Research Notes, Quotation & Paraphrase · Grade 7 English
Chapter: Research & Explanatory WritingResearch Notes, Quotation & Paraphrase
Learning goals
- I can use the skills in Research Notes, Quotation & Paraphrase with a relevant detail or sentence.
- I can explain the relationship, test a misleading claim, and revise independently.
Readings for this unit
Before this unit
Read the named selection or sentence first. State its literal situation in two or three sentences and clarify any word that blocks understanding.
Use three suggested sessions rather than rush through every model and practice question at once. Begin with the teaching parts, then use examples and independent practice.
Keep a record of a source’s exact wording, your paraphrase, and your commentary in separate categories. A quotation preserves words exactly; a paraphrase changes wording and structure while preserving meaning and qualifications. Both need attribution. Patchwriting swaps a few words while retaining the original sentence’s structure and can disguise copying. Re-read the source after paraphrasing to check that you have not enlarged its claim.
Not every source deserves your trust, and learning to tell a credible source from a shaky one is one of the most useful skills of the internet age. A credible source is accurate and trustworthy — usually written by someone with real expertise, published by a reputable organization, and willing to show the evidence behind its claims. To judge one, get in the habit of asking a few blunt questions.
Ask: Who wrote this — a named expert with relevant training, or nobody at all? Where was it published — an established, reviewed organization, or a random blog or anonymous post? Does it show its evidence, or just assert things? And does it show obvious bias — a slant toward one side that colors how fairly it presents information, or a sense that it's trying to sell you something? A source can be biased and still useful, but you need to know the slant is there so you can read it with clear eyes.
Good research isn't only about judging sources — it's about gathering well. Use specific, precise search terms instead of vague ones, and never lean on a single source. Check two or three on the same question, and treat any claim that seems surprising or too good to be true as a flag to verify elsewhere before you trust it. Real confidence comes from several solid sources agreeing, not from one lucky hit.
Source A states that 12 of 18 respondents selected quieter drawing from two offered activities. A draft says “Most residents demand a silent room.”
In this unit, first establish the literal meaning, then apply the named distinction to a short passage or sentence. Explain your choice with a located detail, test an alternative, and save a revision. Word counts guide longer writing; accurate sentence analysis may require only a few sentences.
Build your understanding
Study these four short parts across two sessions, pausing to explain each distinction. In a third session, practice independently, revise, and answer the exit ticket. The parent plan assigns the actual reading and writing work.
Part 1 · Keep source wording separate
A source note keeps exact quotation, paraphrase, and your own commentary visibly separate. Record the source label and location immediately. Waiting until the final draft encourages lost attribution and confusion about which wording is yours.
Source A states that 12 of 18 respondents selected quieter drawing from two offered activities. A draft says “Most residents demand a silent room.”
Pause and explain
Explain paraphrase in the assigned reading, distinguishing it from a related idea.
Check your reasoning after answering
A restatement in new wording and structure that preserves a source’s meaning and limits. A source note keeps exact quotation, paraphrase, and your own commentary visibly separate. Record the source label and location immediately. Waiting until the final draft encourages lost attribution and confusion about which wording is yours.
Part 2 · Paraphrase meaning and qualifications
To paraphrase, understand the passage, cover it, restate its meaning, and compare for accuracy. Preserve quantities, groups, and qualifications. Twelve of eighteen respondents means two thirds of respondents, not two thirds of all residents.
According to Source A, two-thirds of the eighteen questionnaire respondents chose quieter drawing rather than shared projects from the offered options. The draft changes respondents into all residents, preference into a demand, and quieter drawing into guaranteed silence. An accurate paraphrase retains those category limits and identifies the source.
Pause and explain
Write an accurate attributed paraphrase and identify the draft’s distortions.
Check your reasoning after answering
According to Source A, two-thirds of the eighteen questionnaire respondents chose quieter drawing rather than shared projects from the offered options. The draft changes respondents into all residents, preference into a demand, and quieter drawing into guaranteed silence. An accurate paraphrase retains those category limits and identifies the source.
Part 3 · Attribute words and ideas
Patchwriting replaces a few words while retaining the source’s sentence structure or distinctive wording. It is not a complete paraphrase. Put exact borrowed language in quotation marks, or rewrite the idea with a genuinely different structure and cite it.
Apply the distinction to this case: Source A states that 12 of 18 respondents selected quieter drawing from two offered activities. A draft says “Most residents demand a silent room.”
Pause and explain
Evaluate this claim: “Changing a few synonyms makes copied structure independent writing.” Explain a correction in context.
Check your reasoning after answering
This claim is misleading. Patchwriting replaces a few words while retaining the source’s sentence structure or distinctive wording. It is not a complete paraphrase. Put exact borrowed language in quotation marks, or rewrite the idea with a genuinely different structure and cite it. According to Source A, two-thirds of the eighteen questionnaire respondents chose quieter drawing rather than shared projects from the offered options. The draft changes respondents into all residents, preference into a demand, and quieter drawing into guaranteed silence. An accurate paraphrase retains those category limits and identifies the source.
Part 4 · Synthesize notes rather than patchwrite
Add commentary that does a different job from the source note. Explain how the information bears on your question and what it cannot establish. Check attribution in the draft and final source list. Honest note keeping makes later revision easier.
No. The information or idea still comes from the source. Attribute it even when you use your own wording.
Pause and explain
Does paraphrasing remove the need for a citation?
Check your reasoning after answering
No. The information or idea still comes from the source. Attribute it even when you use your own wording.
Apply the whole unit · Explain a specific case
Source A states that 12 of 18 respondents selected quieter drawing from two offered activities. A draft says “Most residents demand a silent room.”
Your task
Write an accurate attributed paraphrase and identify the draft’s distortions.
What your response should show
- Accurately complete the assigned task using the supplied reading or sentence.
- Explain a relevant detail or grammatical/craft relationship.
- Preserve a significant qualification and use a traceable reference when needed.
Response guidance — after your attempt
Read the supplied selection or sentence and identify the relevant relationship.
Select a short detail and give its actual paragraph, line, chapter, or source label.
Explain the relationship, check the claim’s limits, and revise a misleading interpretation.
According to Source A, two-thirds of the eighteen questionnaire respondents chose quieter drawing rather than shared projects from the offered options. The draft changes respondents into all residents, preference into a demand, and quieter drawing into guaranteed silence. An accurate paraphrase retains those category limits and identifies the source.
Texts for this unit
Parent / teacher teaching notes
Check literal understanding before interpretation. Ask the learner to point to a detail or explain a sentence’s structure before revealing a model. Accept accurate alternative readings, separate language conventions from personal style, and record the support used. A learner may invent experiences and need not disclose private family events.
The key idea
Keep a record of a source’s exact wording, your paraphrase, and your commentary in separate categories. A quotation preserves words exactly; a paraphrase changes wording and structure while preserving meaning and qualifications. Both need attribution. Patchwriting swaps a few words while retaining the original sentence’s structure and can disguise copying. Re-read the source after paraphrasing to check that you have not enlarged its claim.
Worked examples
Example 1 · Keep source wording separate
- Identify the distinction this question asks you to make.
- Return to the supplied reading or sentence and locate relevant wording.
- Explain how the wording supports the response and check what remains uncertain.
Example 2 · Paraphrase meaning and qualifications
- Identify the distinction this question asks you to make.
- Return to the supplied reading or sentence and locate relevant wording.
- Explain how the wording supports the response and check what remains uncertain.
Example 3 · Attribute words and ideas
- Identify the distinction this question asks you to make.
- Return to the supplied reading or sentence and locate relevant wording.
- Explain how the wording supports the response and check what remains uncertain.
Example 4 · Explain a specific case
- Read the supplied selection or sentence and identify the relevant relationship.
- Select a short detail and give its actual paragraph, line, chapter, or source label.
- Explain the relationship, check the claim’s limits, and revise a misleading interpretation.
Avoid these mistakes
- Misleading claim: Changing a few synonyms makes copied structure independent writing. Correction: A source note keeps exact quotation, paraphrase, and your own commentary visibly separate. Record the source label and location immediately. Waiting until the final draft encourages lost attribution and confusion about which wording is yours.
- Misleading claim: Ideas need no attribution when their wording is changed. Correction: To paraphrase, understand the passage, cover it, restate its meaning, and compare for accuracy. Preserve quantities, groups, and qualifications. Twelve of eighteen respondents means two thirds of respondents, not two thirds of all residents.
Check your understanding
Explain paraphrase in the assigned reading, distinguishing it from a related idea.
Discuss the answer
A restatement in new wording and structure that preserves a source’s meaning and limits. A source note keeps exact quotation, paraphrase, and your own commentary visibly separate. Record the source label and location immediately. Waiting until the final draft encourages lost attribution and confusion about which wording is yours.
Write an accurate attributed paraphrase and identify the draft’s distortions.
Discuss the answer
According to Source A, two-thirds of the eighteen questionnaire respondents chose quieter drawing rather than shared projects from the offered options. The draft changes respondents into all residents, preference into a demand, and quieter drawing into guaranteed silence. An accurate paraphrase retains those category limits and identifies the source.
Evaluate this claim: “Changing a few synonyms makes copied structure independent writing.” Explain a correction in context.
Discuss the answer
This claim is misleading. Patchwriting replaces a few words while retaining the source’s sentence structure or distinctive wording. It is not a complete paraphrase. Put exact borrowed language in quotation marks, or rewrite the idea with a genuinely different structure and cite it. According to Source A, two-thirds of the eighteen questionnaire respondents chose quieter drawing rather than shared projects from the offered options. The draft changes respondents into all residents, preference into a demand, and quieter drawing into guaranteed silence. An accurate paraphrase retains those category limits and identifies the source.
Does paraphrasing remove the need for a citation?
Discuss the answer
No. The information or idea still comes from the source. Attribute it even when you use your own wording.
Sustained reading and writing
These two activities are scheduled in the parent plan. Use them to apply the unit beyond reading its models; keep drafts and revisions in the portfolio.
Activity 1 · Research Notes, Quotation & Paraphrase · Develop and apply
Read A Good Question Leaves Room for an Answer. For the novel units, use the full book already assigned across the year.
Your task
For Research Notes, Quotation & Paraphrase, study Parts 3–4, then write an accurate attributed paraphrase and identify the draft’s distortions.
Success criteria
- Accurately complete the assigned task using the supplied reading or sentence.
- Explain a relevant detail or grammatical/craft relationship.
- Preserve a significant qualification and use a traceable reference when needed.
Hint
Begin with an accurate short detail. Explain its job before extending the claim.
Response guidance — discuss after your attempt
According to Source A, two-thirds of the eighteen questionnaire respondents chose quieter drawing rather than shared projects from the offered options. The draft changes respondents into all residents, preference into a demand, and quieter drawing into guaranteed silence. An accurate paraphrase retains those category limits and identifies the source.
Activity 2 · Research Notes, Quotation & Paraphrase · Practice and revise
Read A Good Question Leaves Room for an Answer. For the novel units, use the full book already assigned across the year.
Your task
For Research Notes, Quotation & Paraphrase, attempt practice questions 1–6 without models, then answer: Does paraphrasing remove the need for a citation? Save a correction explaining one change.
Success criteria
- Accurately complete the assigned task using the supplied reading or sentence.
- Explain a relevant detail or grammatical/craft relationship.
- Preserve a significant qualification and use a traceable reference when needed.
Hint
Begin with an accurate short detail. Explain its job before extending the claim.
Response guidance — discuss after your attempt
No. The information or idea still comes from the source. Attribute it even when you use your own wording.
Words to know
- paraphrase
- A restatement in new wording and structure that preserves a source’s meaning and limits.
- patchwriting
- Changing a few words while closely retaining source wording or structure.
- evidence
- A located detail, observation, or source used to support a claim.
- qualification
- A condition or limit that makes a statement more accurate.
- revision
- A change to meaning, development, organization, or audience fit, followed separately by editing.
In the real world
Exit check
Does paraphrasing remove the need for a citation?
Check your explanation after answering
No. The information or idea still comes from the source. Attribute it even when you use your own wording.
Explain your reasoning without notes. If a key idea is missing, revisit the lesson and try again.