Abstract
This study explored how people perceive the intelligence of a source in relationship to the style of English used. Male and female research participants read a newspaper article that cited a private or public, male or female source on a political issue. Citations were (a) in correct English, (b) in regional dialect, or (c) in incorrect, flawed English. Readers assigned higher intelligence to those individuals cited in correct English. The authors discuss the implications for verbatim or corrected citing of sources.
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