Georgia L6-8WHST8
The Standard
Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, using search terms effectively; assess the credibility and accuracy of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation
Georgia Standards of Excellence for Social Studies
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students find useful evidence in several books, articles, websites, or databases. They use focused search terms and check who created each source, when it was published, and what evidence it provides. They quote or restate information in their own words and give credit using the assigned citation style.
What Mastery Looks Like
- Students choose sources that directly answer a research question and can explain why each source is trustworthy. They clearly separate their own ideas from borrowed information. Quotes, paraphrases, and citations are accurate and complete.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may assume the first search result, a professional-looking site, or any .org page is reliable. They may think changing a few words creates a paraphrase. They may omit quotation marks around copied words or treat a URL as a complete citation.
How to Assess It
- Give students two short source cards about the same event. Ask them to choose the more credible source, explain why, paraphrase one fact, and add a citation.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Place four printed source cards at stations, then have pairs rank them by credibility and attach sticky-note evidence for each ranking.
Ask students to explain in writing: When should you quote a source, and when should you paraphrase it?
Run a search-term relay where teams revise a broad query three times and score points for finding the most relevant result.
Have students fact-check a viral local claim using two sources, then post a cited correction on a class bulletin board.
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Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and present the relationships between information and ideas clearly and efficiently.
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