English:Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Citing
Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Citing
Introduction
When you write a research paragraph, literary analysis, presentation, lab report, or media project, you often build on information created by other people. Strong academic writing makes the boundary between your thinking and your sources easy to see. Three core skills help you do that: quoting exact words, paraphrasing ideas in your own language, and citing the source.
This course is designed for Grades 9–10. You will learn not only how to avoid plagiarism, but also how to use evidence in a way that strengthens your own voice. The goal is not to fill a paper with citations. The goal is to make responsible, understandable choices about when to quote, when to paraphrase, and how to show readers where information came from.
The poster above highlights common uses of quotation marks. In academic writing, quotation marks have a special job: they show readers that particular words have been copied exactly from a source.
Learning Goals
By the end of this aiMOOC, you should be able to explain the difference between a quotation, a paraphrase, and a summary; choose the best method for a particular purpose; preserve a source's meaning while paraphrasing; integrate quotations smoothly into your own sentences; create basic in-text citations; connect in-text citations to full source entries; recognize patchwriting and plagiarism; cite images, videos, data, and other non-text sources when required; and check citations instead of trusting an automatic tool without review.
A useful rule runs through the whole course: borrowed words need clear quotation or block-quotation formatting, and borrowed ideas need attribution. A citation is normally required for both direct quotations and paraphrases.
Core Concepts
Quoting: Using Exact Words
A direct quotation reproduces a source's wording exactly. Use a quotation when the exact language matters: perhaps the author uses a memorable phrase, defines a key term precisely, makes a claim you want to analyze, or says something whose wording is part of your evidence.
A short quotation usually needs three things: an introduction or signal phrase, quotation marks around the borrowed words, and a citation. The source's words should fit grammatically into your sentence. Do not drop a quotation into a paragraph and expect it to explain itself.
Invented practice example: Imagine that a fictional article by Lena Rivera states on page 42, "City trees can lower street temperatures by providing shade and releasing water vapor."
A direct quotation could look like this in MLA style: Rivera explains that "city trees can lower street temperatures by providing shade and releasing water vapor" (42). Because Rivera's name appears in the sentence, the parenthetical citation can use the page number alone.
Quotation marks vary across languages and typographic traditions. In an English assignment, follow the punctuation and citation style your teacher requires rather than copying the appearance of a source blindly.
The video above demonstrates ways to integrate quotations into academic writing. As you watch, notice how a quotation becomes part of the writer's own sentence and argument.
Paraphrasing: Keeping the Meaning, Changing the Expression
A paraphrase restates a specific idea or passage in your own words and sentence structure while preserving the original meaning. A good paraphrase is not created by replacing a few words with synonyms. You first understand the source, look away from it, explain the idea naturally in your own way, and then compare your version with the source for accuracy.
Using the same invented Rivera example, a paraphrase could be: Urban trees can make streets cooler because their canopies block sunlight and the trees release moisture into the air (Rivera 42).
The wording and sentence structure are different, but the idea still belongs to Rivera, so the paraphrase still needs a citation. If your wording remains unusually close to the source, rewrite it more fully or use a direct quotation for the exact phrase.
As you watch, compare the video's process with this useful paraphrasing routine: understand, set the source aside, rewrite from meaning, compare, and cite.
Summarizing: Giving the Main Point
A summary is shorter and broader than a paraphrase. It gives the main point or main points of a larger section, article, speech, video, or other source. A summary uses your own words, but the ideas still come from the source and therefore need citation in academic work.
The difference is mainly one of purpose and scale. A quotation preserves exact wording. A paraphrase restates a specific idea in fresh language and structure. A summary compresses a larger amount of material into its most important ideas.
| Method | What happens to the source | Best used when | Citation needed for borrowed material |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quotation | Exact words are reproduced | The wording itself matters | Yes |
| Paraphrase | A specific idea is restated in your own wording and structure | You need the idea but want to keep your own writing voice | Yes |
| Summary | Main ideas are condensed | You need an overview of a larger source | Yes |
Citing: Showing Where Information Came From
A citation tells readers where borrowed information, language, data, images, or ideas came from. Citation supports academic honesty, helps readers locate your evidence, and allows them to judge whether the source is appropriate.
Many citation systems use two connected parts. First, an in-text citation or note appears near the borrowed material. Second, a longer entry in a Works Cited, References, or Bibliography section gives fuller publication information. The exact names and formats depend on the citation style.
The "citation needed" sign is a reminder that claims become easier to check when readers can trace them to evidence.
MLA as a Grade 9–10 Example
Many English language arts classes use MLA style. MLA in-text citations are brief and point to the corresponding entry in the Works Cited list. When a source has an author and page numbers, a common pattern is the author's surname plus the page number, with no comma between them: (Rivera 42). If you name the author in your sentence, you normally do not repeat the surname in the parentheses: Rivera argues that urban trees can cool streets (42).
If a source has no page numbers, do not invent them. MLA may use another useful locator, such as a timestamp, when the source provides one. If no locator is available, the citation may use only the information needed to lead the reader to the Works Cited entry.
Fictional Works Cited model for practice: Rivera, Lena. "How City Trees Cool Neighborhoods." Student Ecology Review, 2026, pp. 40–45.
Citation styles differ. APA usually uses author and year information, while Chicago offers note-based and author-date systems. Always follow the style assigned by your teacher or institution.
This video focuses on MLA 9 in-text citations. Use it to check how author names, source titles, page numbers, and non-print sources can affect the form of a citation.
Building Evidence Into Your Own Writing
The Introduce–Use–Explain Pattern
A source should support your reasoning, not replace it. One useful pattern is Introduce–Use–Explain.
- Introduce the source or idea with enough context for the reader to understand why it appears.
- Use a quotation, paraphrase, summary, statistic, image, or other evidence and cite it.
- Explain what the evidence shows and how it supports your claim.
This pattern is sometimes called a quotation sandwich when the evidence is a direct quotation. The important point is that your own reasoning should appear before and after the borrowed evidence.
Weak pattern: A paragraph makes a claim, drops in a quotation, and moves on.
Stronger pattern: A paragraph makes a claim, identifies the source, includes a relevant quotation or paraphrase with a citation, and then explains the evidence in relation to the claim.
Signal Phrases
A signal phrase introduces borrowed material and helps separate the source's voice from your own. Useful reporting verbs include argues, explains, observes, reports, suggests, states, questions, and concludes. Choose a verb that accurately describes what the source is doing.
Compare these sentences: "Rivera says..." is neutral but vague. "Rivera explains..." suggests clarification. "Rivera argues..." suggests a claim supported by reasons. Do not choose a strong verb such as proves unless the source truly establishes something at that level.
Choosing Between a Quotation and a Paraphrase
Use a quotation when the source's exact phrasing is important to your analysis, when you need a precise definition, or when a short phrase is especially distinctive. Use a paraphrase when the idea matters more than the wording and you want the paragraph to stay in your own voice. Use a summary when you need only the larger point.
Before inserting evidence, ask: What job is this source doing in my paragraph? If you cannot answer that question, the evidence may not yet belong there.
Accurate and Ethical Source Use
Plagiarism and Patchwriting
Plagiarism occurs when a writer presents another person's words, ideas, or work without making the source clear. It can happen intentionally or unintentionally. A missing citation, an uncited copied sentence, or a paraphrase that disguises borrowed wording can all create problems.
Patchwriting is wording that stays too close to the source, often by keeping the same sentence pattern and replacing only a few terms. A citation alone does not turn copied wording into a proper paraphrase. If words are copied exactly, use quotation formatting; if you paraphrase, genuinely rebuild the expression in your own language and structure.
The Wikimedia handout above offers examples of avoiding plagiarism and close paraphrasing. Use it as a discussion prompt: Which changes are deep enough to count as real paraphrasing, and which only hide copying?
This short video from Newcastle University Library reviews plagiarism and the importance of referencing. Citation formats differ by institution, so focus on the general principle of giving clear credit and then apply your own assigned style.
A Reliable Paraphrasing Process
Try this process when you paraphrase a source passage.
- Read until you can explain the meaning without looking at the original wording.
- Note the key idea and any technical terms that must remain exact.
- Put the source aside and write the idea from memory in your normal sentence style.
- Compare your version with the original for meaning, wording, and structure.
- Add the citation immediately so you do not lose track of the source.
If a distinctive phrase cannot be changed without losing an important meaning, quote that phrase instead of pretending it is your own wording.
Common Knowledge
You normally do not need to cite information that is truly common knowledge for your audience, such as a widely known basic fact. However, "common knowledge" depends on context. A highly specific statistic, interpretation, research finding, or unusual claim is not common knowledge just because you found it on several websites.
When you are uncertain, check your teacher's expectations and cite the source rather than hiding where the information came from.
Citing Images, Videos, Data, and Digital Sources
Citing is not only for printed sentences. If you use another person's photograph, chart, diagram, video, audio clip, dataset, interview, or original idea, your assignment may require attribution or a formal citation.
Creative Commons licenses show why citation and permission are related but different. An academic citation identifies a source. A copyright license states what reuse is allowed and under what conditions. A Creative Commons Attribution license requires credit to the creator, but the exact attribution details and reuse conditions depend on the license.
When you reuse openly licensed media, record the creator, title, source link, and license while you are researching. This makes later attribution easier and reduces the chance of losing source information.
Generative AI and Citation
School rules for generative AI differ. Some assignments prohibit it, some allow limited use, and some require disclosure or citation. Follow your teacher's policy. If an AI tool produces a citation, do not assume the citation is real or accurate. Open the source yourself, check that it exists, confirm that it supports your claim, and then cite the source according to the required style.
Do not use an AI-generated reference as a substitute for reading the source you claim to cite.
A Practical Source-Use Checklist
Before submitting an assignment, check each source-based passage.
- Can a reader tell which words and ideas are mine and which come from a source?
- Are exact borrowed words inside quotation marks or formatted as a block quotation when required?
- Does every paraphrase use genuinely new wording and sentence structure while preserving the original meaning?
- Does each quotation, paraphrase, summary, image, statistic, or other borrowed item have the citation or attribution the assignment requires?
- Does each in-text citation point clearly to a full source entry?
- Have I checked names, titles, dates, page numbers, URLs, and other citation details against the actual source?
- Have I explained why each piece of evidence matters to my own claim?
- Have I followed my teacher's required citation style and AI-use policy?
Interactive Tasks
Quiz: Test Your Knowledge
What makes a direct quotation different from a paraphrase? (It reproduces the exact words from the source) (!It always gives a shorter version of the source) (!It removes the need for a citation) (!It replaces every noun with a synonym)
What should you normally do after paraphrasing a source idea? (Cite the source) (!Add quotation marks around the whole paraphrase) (!Remove the author name from your notes) (!Treat the idea as common knowledge)
Which description best fits patchwriting? (Rewriting that stays too close to source wording and structure) (!A fully original paragraph based only on personal experience) (!A correctly formatted Works Cited entry) (!A short quotation introduced with a signal phrase)
What is the main purpose of an in-text citation? (To direct readers to the source connected with borrowed material) (!To make every sentence longer) (!To replace the need for a source list) (!To prove that every source is correct)
What does a signal phrase do? (It introduces source material and identifies whose voice is entering the paragraph) (!It automatically turns copied text into a paraphrase) (!It removes the need to explain evidence) (!It changes a source into common knowledge)
In a basic MLA author-page citation, what usually appears when the author is not named in the sentence? (The surname of the author and the page number) (!The first name of the author and publication year) (!The publisher and the page number) (!The full website address and access date)
When should you cite an image created by someone else in a school project? (When the assignment or license requires credit for the borrowed image) (!Only when the image contains written sentences) (!Only when the image is printed on paper) (!Never because images cannot be sources)
Which information is most likely to count as common knowledge in a Grade 9–10 classroom? (A widely known basic fact that is not tied to a specific source) (!A new statistic from a research report) (!An unusual interpretation of a novel by a scholar) (!A chart copied from a news website)
Why should you explain a quotation after using it? (To show how the evidence connects to the main claim) (!To make the quotation count as your own idea) (!To avoid naming the source) (!To turn the quotation into a bibliography)
When is paraphrasing usually a better choice than quoting? (When the idea matters more than the exact wording) (!When you want to hide where the idea came from) (!When you have not understood the source) (!When the exact wording must be analyzed closely)
Memory Game
| Direct quotation | Exact words from a source presented as borrowed language |
| Paraphrase | A source idea restated with new wording and sentence structure |
| Citation | A pointer that helps readers identify the source of borrowed material |
| Signal phrase | Words that introduce a source or source author |
| Attribution | Credit given to the creator or origin of a work |
| Plagiarism | Presenting another person's words or ideas without clear acknowledgment |
Drag and Drop
| Match the correct terms. | Source-use description |
|---|---|
| Direct quotation | Reproduces exact source wording |
| Paraphrase | Restates a specific idea in fresh language and structure |
| Summary | Condenses the main ideas of a larger source |
| In-text citation | Points from borrowed material toward its source entry |
| Works Cited | Lists fuller details for sources cited in an MLA assignment |
Crossword Puzzle
| Quotation | What is an exact reproduction of source words called? |
| Paraphrase | What is a source idea restated in your own wording and structure called? |
| Citation | What helps a reader trace borrowed material to a source? |
| Attribution | What word means giving credit to a creator or source? |
| Plagiarism | What is presenting borrowed work without clear acknowledgment called? |
| Bibliography | What can a list of consulted sources be called? |
LearningApps
Cloze Text
Open-Ended Tasks
Easy
- Source Voice Highlighter: Choose one short paragraph from a teacher-approved article and use two colors to mark the author's ideas and your own notes; then explain how citations help keep the two voices separate.
- Quotation Sandwich Card: Create a one-page study card showing an invented claim, a short quotation, a citation, and one sentence that explains how the quotation supports the claim.
- Paraphrase Practice: Select three short teacher-approved source sentences, paraphrase each without looking at the original wording, compare your versions with the originals, and revise any wording that remains too close.
- Citation Scavenger Hunt: Find a book, a webpage, an image, and a video, record the creator, title, date, and location details available for each, and identify which details would help you cite them.
Standard
- Paraphrase Quality Test: Write two different paraphrases of the same short passage, exchange them with a partner, and justify which version preserves meaning while using more independent wording and structure.
- Interview With a Writer: Interview a teacher, librarian, journalist, or older student about how they track and cite sources, then write a short report that distinguishes quoted answers from paraphrased answers.
- Academic Integrity Infographic: Design an infographic that explains quotation, paraphrase, citation, patchwriting, and plagiarism with your own examples and proper attribution for every reused visual.
- Source Skills Explainer Video: Produce a two- to three-minute video teaching classmates how to move from a source passage to a responsible paraphrase and citation; include a visible source list at the end.
Advanced
- Evidence Synthesis Paragraph: Use two reliable sources on the same question to write a paragraph that combines one quotation and one paraphrase, cites both, and explains how the sources support or challenge your claim.
- Media Attribution Audit: Examine a school presentation, poster, or public webpage containing at least five borrowed media items and create an audit showing which items have sufficient attribution and which need improvement.
- Class Citation Guide: Compare your teacher's required citation style with official guidance, then create a one-page class reference guide for citing a book, webpage, online article, image, and video without using an automatic generator as your only authority.
- Fact Checking Investigation: Choose a claim circulating online, locate at least three credible sources, document your search trail, quote or paraphrase evidence accurately, and write a short conclusion explaining which evidence was most trustworthy and why.
Learning Assessment
- Quotation or Paraphrase Decision: Given five source passages and five writing purposes, choose whether to quote, paraphrase, or summarize each one and justify every choice in relation to the writer's goal.
- Meaning Preservation Check: Compare an original passage with two attempted paraphrases, identify any change of meaning or patchwriting, and revise the weaker version into an accurate cited paraphrase.
- Evidence Integration Revision: Rewrite a paragraph containing a dropped quotation so that it introduces the source, integrates the evidence grammatically, cites it, and explains how it supports the paragraph's claim.
- Citation Trail Test: Start with three in-text citations and determine whether a reader could locate the matching full entries; correct any mismatch, missing locator, or invented detail by checking the actual sources.
- Academic Integrity Case Analysis: Analyze a realistic scenario involving copied wording, a missing citation, reused media, or AI-generated references and explain which actions are responsible, which are risky, and what should be changed.
- Transfer to a New Medium: Convert a cited research paragraph into a short slide or video script while preserving source credit for words, ideas, and media, then explain how citation needs changed with the new format.
Evidence of Learning
Strong evidence of learning should show more than memorized definitions. It should demonstrate that you can make source-use decisions independently and explain your reasoning.
| Evidence type | What you can demonstrate |
|---|---|
| Knowledge | You can distinguish quotation, paraphrase, summary, citation, attribution, patchwriting, plagiarism, and common knowledge. |
| Writing skill | You can integrate source material into your own sentences while keeping source meaning accurate and your own voice clear. |
| Research skill | You can record source details during research and connect in-text citations with full entries. |
| Judgment | You can choose whether exact wording, a paraphrase, or a summary best serves a specific purpose. |
| Product | You can create a cited paragraph, presentation, poster, infographic, or video that gives appropriate credit to borrowed material. |
| Transfer | You can apply citation and attribution habits to text, images, video, data, interviews, and other media. |
| Verification | You can check citation details against the original source and detect missing, inaccurate, or invented reference information. |
OERs on the Topic
The following open resources can deepen your understanding of source use and citation.
Purdue OWL: Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing
MLA Style Center: In-Text Citations: An Overview
University of Sheffield: How to Avoid Plagiarism
Linked Learning Areas
Quoting, paraphrasing, and citing connect reading, writing, research, media literacy, and academic integrity. You read closely enough to understand a source, decide how it should function as evidence, represent it accurately, identify it for readers, and explain how it supports your own reasoning. These skills transfer to essays, reports, presentations, projects, journalism, science writing, vocational documentation, and university study.