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| Overview |
This lesson plan reviews the basic conventions for using quotations from works of literature or references from a research project, focusing on accurate punctuation and page layout. After discussing the rules and analyzing their use in sample passages, students look closely at their own writing, marking quotation marks and considering how the conventions of punctuation apply.
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| From Theory to Practice |
Constance Weaver argues in Grammar for Teachers (1979), “There seems
to be little value in marking students’ papers with ‘corrections,’ little value
in teaching the conventions of mechanics apart from actual writing, and even
less value in teaching grammar in order to instill these conventions” (64).
Instead, learning about grammar, conventions, and text structures is most effective
when when student writers “learn through language.” Contextualized in the students’ own writing and their need to
communicate with their readers, self-editing activities allow students not only
to learn through language but to learn through their own language.
Further Reading
Weaver, Constance. 1979. Grammar for Teachers: Perspectives and Definitions.
Urbana: NCTE.
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| Student Objectives |
Students will
- explore conventions for using quotation marks and other punctuation marks in sample texts.
- examine their own writing closely using a self-editing activity.
- update and revise their writing based on their observations.
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| Instructional Plan |
Resources
Preparation
- Be sure to discuss documentation and integration of quotations separately. This mini-lesson is solely a proofreading mini-lesson.
- Before this lesson, students will have written a text of some sort that
includes quotations from a work of literature. For instance, the text might be a book report or a literary analysis essay.
- Note that in order to avoid confusion with the citations for the quotations included in the Comparison Passages, only the Teacher’s Copy includes documentation for the quotations. Similarly, see the Teacher’s Copy of the Example Passages for documentation.
- Arrange for students to have their textbooks on hand, or provide the conventions
on an overhead or on the board. Alternately, you could use the online sheet, Using
Quotation Marks from the Purdue OWL.
- Make copies and/or overhead transparencies of the Comparison Passages, Quotation Marks Cheat Sheet, and Example Passages.
- Test the Proofreading Strategies site on your computers to familiarize yourself with the tools and ensure that you have the Flash plug-in installed. You can download the plug-in from the technical support page.
Instruction and Activities
- Use the Proofreading Strategies to discuss general proofreading strategies and focus class attention. Use as much detail as appropriate for the class.
- Turn attention to the importance of checking quotations in papers that use quotations from outside resources, tying to issues of using correct documentation and avoiding plagiarism.
- Pass out copies or display an overhead of the Comparison Passages for the class to review.
- Ask students to look over the passages and note similarities and differences among the ways that quotation marks are used with other kinds of punctuation in the two columns. If students need help, point out features and ask them to draw conclusions. Jot their responses on the board.
- Read through the observations, and then turn to general rules on using quotation marks with other punctuation
marks from the class textbook or Using Quotation Marks from the Purdue OWL.
- Display a copy of the Quotation Marks Cheat Sheet on the overhead projector or using an LCD projector. If desired, pass out copies of the chart as well.
- Ask students to draw conclusions about the use of punctuation marks based on the Comparison Passages and the general rules on using quotation marks. Add student observations to the Cheat Sheet using brief descriptions.
- Review the Cheat Sheet briefly and then read an overhead or computer-projected copy of Example Passages with your class. Alternately, you can use a student example (with
the student’s permission, of course).
- Using the details on the Cheat Sheet, work through the example text to
demonstrate how to punctuate the sentences.
- Begin by going through the Example Passages backwards (that is, from the last word of the text to the first), and underline or circle all the ending quotation marks.
- Once the text is marked, go through the text again, this time checking the other punctuation near the quotation marks. Have students check the details on the Cheat Sheet and identify the rules that each passage demonstrates.
- For homework or in time remaining, ask students to use the proofreading strategy on a paper of their own, examining and revisioning punctuation as necessary.
- If desired, when polished drafts are collected, ask students to submit a draft that shows their application of the punctuation proofreading strategy.
Web Resources
- Purdue Owl on Using
Quotation Marks
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/grammar/g_quote.html
- Don't have a textbook handy? Use these rules and examples to explain the conventions related to quotation marks.
- Using Quotations
http://content1.docstoc.com/flash/Using%20Quotations.swf
- Flash-based overview reviews how to choose between direct and indirect quotations as well as how to integrate and punctuate quotations.
- Acknowledging Sources
http://library.uta.edu/tutorials/Plagiarism/as.swf
- This site from the University of Texas at Arlington reviews basic information on avoiding plagiarism by clearly identifying quotations from outside sources.
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| Student Assessment/Reflections |
Kidwatching provides the perfect assessment for this activity. As students apply the strategy to their own writing, note which students understand the concepts and which need more practice. Provide on-the-spot help for any students who need more examples or instruction. For a simple check on completion, compare polished drafts to an earlier draft that includes circled quotation marks.
More formal assessment of the use of final punctuation marks with quotation marks works best as a part of the assessment of the paper itself, rather than as an assessment of this proofreading strategy.
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3 - Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features (e.g., sound-letter correspondence, sentence structure, context, graphics).
4 - Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes.
6 - Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions (e.g., spelling and punctuation), media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, critique, and discuss print and nonprint texts.
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