CCRA.W.8: Gathering Information, Judging Sources and Avoiding Plagiarism

Overview

Lesson Procedure

60-60 minutes of class time across 5 phases.

1. Warm-Up5 minutes
2. Direct Instruction15 minutes
3. Guided Practice20 minutes
4. Independent Practice15 minutes
5. Closure5 minutes

1. Warm-Up5 minutes

   Warm-Up Prompt

   "You hear that the town pool will open two weeks late this summer. You could check a post from a stranger, the parks department's website or a friend's text. Which would you trust most, and what would you look for to decide?"

   Take four answers and list on the board the reasons students give (who said it, how they know, whether it is recent). These become the five credibility questions in Direct Instruction.

2. Direct Instruction15 minutes

   Use Diagram 1 to show the path from search to citation: search with focused terms, screen results for relevance, judge each source, take notes in your own words with the source attached, and integrate and cite. Credibility asks whether a source deserves trust; accuracy asks whether a particular claim is right. A credible source can still get one fact wrong, and a weak source can happen to be right, so writers check important claims against more than one source.

   Five questions for judging a source

   Question	Signs of a stronger source	Warning signs
   Who made it?	A named author or organization with knowledge of the subject	No name, a nickname, or "a guy I heard from"
   Why was it made?	To inform or to report	To sell, or to stir up feelings
   What evidence does it give?	Dates, names, measurements, quotations with a speaker	Claims with no source, or a statistic with no origin
   When was it made?	Recent enough for the question	Older than the events it is used for
   Does it check out?	Agrees with other credible sources, or explains why it differs	Contradicted by more authoritative sources

   Progression of CCRA.W.8 in grades 6-12 (short paraphrases of the grade-level standards)

   Grade-level standard	Band	What this band adds
   W.6.8	Grade 6	Gather information from multiple print and digital sources; assess the credibility of each; quote or paraphrase others' data and conclusions without plagiarism; give basic bibliographic information
   W.7.8	Grade 7	Adds using search terms effectively, assessing accuracy as well as credibility, and following a standard format for citation
   W.8.8	Grade 8	The same expectations as grade 7 (the wording is identical), applied to grade 8 research
   W.9-10.8	Grades 9-10	Authoritative sources and advanced searches; assess how useful each source is for the research question; integrate information selectively to keep the flow of ideas
   W.11-12.8	Grades 11-12	Assess the strengths and limitations of each source for the task, purpose and audience; avoid over-reliance on any one source
   WHST.6-8.8	Grades 6-8 (history, science, technical)	The grade 7-8 expectations, applied to history, science and technical subjects
   WHST.9-10.8	Grades 9-10 (history, science, technical)	The grades 9-10 expectations, applied to history, science and technical subjects
   WHST.11-12.8	Grades 11-12 (history, science, technical)	The grades 11-12 expectations, applied to the specific task, purpose and audience in those subjects

   Work through the five examples. They use a different invented question, "Why did the Linden Library change its weekend hours?", so the footbridge packet stays fresh for practice.

   • Choosing search terms (grades 7-12)

     Weak search: library. It returns millions of results about every library.

     Result: Better: Linden Library weekend hours change. Advanced (grades 9-12): put an exact phrase in quotation marks, "Linden Library" hours, and many search engines let you limit results to one kind of site, for example government sites with site:.gov.

   • Judging credibility

     Two sources: the library board's published meeting minutes, and an unsigned comment under a video that says the hours changed "because nobody reads anymore."

     Result: The minutes name the board, give the vote and the reason (a staffing gap), and were written to record the decision. The comment has no author, no evidence and a mocking purpose. Use the minutes; do not use the comment as evidence.

   • Checking accuracy across sources

     A blog says the new hours start June 1; the library's website says June 8.

     Result: Go to the most authoritative source for that fact, here the library itself, and use its date. In a sustained project, a writer can note the disagreement: "Some reports gave June 1, but the library lists June 8."

   • Quoting, paraphrasing and patchwriting

     Source sentence: "The board voted to close on Sundays until two new librarians are hired."

     Result: Quote: the board voted "to close on Sundays until two new librarians are hired" (Linden Library Board). Paraphrase: the library will stay closed on Sundays while it fills two staff positions (Linden Library Board). Patchwriting (plagiarism): the board decided to shut on Sundays until two new librarians are employed. It keeps the source's sentence and swaps words.

   • Integrating selectively, with a citation (grades 9-12)

     A writer has six facts about the hours change but needs only the cause for this paragraph.

     Result: Use a signal phrase and only what serves the point: According to the board's minutes, the library is short two librarians, so it cut Sunday hours (Linden Library Board). Leave the other facts for the paragraphs where they belong, and list every source in a works-cited list.

3. Guided Practice20 minutes

   Read the invented source packet below. Sources 3 and 4 are weak on purpose, and the page labels them so. The research questions are "Why was the Willow Creek footbridge closed?" and "When will it reopen?" Groups rate each source with the five questions from Direct Instruction, then compare what each source says about the reopening date.

   1Source 1: county website notice (digital). Linden County Public Works, "Willow Creek Footbridge Closure," posted March 3.

   2The Willow Creek footbridge in Alder Park is closed to all users. An inspection on February 24 found corrosion on two of the steel beams that support the deck. Repairs will replace both beams and the deck boards. Work is scheduled to begin April 7 and will take about 10 weeks. The bridge is expected to reopen in mid-June.

   3During the closure, pedestrians and cyclists can cross Willow Creek at the Mill Road crossing, 0.6 miles downstream. Updates will be posted on this page.

   1Source 2: local newspaper article (print). Daniel Okafor, "Rust Closes Willow Creek Footbridge," The Linden Ledger (a weekly newspaper), March 10, page 3.

   2Walkers in Alder Park found orange fencing across the Willow Creek footbridge last week, after Linden County closed the 1978 bridge on March 3.

   3"The beams have lost enough metal that we can't trust them under a crowd," said county engineer Ana Ruiz, who led the February inspection. Ruiz said repairs will take "about ten weeks" once crews begin.

   4The county will pay for the repair, estimated at $185,000, from its parks budget, according to figures the county provided to the Ledger. The bridge should reopen by the end of May.

   5Until then, Ruiz recommends the Mill Road crossing downstream.

   1Source 3: neighborhood forum thread (digital). Alder Park Neighbors, an online forum. Weak source: included on purpose for evaluation.

   2Post by AlderParkWatcher, March 5, 9:42 p.m.: "Heard from a guy at the hardware store that the county is tearing down the Willow Creek bridge for good to save money!!! Share this before they delete it."

   3Reply by trailmom22, March 6, 7:15 a.m.: "Is there a link? I can't find anything about this on the county site."

   4Reply by AlderParkWatcher, March 6, 8:03 a.m.: "Don't need a link. Everybody knows."

   1Source 4: sponsored post (digital). An advertisement shown in a social media feed, marked "Sponsored," from SteelSafe Coatings, a company that sells rust-proof paint for steel. Weak source: included on purpose for evaluation.

   2"Rusty bridges like the one in Alder Park are a warning sign. Bridges fail when counties skip protective coatings. 9 out of 10 engineers recommend SteelSafe. Protect your town: ask your county to choose SteelSafe today!"

   3The post links to a page where readers can request a price quote.

   1Source 5: park guidebook (print). Alder Park Visitor's Guide, a booklet published in 2019 by the Friends of Alder Park, a volunteer group, page 12.

   2"The Willow Creek footbridge, built in 1978, links the picnic meadow to the north trails and is open year-round from dawn to dusk. Its steel frame and wooden deck carry walkers, runners and cyclists across the creek's narrowest point. Look upstream from the middle of the bridge for herons in early morning."

   1. Rate each source. Groups fill one row of the rating chart per source: who made it, why, what evidence it gives, when, and whether it checks out.
   2. Check one claim across sources. Ask: "What does each source say about when the bridge will reopen? Which source is in the best position to know?" Teacher note: let groups do the date arithmetic themselves; it is quiz material.
   3. Judge each claim, not only each source. Ask: "Is there anything in the guidebook that is still useful, even though it is out of date?"
   4. Read the models. Grades 6-8 read the first model paragraph and mark each quotation, paraphrase and citation. Grades 9-12 read the second and mark where the writer judges a source's limits. The models use a simplified MLA-style format; students follow the format their teacher assigns.

   Research question: Why was the Willow Creek footbridge closed?

   The Willow Creek footbridge in Alder Park closed in early March because an inspection showed that it was no longer safe. According to Linden County Public Works, a February 24 inspection "found corrosion on two of the steel beams that support the deck." County engineer Ana Ruiz explained the danger in plainer words: "The beams have lost enough metal that we can't trust them under a crowd" (Okafor). In other words, rust had thinned the steel until the bridge might not safely hold many people at once. The county plans to replace both beams and the wooden deck boards (Linden County Public Works).

   Works Cited

   Linden County Public Works. "Willow Creek Footbridge Closure." Linden County, 3 Mar. 2026.

   Okafor, Daniel. "Rust Closes Willow Creek Footbridge." The Linden Ledger, 10 Mar. 2026, p. 3.

   Research question: What will the Willow Creek repair involve, and what will it cost?

   Linden County is planning a full repair of the Willow Creek footbridge, not a quick patch. Its closure notice says crews will replace both steel beams and the deck boards (Linden County Public Works). The Linden Ledger supplies the price, an estimated $185,000 from the parks budget, but it credits that figure to the county itself (Okafor), so the newspaper is passing on the county's number rather than checking it independently. For an audience of residents deciding whether the spending is reasonable, the estimate is a useful start; a careful writer would still confirm it in the county's budget records before treating it as final.

4. Independent Practice15 minutes

   The paragraph below was written for this page as an example of plagiarism, and it is not a model. Students compare it with Source 1, sentence by sentence, and explain why it is plagiarism even though few phrases match exactly. Then they rewrite it as an honest paraphrase with a citation, or as a mix of paraphrase and one short quotation.

   Patchwritten paragraph (written for this page as an example of plagiarism; do not imitate).

   The Willow Creek footbridge in Alder Park is shut to all users. An inspection on February 24 discovered rust on two of the steel beams that hold up the deck. Repairs will swap out both beams and the deck boards. The work is planned to start April 7 and will last roughly 10 weeks.

   Grades 9-12 extension: students write two sentences that report the reopening date for an audience of students who use the bridge to walk to school, choosing which source to rely on and saying why. The quiz and homework use the packet, the models and the patchwritten paragraph.

5. Closure5 minutes

   Exit ticket: Name the source in the packet you trust least and the source you trust most, with one reason each from the five questions. Look for reasons that go beyond "it sounds right."

   Teacher note: every source, person, place and organization in the packet is invented, including the county, the newspaper and the company, so no real agency or business is being judged. The "9 out of 10 engineers" line in Source 4 is an invented, unsupported advertising claim, used to show what an unsourced statistic looks like. The citation dates in the models are invented too.

Differentiation Strategies

Assessment Guidance

1. Question 1 of 20 · Multiple Choice

   Which source in the packet is in the best position to give the bridge's reopening date?

   ASource 1, the county closure notice BSource 2, the newspaper article CSource 5, the park guidebook DSource 3, the neighborhood forum thread

2. Question 2 of 20 · Multiple Choice

   Source 1 says the work "is scheduled to begin April 7 and will take about 10 weeks." About when does that schedule end?

   AAbout May 12 BAbout May 19 CAbout June 16 DAbout July 7

3. Question 3 of 20 · Multiple Choice

   The newspaper says the bridge "should reopen by the end of May," but the county gives mid-June. How should a research paper handle this?

   AUse the end of May, because newspapers always check every fact they print BUse mid-June, which fits the county's schedule, and note the other date CAverage the two dates and report about the first week of June DLeave the date out, because the two sources do not agree

4. Question 4 of 20 · Multiple Choice

   What is the strongest reason the forum post (Source 3) is not credible?

   AIt uses three exclamation points, which shows that the writer is excited BIt was posted late at night, when people are tired and make mistakes CIt appeared on a website rather than in print, and websites are never trustworthy DIt repeats an unnamed person's rumor, gives no evidence and is contradicted

5. Question 5 of 20 · Multiple Choice

   Source 4 is marked "Sponsored." What does that tell a reader?

   AThe county checked the post before it appeared BAn engineer wrote the post for the public CIt is a paid ad meant to sell a product DIt is a news report about the Alder Park bridge

6. Question 6 of 20 · Multiple Choice

   Which claim in the guidebook (Source 5) is out of date for a reader in March?

   AThat it is open year-round from dawn to dusk BThat the bridge was built in 1978 CThat the bridge has a steel frame and a wooden deck DThat herons can be seen upstream in early morning

7. Question 7 of 20 · Multiple Choice

   Which search is most likely to find the reopening date quickly?

   Abridge B"Willow Creek footbridge" reopening Linden County Cwhy do bridges close Drust-proof paint for steel bridges in parks near Linden County

8. Question 8 of 20 · Multiple Choice

   Grades 9-12: which advanced search limits the results to government websites?

   AWillow Creek footbridge government BWillow Creek OR footbridge OR government C"government" Willow Creek footbridge news D"Willow Creek footbridge" site:.gov

9. Question 9 of 20 · Multiple Choice

   Source 2 says: "Walkers in Alder Park found orange fencing across the Willow Creek footbridge last week, after Linden County closed the 1978 bridge on March 3." Which is an honest paraphrase?

   AWalkers in the park found orange fencing across the footbridge last week after the county closed the 1978 bridge (Okafor). BThe county fenced off the bridge in March because walkers kept crossing it when they should not (Okafor). CLinden County closed the footbridge, which was built in 1978, on March 3 and fenced it off (Okafor). DWalkers found orange fencing across the Willow Creek footbridge after Linden County closed it.

10. Question 10 of 20 · Multiple Choice

    Why is the patchwritten paragraph plagiarism, even though few phrases match Source 1 exactly?

    AIt follows Source 1 sentence by sentence, swaps words and cites nothing BIt quotes Source 1 far too often instead of using the writer's own words CIt includes information about the bridge that is not true DIt is too short to be a real paragraph about the topic

11. Question 11 of 20 · Multiple Choice

    Which works-cited entry for the guidebook (Source 5) gives all the information a reader needs to find it?

    AAlder Park Visitor's Guide. BFriends of Alder Park, a volunteer group's booklet about the park and its trails. CPage 12, published in 2019. DFriends of Alder Park. Alder Park Visitor's Guide. 2019, p. 12.

12. Question 12 of 20 · Multiple Choice

    In a research paper, which of these must be cited?

    AOnly direct quotations, since paraphrases are in your own words BOnly quotations that are longer than one full sentence CQuotations, paraphrases and specific facts, such as the cost DNothing that appears on a free public website

13. Question 13 of 20 · Multiple Choice

    A student's paragraph takes every fact (the cause, the cost and the reopening date) from the newspaper alone. What is the main risk?

    AThe paragraph will be too short for the assignment BIt will repeat the newspaper's wrong date, with no other source to catch it CNewspaper articles are never allowed as sources in any kind of research paper DThe teacher will not be able to find the article

14. Question 14 of 20 · Multiple Choice

    Which sentence integrates information from two sources and credits each one?

    AThe county found corroded beams (Linden County Public Works), and repairs may cost $185,000 (Okafor). BThe bridge is closed because of rust, and fixing it will cost the county about $185,000 from its parks budget. CAccording to several sources online and in print, the bridge has problems and will cost a lot to fix. DThe county notice and the newspaper article both talk about the bridge, each in its own way.

15. Question 15 of 20 · Short Answer

    The newspaper is a credible source, yet it gets the reopening date wrong. In two or three sentences, explain the difference between a source's credibility and the accuracy of one of its claims, using this example.

    Show model answer

16. Question 16 of 20 · Short Answer

    Write two sentences for students who walk to school, telling them how to cross Willow Creek during the closure. Integrate one fact from Source 1 with a citation.

    Show model answer

17. Question 17 of 20 · Short Answer

    A classmate finds a website called BridgeFacts with no author, no date and many ads. Write two questions from the lesson that you would ask about it, and say what answers would make you trust it more.

    Show model answer

18. Question 18 of 20 · Short Answer

    Explain the difference between paraphrasing and patchwriting, using the patchwritten paragraph and Source 1 as your example.

    Show model answer

19. Question 19 of 20 · Short Answer

    Write one sentence that quotes a short phrase from Source 5 accurately, with a signal phrase and a citation, and that tells the reader when the source was published.

    Show model answer

20. Question 20 of 20 · Short Answer

    Grades 9-12: for an audience of park visitors, name one strength and one limitation of the newspaper article (Source 2) as a source.

    Show model answer

These are the grade-level standards that carry anchor CCRA.W.8 in grades 6-12, plus closely related anchors.

Standard text: Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy. © Copyright 2010. National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and Council of Chief State School Officers. All rights reserved.