Language Arts Module 2 Grade 8 FLVS

How Do You Avoid Plagiarism?

-make sure to have correct "" and in-text citations when quoting a person -when you summarize you still need to have an in-text citation -don't use original thoughts or phrases without giving credit -use paraphrasing of information -complete a Works Cited Page

How Do I Search for and Manage Resources?

1. Use search keywords effectively. Example, if you need information about someone's life, search "for the person's biography." Like "George Washington Biography" 2. Search within an Internet suffix. Example: You can add "site:.gov" to your search to see the results related to government websites (to inform). The advanced search feature of many search engines can also help you limit your results. 3. Bookmark sources you will use. Example: When you identify a credible source, save it so that you can easily find it later. Keeping your resource information in one place will stop you from having to start your searches. It will also help you in citing your sources (references used in your writing to avoid plagiarism). 4. Double check your information. Example: When you find information you think is valid (true), double check it with another source for credibility. If you find it in two places, then it is probably credible information.

Writing Your Cause and Effect Thesis

1. review all the valid evidence you researched and the information in your organizational chart. 2. ask yourself this three-part question for body paragraphs: what are the important positive effects and negative effects of the invention I researched? Your answer is your idea about the topic. Write this down. Now enter the idea into the thesis statement. Remember, your effective thesis statement: -states your specific idea about the topic in one sentence -can be supported with valid evidence such as facts, expert testimony, and research -does not include feelings or emotions -is written in the third person point of view

What Makes a Great Conclusion?

A great conclusion has certain key features that shape and define it: -A conclusion starts with a closing transition phrase. -It rephrases the thesis to remind readers of the big idea. -A conclusion includes a clincher (something for the reader to act) -A conclusion uses mature, objective language.

What Is a Thesis?

A thesis statement is a complete sentence that identifies the central idea of the text. The thesis is the author's idea about the topic that can be supported with valid evidence. It is usually placed at the end of the introduction. Remember, a thesis: states the author's specific idea about the topic in one sentence can be supported with valid evidence such as facts, expert testimony, and research does not include feelings or emotions is written in the third person point of view (no use of the pronoun "I") Special note: If the thesis cannot be supported with valid evidence, then it is NOT a thesis.

Investigating Bias

Additional questions can help be sure the website is not biased. Does the source contain opinions? Example: Band has terrible music album. (It is an opinion). Not credible source of information. Does it have blanket statements? Example: Only people with no understanding of music would like this type of music. (It is a general statements that contains only, all, or never in the statement cannot be proven). Not credible source of information. Does it contain strong language? Example: This music lyrics are to be offensive and ridiculous. (It is a strong claim and biased in a third person viewpoint). Not credible source of information. Does it have one-sided resources? Example: See these links for more (careful because it may be connected to the author's works on a topic and it will be biased on the author's views). Not a credible source of information.

Plagiarism Avoidance Technique #2

An internal citation also refers to giving credit for someone else's idea within the body of your paragraph. If you want to share someone else's idea, this gives credit to the person who is the idea's original source. This might be one person, more than one person, or even an organization. An internal citation is an acknowledgment of the source within the body of your text. When you give credit for information, always use a signal phrase to point out that this is someone else's idea: Example: Boyd and Nelson describe that social network sites stand out in the hiring industry.

Plagiarism Avoidance Technique #1

An internal citation refers to giving credit for someone else's words within the body of your paragraph. Using a quote in your writing is fairly straightforward. You want to use the exact words of someone else for emphasis, to support a point, or to grab attention. Sometimes someone else just said it best. When you find just the right quote, you should consider how to best present it. You definitely need to use quotation marks around the words you are borrowing. Remember that quotes should be used sparingly. When you write a quote, always use a signal phrase to create a strong internal citation. Example: Ken Mueller, longtime media professional, claims, "If you're not online, you don't exist."

How Do I Start Writing the Body?

Choose a section to begin with and follow these three steps: Topic sentence - the first sentence of a body paragraph tells readers what the paragraph will discuss. It is a point that you can support with evidence. Evidence - the next few sentences should contain facts from your research that back up the topic sentence. Include facts, statistics, and quotes to support the topic. Technical language - use precise or technical terms related to topic. This helps convince your reader that you truly understand it.

Research Process Steps

Choose a topic Locate credible source. Collect Ideas, facts, and supporting details. Generate questions that you want to answer. Document the source of each. Collect enough information to discuss your topic. Organize ideas in a logically in a chart

common knowledge

Common knowledge refers to facts that everyone knows. Example: "the sun is at the center of our solar system."

Denotation vs. Connotation

Denotation = dictionary definition; Literal Language (meaning is obvious). connotation = context (implied meaning: the way we use a word). Figurative Language (meaning is not obvious but it affects the tone). Example: the denotation of ignorant is not knowing something, but the connotation is that someone is generally stupid.

What Makes a Great Introduction?

Great introductions are usually one paragraph but have three parts that flow together—a hook, important information about your topic, and an effective thesis. The hook appears first and is the part that grabs your reader's attention. It "hooks" them in, like catching a fish. Your thesis is usually the last sentence of the paragraph. You will write important information about your topic in between. Overall, the paragraph will introduce your topic in a clear way. It will give a preview of what will follow in the rest of the article.

Active vs. Passive

In active voice, the subject is the one doing the action. Example: He created a new app. In passive voice, the object receives the action from the subject. Example: The app was created by him.

What Important Information Should I Use?

In between your hook and your thesis, add a sentence or two that gives your reader some important information about your topic. This information will help your reader understand the topic. The introduction will include the hook, important information and the thesis statement.

How Do I Organize for Cause and Effect?

Informational Research Chart helps you keep track of all you will need to write for your article. It will help organize your thoughts around what information to include, what to leave out, and where you need to research more. You can keep track of data and statistics, which are important to an informational text. A complete chart can even serve as your initial outline for your article. Chart headings can be tweaked to become article subheadings. Remember that research requires that you find credible sources that are useful to your writing topic. You will have to identify these sources in your article, so you need to keep track of them as you prepare to write.

How Is Informational Text Organized?

Informational text has three main sections—introduction, body, and conclusion. Introduction paragraph This introduction is the first paragraph in an informational text. The thesis statement is an author's idea about a topic that can be supported with valid evidence in the body paragraphs. Remember, a thesis statement: states the author's idea about the topic in one sentence: -is the central idea of an informational text can be -supported with valid evidence such as facts, expert testimony, and research does not include feelings or emotions is written in the third person point of view (no use of the pronoun "I") Body paragraphs The middle paragraphs are called the body. There may be any number of body paragraphs. A topic sentence introduces one main fact to support the thesis. The topic sentence is followed by supporting details such as statistics, quotes, or charts. These details are related to the main fact in the topic sentence. Conclusion paragraph The final paragraph of an informational text is the conclusion. An effective conclusion revisits the thesis but does not restate it word for word. The author may also restate the importance of the topic and the main points expressed in the article. The paragraph will wrap up the text clearly.

Investigating Purpose

Is the website going to inform, entertain, or persuade the readers. Entertain Websites often link photos, stories, music, and videos. It will have opinions about the content information. It is biased on the subject or topic, and will have more opinions than facts. Not a good site to find credible information. Example: Wikipedia website. Persuade Websites want you to buy a product or do something, like donate money to a charity or cause. It has a special purpose in mind for the reader. It may have some facts, but it can leave important information to convince you to act. Not a good site for credible information. Example: selling a diet or travelling or donating to a charity like Peta (charity of animals) Inform Websites provide different types of information and links to additional resources. There are facts and no opinions or agenda for the reader to act. Yes it is a good site for credible information. Example: government websites .gov or .org are informative sites to educate people on a topic).

Investigating Origin

It tells you about the information if it can be trusted, information on the author, who published the information and the date. It also tells you where the information is found, the format ( domain suffix: .edu, .gov, .com, .org) and when was the information updated (updated date). Example: Look at the website url address, check the domain suffix, and ask questions to see if the information is trusted and it can be verified or is it biased.

figurative language

Language that cannot be taken literally since it was written to create a special effect or feeling. Example: I'm tongue tied (words are not coming out right).

Clues to Credibility

Origin: responsible for creating the resource. Example: Finding out information about the author's background. Purpose: author created the resource to do. Example: An author can persuade, inform, entertain readers through their writing. Bias: incline toward a specific belief or attitude. Example: A person who likes video games favor anything positive about it.

What Is a Signal Phrase?

Signal phrases are used in internal citations. Signal phrases are words and phrases that give clues to the reader that someone else's information is presented. When signal phrases are used, you are citing, or giving credit to, the source of information. Use signal phrases when you quote someone else or when you share information from someone else. A great variety of signal phrase verbs exist that you can use to increase the strength and interest of your writing. A phrase, clause or sentence that that introduces a quotation. Example: Susan Vreeland writes that Magdalena "loves looking out at the sea" (8). Example 2: Magdalena is a pensive girl who longs "to sit for a painting" like her sister (Vreeland 8).

Why Do We Need Syntax?

Syntax creates patterns of words in text. The order of the words you use can completely change or confuse the meaning you are trying to express. Normal or regular syntax follows this pattern—subject, verb, object. Example: I shopped at the mall. four ways to combine sentences and vary your syntax: 1. Combine verbs Example: My friend reads too much online. My friend posts too much online. Combine the verbs: My friend reads and posts online too much. 2. Combine subjects Example: Two short sentences: President Obama used social media in his campaign. Mitt Romney used social media in his campaign. Combine the subjects: President Obama and Mitt Romney used social media in their campaigns. 3. Make a compound sentence Example: Two simple, short sentences: My friend prefers Facebook. I prefer Grom Social. Combine the sentences: My friend prefers Facebook, and I prefer Grom Social. 4. Make a complex sentence (using subordinating conjunction) Example: Two short sentences: My friend spends too much time online. Then my friend gets headaches. Combine the sentences: When my friend spends too much time online, she gets headaches.

Tone

The words you choose and how you say them convey a message to the reader. The text can have a positive, negative, or neutral tone. Positive Tone Example: I can't go to the movie today. I'm helping to clean the patio: This has a positive tone. Notice use of the word "helping. Negative Tone Example: I can't go to the movie because my mom is forcing me to clean the patio: This has a negative tone. Notice use of the word "forcing." Neutral Tone Example: I can't go to the movie today-I have chores to do including cleaning the patio: This has a neutral tone. It's not really positive or negative, just stating the facts.

How Do Authors Start Informational Text?

They use an Informational Organization Chart to arrange ideas while researching and preparing to write. Filling in the boxes of this chart helps authors ensure they provide the necessary components for clear understanding. It also helps them to avoid information that is off-topic, or that fails to support their thesis.

Plagiarism Avoidance Technique #3

To paraphrase is to write ideas and information in a new way. When you paraphrase, you write your own version of a text. It may shorten the original text, but not necessarily. Paraphrasing states the same information in a different way that makes sense to you.

What Is Plagiarism?

Using another person's work without giving proper credit to that person

Plagiarism Avoidance Technique #4

Works Cited Page Internal citations are important in the body of your text. They show connection between a specific piece of information and the source where you found it. However, naming the author is not enough for readers. They must be able to verify the information themselves. That is the purpose of a "Works Cited" page. On this page, each reference follows a certain format. View examples of citing common sources. For example, this is the format to follow for an online article: Author last name, author first name. "Title of text." Publisher name, date of publication. Web. Date you accessed the article <URL address>.

Comparison with words

Writers use words in an unexpected way by comparison. Any type of comparison can be positive, neutral, or negative tone. Simile a comparison of two things using like or as Example: The grass looks like spiky green hair. Metaphor a comparison of two things not using like or as Example: My life is a movie. Analogy a comparison of two things that is more complex than a simile or metaphor Example: red is to color as square is to shape (shows the relationship between two words). Allusion a comparison to something or someone who is well known or expected to be recognized. Example: He's a real Romeo with the ladies (it's reference to Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet book).

works cited page

a list of all the sources cited in a research paper (sources you acknowledge by including parenthetical citations/internal citation)

What Will You Include?

certain features in your article to make your meaning clear. Subheadings - give a title for each section of the body A graphic or image - an image of your invention or some kind of graphic that shows data you collected in your research is important evidence A direct quote with a signal phrase - quote an expert to support an idea and name the source within your text (in-text citation) Technical language - terms specific to your invention Valid evidence from your researched articles - facts and data Link within the article - use a hyperlink or provide a URL address to one of your resources within the text of your article Transitions - to make your writing flow smoothly, especially transitions that show sequence or results.

Communication

communicate your ideas clearly and concisely to your reader. How Can I Organize the Body? Now you will begin working on the body of your informational article on an invention. Establishing the structure before writing will make the writing process clearer and will lead to an improved experience for your readers. you will create subheadings to indicate the different sections of your article. Works Cited Page Create your Works Cited page as you write your body. List all the resources you decide to use in your writing.

How Do You Write an Effective Hook?

hook is the first part of your introduction. What is it about your topic that readers will find interesting? You need to tap into your research and find a way to lure the audience to keep reading. Example: quote, statistic, or interesting fact about the topic reader might not know You want the hook to be effective (make readers want to know more). Remember: no opinions or personal introduction. Just the facts or statistic about the topic.

What is informational text?

it intends to inform you about the facts. Example: Great-quality informational text will cover a subject with plenty of details. Reference texts, (encyclopedia entries), will give just facts arranged in a logical order. Informational articles and books will give you the author's thesis (author's specific idea about the topic) supported by credible evidence such as facts, expert testimony, research, and texts. It will be organized in a logical manner. (it will make sense). It is clear, easy to follow, and convincing.

Technical language

language associated with a particular profession, activity, or field of study Example: science, technology, or medical term.

Literal language

language that means exactly what it says Example: The penguin felt cold.

Transitions

words or phrases used to connect ideas together Transitions are like bridges in your writing, making it smoother with no gaps or missing links. Adding transitions will help you to communicate your ideas to your reader. You will lead them through your thoughts by adding transitions. You can use transitions in different locations and for varied functions within your writing.