Final answer:
A. True, using quotation marks while searching for phrases yields more focused results by searching for the exact phrase, thus providing fewer but more relevant results. It's helpful for precise research and adding credibility to essays through direct quotes.
Step-by-step explanation:
Searching phrases in quotation marks is indeed an effective way to focus your research because it allows you to specify the exact phrase you are seeking, leading to a narrower and more relevant set of results. When you place a phrase within quotation marks, the search engine looks for the exact phrase rather than treating each word separately. This is particularly useful when the keywords are common and could appear in many unrelated contexts.
For example, searching for "ethics" AND "artificial intelligence" will provide results specifically about the ethical considerations in artificial intelligence, as opposed to results that include ethics and artificial intelligence as separate, unrelated terms. Using quotations to find direct quotes or precise terms also ensures a more focused research effort, which is often expected in a research essay to establish credibility or ethos. When integrated smoothly with a signal phrase, using direct quotations can add authority to your writing, as the source of the quote is often a notable figure whose opinions add credibility to your argument.