Volume 1, I s sue 13

© 2002 The Washington Post Company

CURRICULUM GUIDE: RESEARCH INTEGRITY

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PostNewspaperInEducationProgram

An Integrated CurriculumResource Program

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Finding and CreditingSources

Evaluate a Web Site

Practice in ParaphrasingPlagiarism Resources

Word Study: Don’t GetCaught in the Net ofPlagiarism

Academic ContentStandards

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IN THIS ISSUE

February 26, 2002

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An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program

Volume 1, I s sue 13 February 26, 2002KLMNO

© 2002 The Washington Post Company

Lesson: Finding and crediting sourcesLevel: Middle to HighSubjects: English, Language ArtsRelated Activity: Social Studies,History, TechnologyProcedure

Discuss Use of Computers and theInternetDo your students have computers athome? Have they been introduced tothis technology at school? How oftendo your students use a computer toplay games? To send and receive e-mail? To conduct research? Beforereading the KidsPost article andsidebars, learn what your studentsknow about the Internet. Do theyhave favorite Web sites?

ReadRead the KidsPost article andsidebars.

DiscussAfter reading the KidsPost articleand sidebars, ask students to answerand discuss these questions.1. Why would a student want to visita homework help site on the Web?2. Have you visited any of the sitesmentioned in the article? How helpfulwere the sites? Do you know othersites to add to the list?3. Why should you find more thanone source for your informationabout a topic?4. Why is it important to know thedate of your source?5. In the URL, what do .edu and.gov mean? Why are these consideredreliable sources?6. Why may .org and .com not be asreliable a source of information?7. Why should you not give personalinformation on the Web?

Evaluate a Web SiteIf students are using the Internet forhomework help and research, theyneed to learn how to evaluate Websites. Are the sites reliable? Do theyprovide up-do-date information? Use

“Subject Specialties,” “Search Party”and “But Can You Trust It?” tocreate a checklist of attributes of areliable homework help Web site. Arethese the same qualities to look forwhen doing research? Give students“How to Evaluate a Web Site.” Twosites that will help you to prepare forthis evaluation activity arehttp://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/eval.html

Kathy Schrock’s Guide for EducatorsIn addition to providing evaluationsurveys for use with elementary,middle school and secondary schoollevels, Schrock provides abibliography of sources for Webevaluation. By the way, Schrockwrote The ABC’s of Web SiteEvaluation and Evaluating InternetWeb Sites: An Educator’s Guide.

http://lib.nmsu.edu/instruction/evalcrit.html

The Good, The Bad & The Ugly: or,Why It’s a Good Idea to EvaluateWeb SourcesThe New Mexico State UniversityLibrary provides criteria andexamples as well as a bibliography forfurther reading.ReadGive students “Word Study: a look atplagiarism.” After reading, stress whystudents would not want toplagiarize. To avoid plagiarism,writers should give credit to thesource whenever they■ use information that is notcommon knowledge■ quote another person’s written andspoken words and ideas■ paraphrase another person’sspoken or written words and ideas

DiscussHow do students keep fromplagiarizing when doing research?1. What is common knowledge?Make a list of information thatwould qualify as common

VocabularyCite: To quote as an authority or example

Common knowledge: Information and factsthat can be found in numerous placesand are likely to be known by the generalpublic

Endnote: A note at the end of an article, achapter or a book that comments on orcites a reference for a designated part ofthe text

Footnote: A note placed at the bottom of apage of a book or manuscript thatcomments on or cites a reference for adesignated part of the text

Quote: To repeat or copy the word ofanother, usually with acknowledgment ofthe source; to cite or refer to forillustration or proof

Paraphrase: A restatement of a text orpassage in another form or other words

Reliable: Dependable, worthy of trust

Reputation: The general estimation inwhich a person is held by the public; heldin high esteem

Search engine: On the Internet, a programthat searches for keywords in files anddocuments found on the World WideWeb, newsgroups, Gopher menus andFTP archives

Synonym: A word having the same ornearly the same meaning as anotherword or other words in a language

World Wide Web: An information serveron the Internet composed ofinterconnected sites and files, accessiblewith a browser

Definitions are from The American HeritageDictionary

Research IntegrityKidsPost Article: “Homework Helper: Putting the Web to Work for School”

3 © 2002 The Washington Post Company

knowledge.2. What is a paraphrase? What is thedifference between paraphrasing andplagiarizing? Be sure studentsunderstand that gatheringinformation is the first step ofresearch. They must evaluate theinformation, make connections andcome to their own conclusions.3. What is a quotation? When does awriter quote a source? Olderstudents could read the front page oftoday’s Washington Post. How doreporters indicate their sources ofinformation?4. How should students indicate thesource of quoted material andparaphrased material? Dependingon the level of your students andyour school’s style sheet, introducefootnotes, endnotes, parentheticcitation and attribution.

PracticeHelp students understand what is anacceptable paraphrase. Give eachstudent the reproducible “Practice inParaphrasing.” All three passagesrelate information about the QinDynasty of China.■ Ask students to write aparaphrase of passage 1. Havestudents share their paraphrasing,then discuss acceptable andunacceptable approaches.■ Students are to use passage 2 toanswer the question: Why and whenwere terra cotta warriors created?They are to express the answer intheir own words.■ Students use the third passage toexplain why the Great Wall wasbuilt. First, ask students to identifywhat would be common knowledgein the passage. Ask students towrite a one-sentence paraphrase.Students should note thedifferences in the spelling of “ShiHuangdi.” Discuss with them howto reconcile such differencesbetween sources.■ You may return to passage 2. Ask

students to rewrite their responsesciting the source. Which phrases andinformation require quotation marks?■ Without using the reproducible ortheir paraphrase practiceparagraphs, students are to writeabout the Qin Dynasty—its place inChinese history, its contribution toChinese culture and its leadership.This is their answer in their ownwords. Can this writing bestrengthened by adding aparaphrase with attribution orquoting one of the sources? Havethem experiment with theseadditions. Ask them to compare thethree versions (their own words, onewith paraphrasing, a final versionwith direct quotations).

EnrichmentYou may read this KidsPost article,then visit your school’s library. Haveyour librarian present the info-sources available for student use.Does your library have SirsDiscoverer, the Biography ResourceCenter and the Literature ResourceCenter? If not, what alternatives areprovided? You and the librarianmay want to present a lesson onhow to credit electronic sources atthis time.

“Homework Helper” can be foundat http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/education/kidspost/nie/A2180-2002Feb25.html.

“But Can You Trust It?” can befound at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/education/kidspost/nie/A2179-2002Feb25.html

“Subject Specialities” can be foundat http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/education/kidspost/nie/A2181-2002Feb25.html

“Search Party” can be found athttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/education/kidspost/nie/A2182-2002Feb25.html

Research IntegrityContinued

An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program

Volume 1, I s sue 13 February 26, 2002KLMNO

Plagiarism ResourcesON THE WEBhttp://www.indiana.edu/~wts/wts/plagiarism.html

Plagiarism: What It Is and How to Recognize and Avoid ItThough meant for college students and their professors atIndiana University, this site provides guidelines and exam-ples that can be easily adapted. Examples of unacceptableand acceptable paraphrasing, and strategies for avoidingplagiarism are very useful.

http://www.wiu.edu/users/mfbhl/wiu/plagiarism.htm

Plagiarism and the WebProvides suggestions to teachers on how to talk to studentsabout academic honesty and plagiarism.

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/research/r_plagiar.html

Avoiding PlagiarismThe Purdue University Online Writing Lab provides a clearpresentation of what might be considered plagiarism, whento document and a checklist to avoid plagiarizing.

http://www.asee.org/prism/december/html/student_plagiarism_in_an_onlin.htm

Student Plagiarism in an Online WorldProvides examples of online plagiarism and ways “to catcha plagiarist.” The list of Plagiarism-Fighting Tools is worthkeeping.

http://www.writing.northwestern.edu/tips/plag.html

Avoiding PlagiarismThese tips, provided by The Writing Place at NorthwesternUniversity, are meant for college students. They are validfor all students.

http://sja.ucdavis.edu/avoid.htm

Avoiding Plagiarism: Mastering the Art of ScholarshipA strong approach—emphasize scholarship and academicintegrity. Gives reasons why a student would not want toplagiarize.

http://alexia.lis.uiuc.edu/~janicke/plagiary.htm

Cut-and-Paste Plagiarism: Preventing, Detecting andTracking Online PlagiarismBasics on how to detect and “track down” plagiarism

http://north.gpschools.org/LMC/researchtips.html

Research TipsGrosse Pointe North High School Virtual Library providesstudents help as they are writing a research paper. A goodexample of what a school’s library can do to give studentsthe guidelines they need in the writing process.

© 2002 The Washington Post Company4

NAME __________________________________________________ DATE _____________

Evaluate a Web SiteIt’s really cheap and easy to put up a Web site. That’s both good and bad. You may find a Web site that seems to answer all yourquestions about, say, photosynthesis or the U.S. Constitution, but what if that information is wrong? How can you decide if aWeb site can be trusted? Here are some questions to ask.

1. How current is the information?a. When was the site last updated?b. Are there any books or articles recently published on the same topic?

2. Is the information accurate?a. On what type of domain is the site found?

.com

.org

.edu

.gov

b. Who wrote the Web content?–Is the author an expert or an educator?–Is this site the result of extensive study? Government and university studies are considered very reliable.–Has the author written books on the topic?–Is it a personal Web site?–Is the site produced by an anonymous source? Never use information from anonymous sources.

c. Does the site promote a particular cause or point of view?–What would certain organizations want to persuade you to believe?–Some special interest groups have valid research results

3. Can you verify the information?a. Is the same information available on other reliable Web sites? For example, on .gov and .edu sites?b. Has the same information appeared in journal, newspaper or magazine articles?c. Do any books relate the same information?d. Is this information in your textbook?

Who?What?When?

5 © 2002 The Washington Post Company

NAME __________________________________________________ DATE _____________

Practice in ParaphrasingWhen you are writing a paper, you may wish to put the ideas and words of another author into your own words. This is calledparaphrasing. Three writers provide you with information about the Qin Dynasty of China. Use the passages from print and twoonline sources to practice paraphrasing.

1Passage: The warlike Qin tribes of

western China conquered theirneighbors from 350 B.C. onward. By221 B.C. they had built the empirefrom which China takes its name.King Zheng of Qin (pronounced“Chin”) united most of China in justten years, ending the Warring Statesperiod. He changed his name to ShiHuangdi (meaning “First Emperor”)and founded the first imperialdynasty of China.

Source: The Concise HistoryEncyclopedia, Kingfisher Publications,New York

Copyright: 2001Page: 44

2Passage: The terra cotta warriors were

accidentally discovered by Chinesepeasants while digging a well. Thisdiscovery prompted archaeologists toproceed to Shaanxi, China, toinvestigate. No one knows why thissite became buried and lost amongmemories in the clay and in the mindsof China. What they found was theancient burial-site of the first ChineseEmperor Qin Shihuangdi. Thesewarriors were placed all around theburial tomb of Emperor Qin. BeforeQin, masters were buried withwomen, slaves, and soldiers. Thistradition during China’s feudal periodvanished during the life of Qin. Tosubstitute for the actual humans, Qinordered a massive clay army to beproduced for his protection. Qinwanted the afterlife to be the same ashis life on earth. Qin produced awarlike culture in China, whichbrought him many enemies. Duringhis lifetime there were three attemptsto assassinate him. He had to beprotected in the afterlife. He wantedhis afterlife to be exactly like his lifein China. This is the reason for themaking of the warriors.

Source:http://campus.northpark.edu/history/WebChron/China/TerraWar.html

Title: China and East Asia ChronologyAuthor: Mark L Kellerhals,

mkellerh@northpark.edu, September22, 1997

Site visited: February 22, 2002

3Passage: The oldest section of the Great

Wall was begun in 221 B.C., not longafter China was unified into anempire from a loose configuration offeudal states. The first Chineseemperor, Qin Shi Huang, restored theruins of older walls and linked themwith new construction to create amassive 3,000-mile-long fortificationmeant to protect China’s northernfrontiers against attack by maraudingnomads.

Source:http://www.discovery.com/stories/history/greatwall/qin.html

Section Title: The Qin Dynasty: ATyrant Protects His Back

Series Title and author: Secrets of theGreat Wall, Vince Rause

Copyright: Discovery Communications,Inc., 2000

Site visited: February 22, 2002

WALTERS ART GALLERY

Qin Warrior

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An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program

Volume 1, I s sue 13 February 26, 2002KLMNO

© 2001 The Washington Post Company

Word Study: A look at plagiarism

Would you ever feed yourneighbor’s pets and begin callingthem your animals? Or would youthrow a net over a friend’s CDcollection, toss them in your back-pack and take them home as if theywere your own?

We hope your answer is no. Theseare examples of unauthorizedborrowing or stealing.

Would you take words written byhistorians and pretend they wereyours? Or find a poem on theInternet and hand it in as your owncompleted homework assignment?

Although we are dealing withideas and words, not physicalobjects that can be picked up andcarried away, these are more exam-ples of stealing. Literary theft iscalled plagiarism (pronouncedplâ´je-rîz˝em).

Someone who says the ideas and

writing of someone else is his own isa plagiarist.

“Plagiarism” comes from theLatin word plagiarius meaningkidnapper, which comes fromplagium, meaning kidnapping. Theidea of taking against one’s will orwithout permission is at the coreof “plagiarize” and “kidnap.”Plagium comes from the Latinword for net, plaga. When you say“plagiarism,” picture a net so youcan more easily picture theunlawful capturing of a person forslavery or sale—and takingsomeone’s words and ideas withoutpermission.

When you are researching orwriting a report, you are expectedto be honest. You are to read manysources to understand a subject,then express your understanding inyour own words.

Sometimes you will include theidea of an author, but express it inyour own words. This is para-phrasing. You know you wouldnever have thought of this on yourown. You should let your readersknow who thought up the idea. Ifyou don’t, you are denying thatwriter his credit.

Sometimes the author of a bookexpresses an idea very clearly orwith excellent word choice. Youknow you could not express itbetter, and you think that ideawould make your paper stronger.Go ahead and include it, but don’tcheat. Give the author credit byusing quotation marks around herwords. Also be sure to cite thesource of the quoted material. Yourreaders might also want to find thebook, read the newspaper article orvisit the Web site.

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Volume 1, I s sue 13 February 26, 2002KLMNO

© 2002 The Washington Post Company

Academic Content StandardsThis lesson addresses academic content standards of Maryland, Virginia and the District ofColumbia. Among those that apply are:

MarylandLanguage ArtsWriting (3.0): Students produceinformational, practical, persuasive,and narrative writing thatdemonstrates an awareness ofaudience, purpose, and form usingstages of the writing process asneeded (i.e., pre-writing, drafting,revising, editing, and publishing).3.8.2: By the end of grade 8, studentsknow and are able to identify topics,ask and evaluate questions, anddevelop ideas leading to inquiry,investigation, and research.

1. Understand and use theorganizational features of printedtexts such as the citations,bibliographic references, andappendices to locate relevantinformation.

2. Use organizational features ofelectronic information and libraryand interlibrary computerizedcatalogs to research information forspecific purposes.

3. Give credit for both quoted andparaphrased information in abibliography using a consistent andsanctioned format andmethodology for citations.

Social StudiesSocial Studies Skills (1.0): Studentswill demonstrate an understandingof historical and current events usingchronological and spatial thinking,develop historical interpretations,and frame questions that includecollecting and evaluating informationfrom primary and secondary sources.1.1 Students will use thinkingprocesses and skills to gainknowledge of history, geography,economics, and political systems.1.1.5.8 analyze issues by stating theissue, identifying and summarizingviewpoints, and drawing conclusionsbased on evidence.

A complete list of Standards of Learning ofMaryland can be found on the Webat http://www.mdk12.org/mspp/standards/.

VirginiaEnglishWriting, Research 4.9: The studentwill use information resources toresearch a topic.

■ Construct questions about atopic.

■ Collect information, using theresources of the media center.

■ Evaluate and synthesizeinformation for use in writing.

■ Use available technology.

5.8: The student will synthesizeinformation from a variety ofresources.

■ Skim materials to develop ageneral overview of content or tolocate specific information.

■ Develop notes that includeimportant concepts, paraphrases,summaries, and identification ofinformation sources.

■ Use available electronic databasesto access information.

■ Credit secondary referencesources.

6.9: The student will select the bestsources for a given purpose,including atlases, dictionaries,globes, interviews, telephonedirectories, encyclopedias,electronic databases and theReader’s Guide.

A complete list of Standards of Learning ofVirginia can be found on the Webat http://www.pen.k12.va.us/.

Washington, D.C.English Language ArtsReading/English Language Arts,Language for Research andInquiry, Content Standard 3:Students use language and symbolsystems to define problems andorganize information. Grade 4: Thestudent selects, locates and appliesinformation from a variety ofreference sources. The studentcreates simple databases and usesexisting databases to search,organize and draw conclusionsrelating to a body of information;uses World Wide Web to researchand retrieve information

United States HistoryHistorical Inquiry, Analysis andJudgement, Content Standard 2:Students use varied methods andsources in research and writing.Grade 5: The student identifies,analyzes and interprets primarysources. The student uses librarysystems and museums to acquireknowledge; use Internet, e-mail,and WWW to access, send, andreceive communications, toresearch, to problem solve and toaid in decision making.

A complete list of Standards for Teaching andLearning of the District of Columbia PublicSchools can be found athttp://www.k12.dc.us/.