Original Text:
Sean Corcoran, an economist at New York University, studied the teacher evaluation systems in New York City and Houston. He found that the average “margin of error” of a New York City teacher was plus or minus 28 points.
Example 1: Plagiarize the original text by copying portions of it word-for-word:
Sean Corcoran, an economist at New York University, studied the teacher evaluation systems in New York City and Houston. He found that the average “margin of error” of a New York City teacher was plus or minus 28 points.
Example 2: Plagiarize the original text by paraphrasing its structure too closely, without copying it word-for-word:
When Sean Corcoran was economist at New York University, he studied the teacher evaluation systems in New York City and Houston. While there, he discovered that the average “margin of error” of a New York City teacher was plus or minus 28 points.
Example 3: Plagiarize the original text by paraphrasing its structure too closely, and include a citation. Even though you cited it, paraphrasing too closely is still plagiarism.
As an economist at New York University, Sean Corcoran studied the teacher evaluation systems in New York City and Houston. His findings included that the average “margin of error” of a New York City teacher was plus or minus 28 points (Ravitch 270).
Example 4: Properly paraphrase from the original text by restating the author’s ideas in different words and phrases, and include a citation to the original source.
During his time as an economist at New York University, Sean Corcoran performed studies in New York and Houston that tested each city’s teacher evaluation systems. Among his findings of teachers in New York City, he concluded that the average margin of error was approximately 28 points (Ravitch 270).
Example 5: Properly paraphrase from the original text by restating the author’s ideas in different words and phrases, add a direct quote, and include a citation to the original source.
During his time as an economist at New York University, Sean Corcoran performed studies in New York and Houston that tested each cities’ teacher evaluation systems. Among his findings of teachers in New York City, he concluded that the average margin of error was “plus or minus 28 points” (Ravitch 270).
Works Cited
Diane Ravitch, The Death and Life of the Great American School System. New York: Basic Books, 2011, pp. 270
This exercise demonstrates that you correctly understand key differences between plagiarizing versus properly paraphrasing sources.