Which sequence reflects a typical FOIA request process?

• A. Prohibit following up
• B. Identify records, file request, track response, review records for exemptions, receive records, verify and summarize for audience
• C. Publish without review
• D. Pay bribes to speed up

Answer: (B)

FOIA processing follows a practical workflow: you first identify what records you want and which agency holds them, then file a written request. The agency then tracks the request, searches for the records, and reviews them to determine what can be released, applying exemptions when necessary. Once the records are prepared, you receive them and verify that you obtained the complete set, often followed by summarizing or adapting the information for your audience. This sequence—identify records, file the request, track the response, review for exemptions, receive records, verify and summarize for the audience—matches how FOIA requests are handled and why it’s the best fit. The other options don’t fit because they describe actions that aren’t part of the official process or violate ethics and law: prohibiting follow-up undermines the necessary tracking; publishing without review skips required scrutiny of redactions and exemptions; and paying bribes is illegal and irrelevant to FOIA procedures.