Writing Standards: Gathering and Citing Sources Accurately (CCSS.W.7.8)
Help Questions
Common Core 7th Grade ELA › Writing Standards: Gathering and Citing Sources Accurately (CCSS.W.7.8)
A student is researching the health effects of vaping using a CDC fact page (2023) and a school library article.
Which note shows a correct paraphrase with proper credit?
Nicotine can harm the developing adolescent brain, including parts that control attention, learning, mood, and impulse control.
According to the CDC (2023), nicotine from e-cigarettes can disrupt how teens' brains develop, affecting learning, focus, and mood.
Nicotine can harm the developing adolescent brain.
E-cigarette nicotine can interfere with teen brain development and attention.
Explanation
Choice B restates the idea in the student's own words and cites the source (CDC, 2023). A copies wording with no credit; C is a direct quote with no source; D paraphrases but gives no citation.
For a report on wind energy, the student read a 2020 page from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and a 2021 news article.
Which note correctly uses a direct quote with credit?
Wind turbines are responsible for fewer bird deaths than many other causes.
Compared with other dangers like windows and cats, wind turbines cause far fewer bird deaths.
Wind turbines kill far fewer birds than other threats.
Wind turbines kill far fewer birds than other threats (Cornell Lab of Ornithology, 2020).
Explanation
Choice D uses quotation marks for the exact words and gives a clear citation. A and B paraphrase but provide no credit; C has a quote but no source.
While studying the water cycle, the student consulted a science textbook by Rivera (2019) and an online encyclopedia.
Which paraphrase is written correctly?
Water evaporates from the land and rises into the air where it cools and condenses back into rain.
In the water cycle, water evaporates and condenses into tiny droplets that coalesce into clouds (Rivera, 2019).
Rivera (2019) explains that the water cycle moves water by changing it to vapor and back to liquid as it travels between the surface and the atmosphere.
From a book: water goes up and down in the air.
Explanation
Choice C is a true paraphrase in the student's own words and credits Rivera (2019). A copies common sentence structure with no credit; B borrows distinctive phrasing without quotation marks; D is vague and doesn't name the source.
Researching ocean plastic pollution using a United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) page (2021) and a newspaper article.
Which note shows the student gave credit to the source while avoiding plagiarism?
An estimated 8 million tons of plastic enter the ocean each year (UNEP, 2021).
Eight million tons of plastic enter the ocean each year.
Eight million tons of plastic enter the ocean each year.
According to a site, 8 million tons of plastic get into the ocean annually.
Explanation
Choice A presents a statistic and clearly cites the source (UNEP, 2021). B gives no credit; C uses a quote with no source; D is vague about the source and does not follow a standard citation format.
Topic: How plants make food Source A excerpt: "During photosynthesis, plants use sunlight to convert water and carbon dioxide into sugars and oxygen." Student task: Write a note in your own words and give credit.
Which note shows a correct paraphrase with credit?
Plants convert water and carbon dioxide into sugars and oxygen using sunlight during photosynthesis.
Plants "use sunlight to convert water and carbon dioxide into sugars and oxygen".
Plants make their own food by using sunlight to change water and carbon dioxide into sugar and release oxygen (Source A).
According to scientists, plants turn water and carbon dioxide into sugar with sunlight.
Explanation
Choice C restates the idea in new words and includes a parenthetical credit to Source A. The others either copy wording too closely or lack clear credit.
Topic: Coastal protection Source B excerpt: "In coastal ecosystems, mangrove roots help reduce storm surge by slowing water and trapping sediment." Student task: Add a note that fairly uses the source.
Which note shows the student gave credit to the source?
Mangrove roots can lessen storm surge because they slow water and catch sediment (Source B).
Mangrove roots help reduce storm surge by slowing water and trapping sediment.
As a website states, mangrove roots reduce storms.
Mangrove roots help reduce storm surge by slowing water and trapping sediment
Explanation
Choice A paraphrases in fresh wording and cites Source B. The others either copy the sentence without credit, are too vague, or include a quotation without a source.
Topic: Human body facts Source C excerpt: "The average human heart beats about 100,000 times per day, pumping blood through a network of vessels over 60,000 miles long." Student task: Take a note that avoids plagiarism and credits the source.
Which paraphrase is written correctly?
The human heart beats 100,000 times each day and moves blood through 60,000 miles of vessels.
Many experts say hearts pump blood through a long network of vessels and beat a lot every day (Source C).
The average human heart beats about 100,000 times per day, pumping blood through a network of vessels over 60,000 miles long (Source C).
On average, a human heart beats roughly 100,000 times a day and pushes blood through about 60,000 miles of vessels (Source C).
Explanation
Choice D rephrases the idea clearly and credits Source C; using the exact numbers is acceptable with citation. A copies too closely without credit, B is vague, and C is a direct quote rather than a paraphrase.
Topic: Recycling programs Source A excerpt: "Recycling aluminum saves 95% of the energy required to make the metal from raw materials." Source D excerpt: "Most curbside programs accept aluminum cans, paper, and certain plastics, but rules vary by location." Student task: Write a note that combines information from both sources fairly.
Which note accurately combines information from two sources with credit?
Recycling aluminum saves a lot of energy and curbside programs accept plastics.
Recycling aluminum can save about 95 percent of the energy used to produce new metal, and many curbside programs take cans and paper, though rules differ by city (Sources A and D).
Recycling aluminum saves 95% of the energy required to make the metal from raw materials, and most curbside programs accept aluminum cans, paper, and certain plastics, but rules vary by location.
According to a blog, recycling is good.
Explanation
Choice B paraphrases both ideas in new wording and credits both sources. The others either lack citations, copy wording without credit, or are too vague to be useful.
Source: Rivera, Maya. "Wind Turbines 101." EcoWorld, 2023. Excerpt: "Modern wind turbines use tall towers and long blades to capture steady winds. A single large turbine can generate enough electricity for several thousand homes in a year. Engineers place turbines in groups, called wind farms, where wind is strongest."
Which paraphrase is written correctly?
Modern wind turbines use tall towers and long blades to capture steady winds. A single large turbine can generate enough electricity for several thousand homes each year.
According to Rivera (2023), engineers cluster turbines into wind farms where winds are strongest, and one large turbine can supply power to thousands of homes each year.
Engineers place turbines in groups, called wind farms. This means they put them where wind is strongest.
Turbines are put together in windy places called wind farms and make electricity for many houses every year (EcoWorld).
Explanation
Choice B paraphrases the ideas in new wording and gives credit to Rivera (2023). A and D copy phrasing without proper citation to the author, and C quotes without any source credit.
Source: Chen, Lian. "How Sleep Strengthens Memory." Brain Basics, 2022. Excerpt: "During deep sleep, the brain replays important information and moves it from short-term to long-term storage. Missing sleep makes it harder to focus the next day and can hurt learning."
Which note shows the student gave credit to the source?
The brain replays important information during deep sleep and moves it to long-term storage. Missing sleep hurts learning.
Missing sleep makes it harder to focus the next day and can hurt learning (Chen).
Deep sleep replays info, moving it into long-term memory; lack of sleep affects focus the next day (Brain Basics, 2022).
Chen (2022) explains that in deep sleep the brain "replays important information" and consolidates it into long-term memory; skipping sleep can weaken focus the next day.
Explanation
Choice D includes a signal phrase with the author and year, uses quotation marks for the exact phrase, and paraphrases the rest. A has no credit, B mixes quoted and unquoted borrowed wording incorrectly, and C cites a site title instead of the author.