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English lesson plan · 12th grade (Year 13 in England) · 60 minutes

Paraphrase, quotation or plagiarism?

Writing & Editing

CCSS W.11-12.8CCSS W.9-10.8England: A-level Extended Project (academic honesty)England: AP Seminar and ResearchEngland: University preparation

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Paraphrase, quotation or plagiarism?.

  • I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
  • I can explain each step and say why it works.
  • I can check my answer and spot a mistake.

Before and after

Needs first: Evaluating research sources: primary vs secondary, authority, purpose

Leads to: the next skill in this area.

Materials: A model text, Planning frame, Checklists for editing, Mini whiteboards, A short model text on the board, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 6 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Evaluating research sources: primary vs secondary, authority, purpose). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. For a research project, is this usually a primary or a secondary source? a history textbook chapter about the First World War (primary source / secondary source) → secondary sourcePrompt: Was it created at the time, by someone directly involved?
  2. Read the question and choose. Two reliable sources disagree about a statistic. What is the best response? (pick the number that supports your argument / check how each figure was measured and report the disagreement fairly / leave out the topic / average the two numbers without explanation) → check how each figure was measured and report the disagreement fairlyPrompt: Think about authority (who made it), currency (when), purpose (why) and evidence (how).
  3. For a research project, is this usually a primary or a secondary source? the original data table from a scientist's experiment (primary source / secondary source) → primary sourcePrompt: Was it created at the time, by someone directly involved?

Hook · 6 min

  • Show two openings to the same piece of writing and ask which makes them want to read on.
  • Share the objective: Paraphrase, quotation or plagiarism?. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 12 min

  • Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
  • Example: How should the student's version be classified? Original (Okafor, 2021): "Urban trees reduce summer temperatures by shading streets and releasing water vapour." Student: According to Okafor (2021), city trees cool streets in summer through shade and the moisture they give off.
  • Step 1: Always credit sources. Use quotation marks for exact words, and paraphrase in your own words and structure; swapping a few words (patchwriting) is not enough.
  • Step 2: New wording and sentence structure, with the source credited.
  • Step 3: So the answer is: acceptable paraphrase (with citation)
  • Answer: acceptable paraphrase (with citation)
  • Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 12 min

  • Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
  • Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
  1. How should the student's version be classified? Original (Lee, 2019): "Teenagers who sleep less than seven hours are more likely to report low mood." Student: Lee (2019) found a link between short sleep and low mood in teenagers. (acceptable paraphrase (with citation) / correctly cited quotation / patchwriting (too close to the original) / plagiarism) → acceptable paraphrase (with citation)Prompt: Is the source credited? If not, it's plagiarism, whatever the wording.
  2. Is this the right way to classify the student's version? Original (Okafor, 2021): "Urban trees reduce summer temperatures by shading streets and releasing water vapour." Student: City trees lower summer temperatures by shading roads and releasing water vapour (Okafor, 2021). → patchwriting (too close to the original) (yes, it is correct / no, it is not correct) → yes, it is correctPrompt: Is the source credited? If not, it's plagiarism, whatever the wording.

You do: independent practice · 17 min

  • Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
  • Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.

The 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 7 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. Is this the right way to classify the student's version? Original (Lee, 2019): "Teenagers who sleep less than seven hours are more likely to report low mood." Student: Young people who get under seven hours of sleep tend to feel down more often. → plagiarism (yes, it is correct / no, it is not correct) → yes, it is correctPrompt: Is the source credited? If not, it's plagiarism, whatever the wording.
  2. How should the student's version be classified? Original (Okafor, 2021): "Urban trees reduce summer temperatures by shading streets and releasing water vapour." Student: Okafor (2021) notes that "urban trees reduce summer temperatures by shading streets and releasing water vapour." (acceptable paraphrase (with citation) / correctly cited quotation / patchwriting (too close to the original) / plagiarism) → correctly cited quotationPrompt: Is the source credited? If not, it's plagiarism, whatever the wording.

Watch out for

  • Writing everything at once without planning.
  • Editing only spelling and not whether the writing makes sense.

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: Evaluating research sources: primary vs secondary, authority, purpose.
  • Use concrete materials: a model text.
  • Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
  • Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.

Stretch

  • Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
  • Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.

Homework and more practice

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/english/grade-12.

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

eurekami

Paraphrase, quotation or plagiarism?

Name

Date

Score/ 8

  1. Question 1

    Is this the right way to classify the student's version? Original (Okafor, 2021): "Urban trees reduce summer temperatures by shading streets and releasing water vapour." Student: Okafor (2021) notes that "urban trees reduce summer temperatures by shading streets and releasing water vapour." → acceptable paraphrase (with citation)

    • A. yes, it is correct
    • B. no, it is not correct
  2. Question 2

    How should the student's version be classified? Original (Okafor, 2021): "Urban trees reduce summer temperatures by shading streets and releasing water vapour." Student: City trees lower summer temperatures by shading roads and releasing water vapour (Okafor, 2021).

    • A. acceptable paraphrase (with citation)
    • B. correctly cited quotation
    • C. patchwriting (too close to the original)
    • D. plagiarism
  3. Question 3

    Is this the right way to classify the student's version? Original (Lee, 2019): "Teenagers who sleep less than seven hours are more likely to report low mood." Student: Teenagers who sleep under seven hours are more likely to report a low mood (Lee, 2019). → plagiarism

    • A. yes, it is correct
    • B. no, it is not correct
  4. Question 4

    How should the student's version be classified? Original (Ruiz, 2020): "The printing press transformed how ideas travelled across Europe." Student: Printing changed the speed and reach of European thought, as Ruiz (2020) argues.

    • A. acceptable paraphrase (with citation)
    • B. correctly cited quotation
    • C. patchwriting (too close to the original)
    • D. plagiarism
  5. Question 5

    Is this the right way to classify the student's version? Original (Lee, 2019): "Teenagers who sleep less than seven hours are more likely to report low mood." Student: Lee (2019) found a link between short sleep and low mood in teenagers. → plagiarism

    • A. yes, it is correct
    • B. no, it is not correct
  6. Question 6

    How should the student's version be classified? Original (Okafor, 2021): "Urban trees reduce summer temperatures by shading streets and releasing water vapour." Student: Okafor (2021) notes that "urban trees reduce summer temperatures by shading streets and releasing water vapour."

    • A. acceptable paraphrase (with citation)
    • B. correctly cited quotation
    • C. patchwriting (too close to the original)
    • D. plagiarism
  7. Question 7

    Is this the right way to classify the student's version? Original (Lee, 2019): "Teenagers who sleep less than seven hours are more likely to report low mood." Student: Young people who get under seven hours of sleep tend to feel down more often. → correctly cited quotation

    • A. yes, it is correct
    • B. no, it is not correct
  8. Question 8

    Is this the right way to classify the student's version? Original (Okafor, 2021): "Urban trees reduce summer temperatures by shading streets and releasing water vapour." Student: City trees lower summer temperatures by shading roads and releasing water vapour (Okafor, 2021). → patchwriting (too close to the original)

    • A. yes, it is correct
    • B. no, it is not correct

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Answer key: Paraphrase, quotation or plagiarism?

  1. 1. B. no, it is not correct

  2. 2. C. patchwriting (too close to the original)

  3. 3. B. no, it is not correct

  4. 4. A. acceptable paraphrase (with citation)

  5. 5. B. no, it is not correct

  6. 6. B. correctly cited quotation

  7. 7. B. no, it is not correct

  8. 8. A. yes, it is correct