Academic Integrity Toolkit: The Art of Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing

Materials Needed:

• Access to a computer/tablet (optional, for finding source material)
• One short, engaging informational text (200-400 words) selected by the learner (e.g., an article about a historical figure, a scientific discovery, or a hobby).
• Paper or digital document for writing practice
• Highlighters or colored markers
• Index cards or sticky notes (optional, for defining terms)
• Citation Guide (simple handout showing basic author/page citation format)

Introduction (15 minutes)

Hook: The Information Game

Educator Prompt: Imagine you just read an amazing fact online about how fast a cheetah can run. You want to share it with a friend, but you need to prove you aren't making it up! What are three different ways you could share that information while making sure your friend knows exactly where you got it?

The way we handle information we borrow from others is crucial for success in academics and professional life. Today, we are building your research toolkit by mastering three essential skills: quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing.

Learning Objectives (Tell them what you'll teach)

By the end of this lesson, learners will be able to:

1. Accurately define and differentiate between quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing.
2. Produce an effective quote, paraphrase, and summary from a source text.
3. Determine the most appropriate method (Q, P, or S) to use based on the context.

Success Criteria

You know you are successful when:

• Your direct quote uses quotation marks and is cited correctly.
• Your paraphrase captures the original idea but uses significantly different vocabulary and sentence structure.
• Your summary is much shorter than the original text and covers only the main idea.

Lesson Body: Content and Practice

I Do: Modeling the Fundamentals (20 minutes)

Step 1: Define the Tools

Instructional Method: Direct Instruction & Concept Mapping. Write the three terms (Quote, Paraphrase, Summarize) on separate index cards or sections of the whiteboard/screen.

1. Quoting (Q)

Using the original author's exact words. Must be enclosed in quotation marks (" ").

When to use: When the original wording is so strong, unique, or authoritative that changing it would diminish its power or meaning.

2. Paraphrasing (P)

Restating the original text's idea in your own words, sentence by sentence. This usually remains about the same length as the original passage.

When to use: When the idea is important, but the original text is too complex, confusing, or poorly worded for your paper.

3. Summarizing (S)

Condensing the main ideas of a large text (a paragraph, chapter, or article) into a much shorter passage (often 1-3 sentences).

When to use: To provide background or an overview of a source you used.

Modeling Example: (Educator models using a simple, pre-selected sentence, demonstrating the transformation for each technique.)

Original Text: "The nocturnal owl relies on its incredible sense of hearing to detect prey moving beneath the thick blanket of darkness, making sight less crucial for successful hunting."

• Quote: According to the guide, the owl relies on "its incredible sense of hearing" to find food.
• Paraphrase: Owls hunt successfully in the dark because their specialized hearing allows them to locate animals, suggesting that good eyesight is not necessary for them to catch prey.
• Summary: Owls are highly effective nighttime hunters mainly due to their excellent hearing.

We Do: Guided Practice – The Triple Threat (30 minutes)

Step 2: Analysis and Comparison

Activity: Source Material Speed Read. The learner selects their chosen short informational text.

Instructional Method: Collaborative Practice & Annotation.

1. Read & Highlight: Learners read the article once for general meaning. Then, they select a 3-4 sentence passage.
   • Highlight key vocabulary in one color (for paraphrasing).
   • Highlight the main idea in another color (for summarizing).
2. Execute the Techniques (We Do): Using the chosen passage, the learner and educator work together on a document, creating all three types side-by-side.
   • Q: Write the exact words, ensuring quotation marks are used correctly.
   • P: Focus on transforming the sentence structure first, then substituting vocabulary with synonyms. Check that no more than two words are in a row from the original text.
   • S: Step back from the details. What is the single most important point of the entire 3-4 sentence selection? Write that down briefly.
3. Citation Check: Introduce the standard requirement: Every borrowed idea must have a citation (e.g., Author, Page/Paragraph Number). Practice adding the citation to all three examples.

You Do: Independent Application – Context Challenge (35 minutes)

Step 3: Decision Making and Practice

Activity: Research Task. The learner continues working with their selected article or finds a new short passage of interest.

Learner Task: For the source material, the learner must complete the following three tasks and explain the reasoning for their choice:

1. Produce one effective QUOTE: Select a sentence that uses unique, specialized language. Why was quoting this necessary? (Success Criteria: Used quotes, cited)
2. Produce one effective PARAPHRASE: Select a passage that is detailed but could be explained more clearly. Why was paraphrasing this helpful? (Success Criteria: New structure/vocabulary, cited, maintained meaning)
3. Produce one effective SUMMARY: Condense the entire article into no more than two sentences. Why was summarizing this appropriate? (Success Criteria: Only main idea, much shorter, cited)

Formative Assessment & Feedback

The educator reviews the three examples, specifically checking the paraphrase for similarity to the original text. Feedback focuses on transformation, not just substitution.

Feedback Question: If I removed your source article, could I still tell exactly what the author said by reading your paraphrase?

Conclusion (10 minutes)

Closure and Recap (Tell them what you taught)

Discussion Prompt (Think-Pair-Share adapted for single learner):

Imagine your history teacher assigns a paper: "What role did President Lincoln play in the Civil War?"

• When would you use a direct quote? (Answer: A specific line from a speech.)
• When would you use a summary? (Answer: To briefly cover the overall context of the war at the beginning of the paper.)
• When would you use a paraphrase? (Answer: To explain a complex policy or idea from a history book in your own words.)

Summative Assessment: The Research Decisions

Activity: Quick Scenario Evaluation. (The learner verbally or written completes this quick check.)

Match the situation to the best tool (Quote, Paraphrase, or Summarize):

1. You need to capture the exact, moving language of a witness statement. (Answer: Quote)
2. You need to cover the main argument of a 5-page research paper for your introduction. (Answer: Summarize)
3. You are explaining a difficult scientific definition in your own paper so your reader understands it better. (Answer: Paraphrase)

Differentiation and Extension

Scaffolding (For learners needing support):

• Provide a structured checklist for paraphrasing: 1. Change the first word. 2. Break long sentences into two. 3. Look up three synonyms for technical terms.
• Use sentence frames to introduce quotes or paraphrases (e.g., "The article asserts that..." or "As [Author] states, '...').

Extension (For advanced learners):

• Source Synthesis: Find two different articles on the same topic. Summarize the main point of Article A, and then use a quote and a paraphrase from Article B to support that main point.
• Citation Styles: Introduce the differences between MLA and APA citation formats and practice citing the same source in both styles.