (for transcripts, for example)


So What Can a Homeschool Parent Do When Faced With Assignments That Have no Clear Cut Right or Wrong?

When you don’t have an answer key, as these three simple questions.


1. What is actually being evaluated here?

If it’s knowledge and comprehension, then an answer key is called for.

If it’s process, evaluation, observation, analysis, reflection, synthesis, etc., then you may not need it. For example, science experiments, note-taking pages and journaling, and research questions generally won’t.


2. Does this require a grade?

If so, ask “What guidelines can I put into a rubric to make my grading more objective?”

If not, realize that it’s okay to have ungraded work. It’s also okay to award grades for completion and include them in their final grade evaluation.


3. How can I quantify this abstract assignment?

Use a rubric to turn fuzzy guidelines into black-and-white criteria. For example, you can evaluate a piece of writing on structure, clarity, thoroughness, and integrity.


Enjoy the journey, and let me know if there's anything else I can do to help!