Taking notes and paraphrasing

Developed by L. Gorvett, with a lot of help (see Bibliography) for the Waterloo Catholic District School Board. Spring 2011

Summarize, Don't Summarize, Don't Plagiarize!Plagiarize!

Plagiarism happens if…Plagiarism happens if…

Whether the information came from a bookbook, a databasedatabase, the internetinternet, , or an e-e-mailmail and whether or not it is a factfact, a graphgraph, or a picturepicture, you must give proper credit to the original author or source.

You use another person’s words, ideas or work without giving proper credit to the original owner.

Note-taking for ResearchWrite just key wordskey words and ideas,ideas, not full

sentencesUse a pencil or penpencil or pen – don’t cut and pasteDon't forget to list list where the key words

and ideas came from These are your notesnotes ParaphraseParaphrase from your notes

Paraphrasing Steps

1.1. Read Read the material (book/website) carefully

2.2. WriteWrite down just key words and ideas, and set the original material aside

3.3. Paraphrase:Paraphrase: Using your notes, change what you read into new words. Hint: It has to sound like YOU, and not the original writer

4.4. CheckCheck to be sure you have not copied

Step 1: Read“A small, glowing green Australian jumping

spider hunts big game. After a mighty four-inch leap, it sinks its fangs into a dragonfly’s neck. Even if this huge insect takes off, the spider hangs on until its venom works and the dragonfly makes a crash landing.” (Facklam, p.26)

Try this... Try this...

Step 2: Identify key words

“A small, glowing green Australian jumping jumping spiderspider hunts big game. After a mighty four-inch leapfour-inch leap, it sinks its fangs fangs into a dragonfly’s neck. Even if this huge insect huge insect takes off, the spider hangs on until its venom venom works and the dragonfly makes a crash landing.” (Facklam, p.26)

Step 2:Write down key words

Jumping spiders 4” leapsCatch bigger insectsuses fangs, venom

These are your NOTES. You write them (using a pencil or pen) in your research grid or on note cards

Step 3: Paraphrase from your notes

Jumping spiders 4 in. leapsCatch bigger insectsuses fangs, venom

Jumping spiders are amazing! They can catch insects much bigger than themselves by using their fangs and venom. These spiders can jump at least 4 inches in distance to nab their prey.(Facklam, p.26)

Step 4: Check

1. Did you capture the author's message?

2. Did you use your own words and sentence structure?

3. Did you list the source for your bibliography?

Look again at the original source. Ask yourself the following questions:

Step 4: CheckParaphrase

Jumping spiders are amazing! They can catch insects much bigger than themselves by using their fangs and venom. These spiders can jump at least 4 inches in distance to nab their prey.(Facklam, p.26)

Original“A small, glowing green Australian jumping spider hunts big game. After a mighty four-inch leap, it sinks its fangs into a dragonfly’s neck. Even if this huge insect takes off, the spider hangs on until its venom works and the dragonfly makes a crash landing.” (Facklam, p.26)

It is plagiarism if…You cut words, sentences or images from an internet site and paste them directly into your work without giving proper credit.

If you copy words

directly, use

quotation marks

Quoting• Using someone else’s words without putting

the words in quotes is plagiarism• Use quotes when you present examples of

an author’s style.• Use quotes when you just can’t say it better

yourself.• Don't forget to cite the source in your

bibliography

Common KnowledgeYou must give credit to all unique unique

ideasideas others have thought up.An obvious idea, or common

knowledge, doesn’t have to be credited.If you're not sure if something is

common knowledge (something pretty much everyone knows), then cite your source.

To summarize:•Take handwritten notes handwritten notes as you do your research ◦Don’t Cut and Paste◦Write ideas you borrow in your own words◦Only quote when the author says it better

than you can!•Write a rough draftrough draft, using your notes• Double-checkDouble-check to be sure that you have paraphrased properly.

•Write a final draftfinal draft. •Don't forget to cite all your sourcescite all your sources!

Bibliography• This PowerPoint is largely adapted from a PowerPoint Presentation: “Summarize,

Don't Plagiarize” created by Judy Bryson, Librarian of Frisbie Middle School. http://frisbie.rialtoschools.org/groups/fms-library-calendar--newsAccessed 13 October 2009

• Additional ideas from “Plagiarism”, A PowerPoint presentation created by Michael Lorenzen September 2003. Accessed June 11, 2010. http://www.libraryinstruction.com/lessons.html

• Additional ideas from “Cite Your Stuff”, a PowerPoint presentation created by Gayle Bushell for the WCDSB Resource Centre, 2005.

• Clipart: Free Clipart by Philip Martin. http://languagearts.phillipmartin.info/la_plagiarism.htm Accessed June 15, 2010.

• Facklam, Margery. Spiders and their websites. Boston: Little, Brown, and Co., 2001.

• Academic Honesty in Research: Intermediate guide. WCDSB. Created November 2008 by Carol Devries.

• Ontario. Ministry of Education. ThinkLiteracy: Cross-Curricular Approaches, Grades 7 – 12, especially pages 60 - 62 and poster on page 100.. http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/studentsuccess/thinkliteracy/files/Reading.pdf Accessed June 10, 2010.

• “Four Paraphrasing steps” are adapted from Rine, Carol. No Plagiarism Please. Beacon Lesson Plan Library http://www.beaconlearningcenter.com/Lessons/351.htm. Accessed June 10, 2010.