Research & Citing Sources — Answer Key
Part A: Fix the Sentence
Each sentence has an error. Rewrite it correctly on the line.
1. Fix the sentence:
The rainforest has many animals and plants that live together in a complex ecosystem she wrote copying the sentence from the book.
Corrected: She paraphrased the book by writing: Many species of animals and plants share the rainforest habitat.
Copying a sentence word-for-word from a book is plagiarism, even with a writing tag like 'she wrote.' Paraphrasing the idea by changing the wording and sentence structure shows the writer truly understood the information from the book.
2. Fix the sentence:
Plagiarism is when you change just two words in a sentence and call it your own work.
Corrected: Paraphrasing means completely restating an idea in your own words and sentence structure, not just swapping a few words.
Real paraphrasing rebuilds the whole sentence in new words and a new structure, not just a swap of two words. Changing only a couple of words still counts as plagiarism because most of the original author's writing is still there.
3. Fix the sentence:
I don't need to write down where I found my facts because I will remember later.
Corrected: I should always record the title, author, and page number of each source while I take notes.
Memory is unreliable, especially after reading many sources, so notes about the title, author, and page number must be written down right away. Recording source details while taking notes is what makes a complete citation possible later.
Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the missing word or number on each line.
1. Plagiarism means using someone else's words or ideas without giving them credit.
Plagiarism is the act of using another person's words or ideas without giving them credit. Naming the source is what turns the same information into honest research instead of plagiarism.
2. When you paraphrase, you restate information in your own words.
Paraphrasing means restating the information in your own words after reading and understanding it. The new wording is what shows the idea has been processed by the writer rather than copied.
3. Good notes include key words and short phrases, not full sentences copied from the source.
Good notes capture only the key words and short phrases so you can rebuild the idea later in your own sentences. Copying full sentences leads to accidentally pasting the source's words straight into the report.
4. If you use the exact words from a source, you must place them inside quotation marks.
Whenever the exact words from a source appear in writing, quotation marks are required to show that those words belong to someone else. Without the marks, the reader assumes the writer wrote them, which is plagiarism.
Part C: Short Answer
Answer each question in one or two complete sentences.
1. What is the difference between paraphrasing and copying? Give an example of each.
Sample answer: Copying is writing the exact same words from a source, such as "The Amazon is the largest rainforest." Paraphrasing is restating it in your own words, such as "The biggest rainforest in the world is the Amazon."
Copying uses the source's exact words, such as 'The Amazon is the largest rainforest,' while paraphrasing rebuilds the same idea in new words, such as 'The biggest rainforest in the world is the Amazon.' One repeats the author; the other shows your own understanding.
2. Why should you write notes in your own words instead of copying full sentences from a book?
Sample answer: Writing notes in your own words helps you understand the information better and prevents accidental plagiarism when you write your final report.
Putting notes into your own words forces you to understand what the source is saying instead of just copying it. That habit also keeps full sentences from the source out of your report, which prevents accidental plagiarism.