Virginia SOL 12.R.1.G
The Standard
Define the meaning and consequences of plagiarism and follow ethical and legal guidelines for gathering and using information.
Virginia Standards of Learning for English
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students decide when borrowed words, ideas, images, or media need credit. They quote, paraphrase, summarize, and cite sources while following copyright, licensing, and school rules. They also explain what can happen when work is used dishonestly or illegally.
What Mastery Looks Like
- Students can distinguish acceptable quotation, paraphrase, summary, and common knowledge. They credit sources consistently, preserve the original meaning, and explain academic, professional, and legal consequences of misuse.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may think changing a few words removes the need for a citation. They may also believe online material is free to copy or that only direct quotations require credit. Some confuse collaboration, common knowledge, and unauthorized reuse.
How to Assess It
- Give students a short source and a flawed paragraph that uses it. Ask them to identify the problem, revise the paragraph, add a citation, and name one possible consequence.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Sort printed source-use cards into acceptable use, plagiarism, and uncertain cases, then revise each problem example with proper credit.
Write a response to this prompt: When does borrowing another person's work become dishonest, and what consequence is fair?
Play Citation Repair Relay, with teams correcting missing quotation marks, weak paraphrases, and incomplete citations on sentence strips.
Review a news article, song sample, or social media repost and identify the permissions, credits, or licenses needed before reuse.
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Define the meaning and legal consequences of plagiarism and follow ethical and legal guidelines for gathering and using information.
- 11.R.1.G
The 11th Grade version of this standard.
- 9.R.1.G
Define plagiarism's meaning and legal consequences and follow ethical and legal guidelines for gathering and using information.
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