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LESSON MINI

Evaluating and Citing Sources

Grade:

9-12

Topic:

Research

Unit:

Research Fundamentals
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Overview

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© wayhome.studio/stock.adobe.com

In this lesson mini, students develop critical source-evaluation skills for research. They analyze bias and perspective in historical documents and apply the CRAAP (currency, relevance, authority, accuracy, purpose) test to evaluate diverse sources through a station-rotation activity. This hands-on approach enhances students’ ability to select credible sources for academic research.

Ideas for Implementation
Social Studies
English
Humanities
Writing labs
Interdisciplinary collaboration
Key Vocabulary & Definitions
accuracy (noun): the quality or state of being correct or precise
authority (noun): expertise or recognized knowledge in a specific field or subject
bias (noun): the tendency to present or interpret information in a way that is partial or prejudiced
cite (verb): to formally refer to someone else’s work by quoting or restating it; to name in a citation; to acknowledge the source of information
credibility (noun): the quality of being trusted and believed in; the trustworthiness of information or a source
currency (noun): the quality of being up-to-date or currently relevant
peer-reviewed (adjective): evaluated and approved by experts in the relevant field of study before publication
perspective (noun): a particular way of viewing or understanding a situation or topic, often based on personal experiences or background
publication date (noun): the specific date when a document or source was produced or released, which can indicate how current the information is
purpose (noun): the reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists
relevance (noun): the quality of being closely connected or appropriate to the matter at hand
Authentic Learning Extensions
Authentic learning opportunities for evaluating and citing sources involve real-world experiences and practical applications that help high school students understand how to use sources meaningfully. Here are some examples:
Library Visit: Take students to your school or community library. Arrange for the librarian to speak to your class about finding reputable sources. After the librarian speaks to your class, task students with finding a reputable and a not-reputable source about a topic. Invite a few volunteers to share the sources they found and explain why the sources are reputable or not reputable.
Online Fact-Checking Workshop: Organize a virtual workshop with a professional fact-checker or journalist. Have them demonstrate real-time fact-checking techniques and discuss common misinformation strategies. Students can then practice fact-checking recent news stories or viral social media claims and presenting their findings to the class.
Social Media Connections: Display a few appropriate social media posts making interesting claims. Include posts made by reputable organizations, experts, and everyday users. Separate students into small groups and invite them to discuss the posts using the CRAAP test. Debrief the activity with a whole-class discussion.

Choose Activity

Activity 1
Activity 2
Activity 3
Activity 4
Activity 5
2
Evaluating and Citing Sources

Activity

1:

Understanding Bias and Perspective

By the end of the activity, students will be able to identify bias and perspective in primary sources, describe how these factors affect the credibility and reliability of the sources, and explain how different perspectives can lead to varied interpretations of the same historical event.

20-30

Minutes

Materials

Images with multiple interpretations (e.g., optical illusions)
Lined paper (one sheet per student)
Whiteboard and display
Writing implements

Resources

Britannica School Boston Massacre article https://school.eb.com/levels/high/article/Boston-Massacre/15838
Britannica School Paul Revere article https://school.eb.com/levels/high/article/Paul-Revere/63354
Britannica School The Bloody Massacre image (one copy per student and one for teacher display) https://cdn.britannica.com/82/159982-050-AFF6460B.jpg
The Bloody Massacre handout (one per student and one for teacher display)
Think-Pair-Share instructional strategy
1
Tell students that today they will examine writers’ perspectives and look for evidence of bias in primary-source documents.
2
Display an image on the board that might be perceived in multiple ways. Ask students to silently observe and jot down their first impressions of the image.
3
Invite students to share their observations. Guide a class discussion on how the same image can be perceived differently. Use prompts such as these:
What did you see first in this image?
Did anyone see something different? What was it?
Why do you think we might see different things in the same image?
Repeat this process for one or two additional selected images if time allows.
4
Ask students to define perspective and bias.
What do you think perspective means?
What does bias mean?
How are bias and perspective different?
5
Share the definitions with the class. Consider displaying these definitions visually (e.g., on a slide or poster) for reference throughout the activity.
perspective (noun): a particular way of viewing or understanding a situation or topic, often based on personal experiences or background
bias (noun): the tendency to present or interpret information in a way that is partial or prejudiced
6
Explain that although every piece of writing was written from the perspective of the writer based on the writer’s personal experiences, writing without bias or partiality is possible. Provide a brief example to illustrate this concept.
7
Introduce the historical artwork The Bloody Massacre by Paul Revere. Explain that this engraving of the Boston Massacre was created a few weeks after the event and was widely circulated throughout the American colonies.
8
Distribute the The Bloody Massacre handout to each student. Briefly review the handout structure and expectations. Divide the class into pairs. Assign half the pairs to read the Boston Massacre article and the other half to read the Paul Revere article.
9
After students have finished reading their assigned articles, reorganize the class into groups of four. Make sure that each group includes two students who read each article. Instruct students to share notes and answer the remaining questions in the Research section of the handout.
10
After 5 to 10 minutes, guide students to analyze The Bloody Massacre by discussing the questions in the Analysis section of the handout.
11
Reconvene the class and facilitate a whole-class discussion based on the handout questions. Consider using a Think-Pair-Share instructional strategy to encourage participation from all students.
12
Conclude the activity by having students individually complete the Reflection section of the handout.
Supporting Students with Low Vision: Provide students with enlarged, high-resolution copies of images and increase contrast on displays when appropriate. This ensures all students can access visual information equally, promoting inclusive learning and allowing full engagement with primary-source materials regardless of visual acuity.
Perspective Comparison: Explain that while the colonists referred to the event as “the bloody massacre,” the British referred to it as “an unhappy disturbance.” Write both phrases on the whiteboard and lead a discussion about each side’s choice of words. What was each group trying to highlight about the event? Why do the words we use to describe an event matter? This approach invites students to consider how perspective and bias might influence collective memory of historical events.
Comparative Primary-Source Analysis: Guide students to complete a 2-Circle Venn Diagram comparing Paul Revere’s The Bloody Massacre engraving with a British newspaper account of the event. This approach enhances critical-thinking skills by exposing students to multiple perspectives on the same historical event, reinforcing concepts of bias and perspective while developing nuanced historical analysis abilities.
Parallel Teaching: For collaborative teaching and learning environments, this learning activity is well suited to a parallel teaching strategy. In this model, the class is divided into two groups, and each teacher delivers the same activity simultaneously to their group. This reduces the student-teacher ratio, allowing for more interaction and individualized attention. With smaller groups, students are more likely to participate actively and receive immediate feedback, which fosters a deeper understanding of the content and promotes a more engaging learning experience. Evidence suggests that small-group instruction leads to increased student engagement and improved academic outcomes.
Activity Introduction: Both teachers introduce the activity objective to their respective groups, explaining that students will analyze primary-source documents to understand perspective and bias.
Initial Image Analysis: Each teacher displays the multiple-perspective image and guides their group through the observation and discussion process, encouraging students to share their different perceptions.
Defining Terms: Each teacher presents and explains the terms perspective and bias to their group using the think-aloud approach and examples provided.
Primary Source Presentation: Each teacher introduces The Bloody Massacre engraving by Paul Revere to their group.
Pair Reading: Each teacher divides their group into pairs and assigns half to read the Boston Massacre article and half to read the Paul Revere article.
Group Discussion: The teachers regroup students so that each group includes two students who read each article, and then tasks them with discussing The Bloody Massacre.
Analysis Activity: Each teacher facilitates their group’s analysis of The Bloody Massacre using the Analysis section of the handout, ensuring all students participate in the discussion.
Whole-Group Discussion: The teachers bring their groups together for a combined class discussion, taking turns facilitating the conversation using the provided prompts about perspective and bias in the image.
Reflection Activity: The teachers return to their separate groups to support students as they complete the reflection activity.
Evaluating and Citing Sources

Activity

2:

Source Stations

By the end of the activity, students will be able to evaluate sources critically using the CRAAP test criteria, cite sources in APA format, and apply these skills to select appropriate sources for academic research.

20-30

Minutes

Materials

Chart paper and markers (one each per station)
Sample sources or images of sample sources (e.g., various websites, including those ending in .gov, .com, and .org; a news report; a blog post; a historical document)
Timer
Whiteboard or display

Resources

Evaluating Resources graphic organizer (one per student and one for teacher display)
Prepare for the Activity: Arrange the classroom into six stations, placing a large piece of chart paper and a marker at each station. Title each piece of chart paper with one of the following titles and information:
Currency: How up-to-date is the information?
Relevance: Does it have valuable information that pertains to my topic?
Authority: Did an expert on my topic write it?
Accuracy: Does the author provide sufficient evidence that experts have reviewed?
Purpose: Does the author aim to inform/teach or sell/persuade?
Citations: Cite your source in APA format.
Author, A. A., Author, B. B., & Author, C. C. (Year). Title of article. Title of Periodical, volume number(issue number), pages.
Example: Scruton, R. (1996). The eclipse of listening. The New Criterion, 15(3), 5–13.
Provide sources at each station that lead students to an interesting discussion about the station’s criterion, all centering around a specific topic. The following is an example:
Topic: women’s rights
Purpose: a social media post celebrating women sponsored by a skin-care company, an opinion piece about women in the workforce from a political website, a chapter on the women’s rights movement from a history textbook
Currency: equal rights legislation passed in 1991, a recent news report on a women’s rights protest, and a letter from Elizabeth Cady Stanton
Reserve one source to model the activity for students. Offer at least six sources at the Citations station.
1
Begin the activity by introducing the CRAAP (currency, relevance, authority, accuracy, purpose) test and briefly defining or reviewing each of the criteria. To engage students and gauge their understanding, ask the following comprehension questions:
What does it mean that a source is current?
What is an example of information that would be relevant to our class topic?
How can you check that a source is accurate?
How can you check whether a source fulfills the authority criterion?
What are a few examples of purposes a source might have? What kinds of sources typically have those purposes?
Why is it important to cite your sources?
2
Tell students that they will evaluate and cite sources for a research paper today. Clearly state the topic of the paper and write it on the board.
3
Model how to analyze one source based on each station’s specific task, writing your observations on the whiteboard. Then model citing your source in APA format, outlined on the Citations chart paper. Encourage students to ask questions during this demonstration.
4
Split the class into six equal groups, and explain that each group will spend five minutes at each station.
5
At the Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, and Purpose stations, students should do the following:
Read the sample sources provided.
Discuss whether each source meets the requirements of the criterion and why.
Write their observations on the chart paper.
For example, students might write the following on the Currency chart paper:
The “new” law is more than 30 years old.
The news report is relatively current.
The letter from Elizabeth Cady Stanton is more than 100 years old.
The law and the letter aren’t current, but they are historically significant.
6
At the Citations station, students should cite one of the sources in APA format, prioritizing sources that haven’t yet been cited on the chart paper.
7
Monitor the time at each station, setting a timer to indicate when students should rotate. Consider providing a one-minute warning before each rotation.
8
Once groups have rotated through all six stations, bring the class back together and have one student from each group summarize the key points discussed for one of the stations. Encourage other groups to add any points they think are important. Facilitate a whole-class discussion about each criterion with questions such as these:
Why is it important to know the author’s purpose? What about the author’s authority?
What red flags might indicate that information isn’t accurate? How could you quickly double-check the accuracy of information?
Do sources have to be current to be useful? When might an “old” source be useful?
How could these criteria help you evaluate information in your everyday life?
9
Conclude the activity by having students reflect on what they’ve learned. Ask them to write down one new insight they gained about evaluating sources and one way they plan to apply this knowledge in their future research.
Visual Aids and Vocabulary Support: Create a picture glossary with the CRAAP (currency, relevance, authority, accuracy, purpose) test terms and their definitions, including simple illustrations or examples for each. Provide this glossary to all students, but emphasize its use for English language learners. Additionally, sentence starters or question prompts at each station should be prepared to scaffold discussions and written responses, helping all students, especially English language learners, to articulate their thoughts more effectively.
Source Creation and Analysis: Challenge learners to compile their own lists of sources on a given topic. Then have them exchange their lists with peers and analyze their sources, looking for evidence of currency, relevance, authority, accuracy, and purpose. This exercise encourages higher-order thinking skills by requiring students to analyze and synthesize information, applying their understanding in a more complex, creative manner.
One at a Time: Instead of rotating stations, divide students into small groups and have all the groups complete the same task at once. After completing the work at each station, hold a whole-class discussion about the groups’ findings before moving on to the next task. This is helpful for classes that require a lot of hands-on support, where a single teacher cannot meet the needs of everyone working on different tasks.
Digital Scavenger Hunt: Transform the station rotation into an online activity with digital “rooms” for each criterion. Provide links to various online sources in each room for students to evaluate independently or in pairs. Students navigate the digital rooms, recording findings in a shared document. This variation enhances digital-literacy skills, allows exploration of a wider range of sources, and can be adapted for remote learning.
Team Teaching: For collaborative teaching and learning environments, this learning activity is well suited to a team teaching strategy. In this model, both teachers deliver instruction together, often alternating or integrating their teaching styles seamlessly, sometimes referred to as “tag team teaching.” This collaborative approach provides students with multiple perspectives and teaching styles, enriching their learning experience. By modeling effective teamwork and communication, this approach demonstrates how different viewpoints can enhance understanding, inspire higher-level thinking, and create a dynamic and interactive classroom environment. Evidence indicates that team teaching can enhance student engagement and provide a richer, more diverse educational experience.
Activity Introduction: Teacher A introduces the activity objectives, and Teacher B facilitates the initial class discussion. Teacher A then explains the CRAAP test criteria, while Teacher B provides real-world examples for each.
Modeling: Before rotations begin, teachers take turns demonstrating how to analyze sources and take notes on the chart paper for their respective stations, ensuring students understand the task. Teachers should use think-aloud strategies to verbalize their thought processes during this demonstration.
Stations: Each teacher supervises three stations, guiding students to analyze sources and take notes on the chart papers. Teacher A supervises the Currency, Relevance, and Authority stations. Teacher B supervises the Accuracy, Purpose, and Citations stations. Teacher B assists students at the Citation station in citing their chosen sources as needed. Both teachers should circulate between their assigned stations, offering guidance and asking probing questions to deepen student analysis.
Mid-Activity Check-In: After three rotations, teachers briefly pause the activity to address any common issues or misconceptions they’ve observed.
Activity Wrap-Up: Teacher B invites students to synthesize insights from each station. Teacher A facilitates the discussion around each station, contributes additional perspectives, and addresses remaining questions. Teachers should encourage students to draw connections between the different criteria and discuss how they might apply these skills in their academic and personal lives.
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