Paraphrasing

Paraphrasing

What is Paraphrasing?

Paraphrasing is putting information that you read or hear in your own words. A paraphrase is different from a summary. Summaries are usually short and only explain a text’s most important parts. Paraphrases include all the same information as the original text, including smaller details, so they are just as long as the original.

Why is paraphrasing important?

First, it shows that you understand the material you just read or heard. If you can’t paraphrase a text, you probably didn’t really understand it. Second, it makes information easier to remember later. Third, it’s helpful when you want to include the information you read in your own essay or research paper.

Multiple Choice

Which of these is the best example of a person paraphrasing?

• After reading a book about whales, Soyoon wrote a sentence describing the main idea in her own words.

• Josef read a paragraph about coding, then wrote a paragraph about what he learned in his own words.

• After Alex read an article about Harriet Tubman, he decided to read a book about her.

• Isabel wrote an essay about skateboarding, then Jamie copied the essay word for word.

Strategies

There are some strategies that can help you prepare to paraphrase. While you’re reading a text, think about the main idea and supporting details. Read the text more than once if you need to. Take notes in a graphic organizer to get your information straight. Finally, look up any unfamiliar words in a dictionary or thesaurus to make sure you really understand what the text is saying.

When You Are Ready...

When you are ready to paraphrase, close the book or computer and write down all the information you just read in your own words. Closing the book or computer ensures you won’t be able to copy the text. Then open the book and make sure you included all the important information without copying specific words or phrases.

Multiple Choice

Why is it important to close the book or computer when you write a paraphrase?

• so you remember the title of the book

• so you can write more clearly

• so you won’t summarize the main idea

• so you won’t accidentally copy from the book or text

The four R's

While you paraphrase, keep the four Rs in mind. First, reword: replace words and phrases with synonyms whenever you can. Then rearrange: move words and phrases around to make new sentences. It is important to change the structure of your sentences so they’re different from those in the original text.

The Four R's....

Next, realize that some details, like names and dates, cannot be changed—but you can present them differently in your paraphrase. Finally, recheck: make sure that your paraphrase delivers the same meaning or message as the original text.

Imagine you are writing a paraphrase of the passage. Which of the following details from the passage can not be reworded?

Benjamin Franklin was born on January 17, 1706 in Boston. At that time, Boston was part of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. The United States was not yet a country. Franklin was the 15th child of Josiah Franklin, a soap- and candle-maker. He loved to read and was a great student. However, he only went to school for two years. His family was poor, and his father needed help, so Franklin dropped out of school and started working full-time at his father’s store. He was only 10 years old.

Multiple Choice

Imagine you are writing a paraphrase of the passage. Which of the following details from the passage can not be reworded?

• “January 17, 1706”

• “The United States was not yet a country”

• “He loved to read”

• “His family was poor, and his father needed help”

Plagiarizing

Plagiarizing is presenting someone else’s words or ideas as your own. It is a form of cheating. Sometimes people plagiarize on purpose, and sometimes they do it by accident. When you paraphrase a text, it is not enough to just change one or two words. You must use enough of your own words and sentences to create a new, original piece of writing.

Paraphrase Instead...

When you paraphrase other texts in a research paper or essay, it is important to cite the sources you have used. Even if you put all the information in your own words, you are still borrowing someone else’s ideas. You can give credit to the sources you used in a bibliography or works cited. A bibliography is a list of sources that comes at the end of a research paper. When you cite a source, include the author’s name, the title of the book or article, the publisher and the date of publication.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is true about plagiarizing?

• Only people who copy a text word for word are plagiarizing.

• Plagiarizing can be done accidentally, even if you didn’t mean to cheat.

• It is okay to plagiarize as long as you cite the source you used.

• You can avoid plagiarizing by changing one or two words.

Open Ended

What is the difference between paraphrasing and plagiarizing?

Poll

How confident are you in paraphrasing a text, article, or book?

• Very Confident

• Confident

• So - So

• I need a lot more practice