Rules for Citing Sources: Academic Honesty for 6th Graders

📚 What is Citing Sources?

Citing sources means giving credit to the people whose ideas, words, or other creative works you use in your own work. Think of it like saying "thank you" to the people who helped you learn something new! It shows you're being honest and respectful.

📜 A Little History of Citations

Citing sources isn't a new idea! For centuries, scholars have been giving credit where it's due. Back then, books were rare, so people carefully tracked where information came from. Today, with so much information available, it's even MORE important to be clear about your sources!

🌟 Why Should 6th Graders Cite Sources?

• 🛡️ Academic Honesty: Citing sources helps you avoid plagiarism, which means taking someone else's work and pretending it's your own. It's a form of cheating, and we want to be honest in our work!
• 🏅 Giving Credit: It's only fair to give credit to the people whose ideas you are using. Imagine if someone used YOUR ideas without mentioning you!
• 🔎 Showing Your Research: Citing sources shows that you've done your research and that your work is based on solid information. It makes your work more believable.
• 📈 Building Knowledge: When you cite sources, you're helping others find more information on the topic. It's like adding to a big pool of knowledge that everyone can share!

📝 How to Cite Sources: The Basics

There are different ways to cite sources, but here's a simple way to do it for 6th grade:

1. Say where you got the information in your text. For example: "According to NASA..."
2. Create a list of your sources at the end of your work. This is called a bibliography or works cited page.

💡 Examples of Citing Sources

Let's look at some real-world examples:

Example 1: Using a Website

In your report: "According to the National Geographic Kids website, dolphins are very intelligent animals."

In your bibliography:

National Geographic Kids. "Dolphins." National Geographic, kids.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/dolphins/.

Example 2: Using a Book

In your report: "In the book *The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind* by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer, William builds a windmill to help his village."

In your bibliography:

Kamkwamba, William, and Bryan Mealer. *The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind*. William Morrow, 2009.

🛑 What Needs to Be Cited?

• 💬 Direct quotes (using the exact words someone else wrote or said)
• 📊 Statistics and data
• 🖼️ Images, videos, and audio
• 🧠 Ideas that are not your own

✅ What Doesn't Need to Be Cited?

• ☀️ Common knowledge (things that most people know, like the sky is blue)
• 🚀 Your own ideas and experiences

🔎 Practice Quiz

Let's test your knowledge! Read each statement and decide if it needs to be cited:

1. The Earth is round. (No citation needed - common knowledge)
2. "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog." (Citation needed if it's from a specific source)
3. I think pizza is the best food. (No citation needed - your opinion)
4. According to a study by the World Wildlife Fund, panda populations are increasing. (Citation needed)

🔑 Conclusion

Citing sources is a super important skill that will help you throughout your academic journey. Remember to be honest, give credit, and show off your awesome research skills! You got this!