Correct Response: B. The first step in developing the type of analysis described in the scenario is understanding important features or characteristics of each technology, and then identifying important areas of comparison and contrast between the two technologies to be compared. To do this, the students must be able to identify important points and key details in the articles because these are likely to focus on the practical considerations to be compared, such as effectiveness in solving the problem, cost, availability of materials, and time required to implement the solution. Options A, C, and D are not correct because these options do not promote background knowledge or skills relevant to the task at hand. Learning historical background information (A), developing a personal response to the articles (C), and becoming familiar with discipline-specific writing conventions (D) would not likely help students integrate and compare information about technological solutions to a problem.
