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Paraphrasing, Summarising and Quoting

Much of the work you produce at university will involve the important ideas, writings and discoveries of experts in your field of study. Quoting, paraphrasing and summarising are all different ways of including the works of others in your assignments.

Paraphrasing and summarising allow you to develop and demonstrate your understanding and interpretation of the major ideas/concepts of your discipline, and to  avoid plagiarism.

Paraphrasing and summarising require analytical and writing skills which are crucial to success at university.

What are the differences?

Paraphrasing.

  • does not match the source word for word
  • involves putting a passage from a source into your own words
  • changes the words or phrasing of a passage, but retains and fully communicates the original meaning
  • must be attributed to the original source.

Summarising

  • involves putting the main idea(s) into your own words, but including only the main point(s)
  • presents a broad overview, so is usually much shorter than the original text
  • match the source word for word
  • are usually a brief segment of the text
  • appear between quotation marks

What is a quotation?  

A quotation is an exact reproduction of spoken or written words. Quotes can provide strong evidence, act as an authoritative voice, or support a writer's statements. For example:

Bell and Bell (1993) point out in their study of Australian-American cultural relations: "culture is never simply imposed 'from above' but is negotiated through existing patterns and traditions." (Bell & Bell 1993, p. 9)

Use a quote:

  • when the author's words convey a powerful meaning
  • when the exact words are important
  • when you want to use the author as an authoritative voice in your own writing
  • to introduce an author's position you may wish to discuss
  • to support claims in, or provide evidence for, your writing.

How to quote

Quoting should be done sparingly and support your own work, not replace it. For example, make a point in your own words, then support it with an authoritative quote.

  • appear between quotation marks (" ")
  • exactly reproduce text, including punctuation and capital letters.
  • A short quotation often works well when integrated into a sentence.
  • If any words need to be omitted for clarity, show the omission with an ellipsis ( ... ).
  • If any words need to be added to the quotation, put them between square brackets ([ ]).
  • Longer quotations (more than 3 lines of text) should start on a new line and be indented on both sides. 

What is paraphrasing?

Paraphrasing is a way of using different words and phrasing to present the same ideas. Paraphrasing is used with short sections of text, such as phrases and sentences.

A paraphrase offers an alternative to using direct quotations and allows you to integrate evidence/source material into assignments. Paraphrasing can also be used for note-taking and explaining information in tables, charts and diagrams.

When to paraphrase

Paraphrase short sections of work only i.e. a sentence or two or a short paragraph:

  • as an alternative to a direct quotation
  • to rewrite someone else's ideas without changing the meaning
  • to express someone else's ideas in your own words

How to paraphrase

  • Read the original source carefully. It is essential that you understand it fully.
  • Identify the main point(s) and key words.
  • Cover the original text and rewrite it in your own words. Check that you have included the main points and essential information.
  • Ensure that you keep the original meaning and maintain the same relationship between main ideas and supporting points.
  • Use synonyms (words or expression which have a similar meaning) where appropriate. Key words that are specialised subject vocabulary do not need to be changed.
  • If you want to retain unique or specialist phrases, use quotation marks (“ “).
  • Change the grammar and sentence structure. Break up a long sentence into two shorter ones or combine two short sentences into one. Change the voice (active/passive) or change word forms (e.g. nouns, adjectives).
  • Change the order in which information/ideas are presented, as long as they still make sense in a different order.
  • Identify the attitude of the authors to their subject (i.e. certain, uncertain, critical etc.) and make sure your paraphrase reflects this. Use the appropriate reporting word or phrase.
  • Review your paraphrase to check it accurately reflects the original text but is in your words and style.
  • Record the original source, including the page number, so that you can provide a reference.

What is a summary?

A summary is an overview of a text. The main aim of summarising is to reduce or condense a text to its most important ideas. Leave out details, examples and formalities. Summarising is a useful skill for making notes, writing an abstract/synopsis, and incorporating material in assignments.

When to summarise

Summarise long sections of work, like a long paragraph, page or chapter. 

  • To outline the main points of someone else's work in your own words, without the details or examples.
  • To include an author's ideas using fewer words than the original text.
  • To briefly give examples of several differing points of view on a topic.
  • To support claims in, or provide evidence for, your writing.

How to summarise

The amount of detail you include in a summary will vary according to the length of the original text, how much information you need, and how selective you are.

  • Start by reading a short text and highlighting the main points.
  • Reread the text and make notes of the main points, leaving out examples, evidence, etc.
  • Rewrite your notes in your own words; restate the main idea at the beginning plus all major points.
  • Transition signals in writing
  • Quotations and paraphrases
  • Punctuation
  • Paraphrasing, summarising, quoting
  • ^ More support

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  • How to Paraphrase | Step-by-Step Guide & Examples

How to Paraphrase | Step-by-Step Guide & Examples

Published on April 8, 2022 by Courtney Gahan and Jack Caulfield. Revised on June 1, 2023.

Paraphrasing means putting someone else’s ideas into your own words. Paraphrasing a source involves changing the wording while preserving the original meaning.

Paraphrasing is an alternative to  quoting (copying someone’s exact words and putting them in quotation marks ). In academic writing, it’s usually better to integrate sources by paraphrasing instead of quoting. It shows that you have understood the source, reads more smoothly, and keeps your own voice front and center.

Every time you paraphrase, it’s important to cite the source . Also take care not to use wording that is too similar to the original. Otherwise, you could be at risk of committing plagiarism .

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Table of contents

How to paraphrase in five easy steps, how to paraphrase correctly, examples of paraphrasing, how to cite a paraphrase, paraphrasing vs. quoting, paraphrasing vs. summarizing, avoiding plagiarism when you paraphrase, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about paraphrasing.

If you’re struggling to get to grips with the process of paraphrasing, check out our easy step-by-step guide in the video below.

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proper paraphrasing of a sentence written by

Putting an idea into your own words can be easier said than done. Let’s say you want to paraphrase the text below, about population decline in a particular species of sea snails.

Incorrect paraphrasing

You might make a first attempt to paraphrase it by swapping out a few words for  synonyms .

Like other sea creatures inhabiting the vicinity of highly populated coasts, horse conchs have lost substantial territory to advancement and contamination , including preferred breeding grounds along mud flats and seagrass beds. Their Gulf home is also heating up due to global warming , which scientists think further puts pressure on the creatures , predicated upon the harmful effects extra warmth has on other large mollusks (Barnett, 2022).

This attempt at paraphrasing doesn’t change the sentence structure or order of information, only some of the word choices. And the synonyms chosen are poor:

  • “Advancement and contamination” doesn’t really convey the same meaning as “development and pollution.”
  • Sometimes the changes make the tone less academic: “home” for “habitat” and “sea creatures” for “marine animals.”
  • Adding phrases like “inhabiting the vicinity of” and “puts pressure on” makes the text needlessly long-winded.
  • Global warming is related to climate change, but they don’t mean exactly the same thing.

Because of this, the text reads awkwardly, is longer than it needs to be, and remains too close to the original phrasing. This means you risk being accused of plagiarism .

Correct paraphrasing

Let’s look at a more effective way of paraphrasing the same text.

Here, we’ve:

  • Only included the information that’s relevant to our argument (note that the paraphrase is shorter than the original)
  • Introduced the information with the signal phrase “Scientists believe that …”
  • Retained key terms like “development and pollution,” since changing them could alter the meaning
  • Structured sentences in our own way instead of copying the structure of the original
  • Started from a different point, presenting information in a different order

Because of this, we’re able to clearly convey the relevant information from the source without sticking too close to the original phrasing.

Explore the tabs below to see examples of paraphrasing in action.

  • Journal article
  • Newspaper article
  • Magazine article

Once you have your perfectly paraphrased text, you need to ensure you credit the original author. You’ll always paraphrase sources in the same way, but you’ll have to use a different type of in-text citation depending on what citation style you follow.

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It’s a good idea to paraphrase instead of quoting in most cases because:

  • Paraphrasing shows that you fully understand the meaning of a text
  • Your own voice remains dominant throughout your paper
  • Quotes reduce the readability of your text

But that doesn’t mean you should never quote. Quotes are appropriate when:

  • Giving a precise definition
  • Saying something about the author’s language or style (e.g., in a literary analysis paper)
  • Providing evidence in support of an argument
  • Critiquing or analyzing a specific claim

A paraphrase puts a specific passage into your own words. It’s typically a similar length to the original text, or slightly shorter.

When you boil a longer piece of writing down to the key points, so that the result is a lot shorter than the original, this is called summarizing .

Paraphrasing and quoting are important tools for presenting specific information from sources. But if the information you want to include is more general (e.g., the overarching argument of a whole article), summarizing is more appropriate.

When paraphrasing, you have to be careful to avoid accidental plagiarism .

This can happen if the paraphrase is too similar to the original quote, with phrases or whole sentences that are identical (and should therefore be in quotation marks). It can also happen if you fail to properly cite the source.

Paraphrasing tools are widely used by students, and can be especially useful for non-native speakers who may find academic writing particularly challenging. While these can be helpful for a bit of extra inspiration, use these tools sparingly, keeping academic integrity in mind.

To make sure you’ve properly paraphrased and cited all your sources, you could elect to run a plagiarism check before submitting your paper. And of course, always be sure to read your source material yourself and take the first stab at paraphrasing on your own.

If you want to know more about ChatGPT, AI tools , citation , and plagiarism , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

  • ChatGPT vs human editor
  • ChatGPT citations
  • Is ChatGPT trustworthy?
  • Using ChatGPT for your studies
  • What is ChatGPT?
  • Chicago style
  • Critical thinking

 Plagiarism

  • Types of plagiarism
  • Self-plagiarism
  • Avoiding plagiarism
  • Academic integrity
  • Consequences of plagiarism
  • Common knowledge

To paraphrase effectively, don’t just take the original sentence and swap out some of the words for synonyms. Instead, try:

  • Reformulating the sentence (e.g., change active to passive , or start from a different point)
  • Combining information from multiple sentences into one
  • Leaving out information from the original that isn’t relevant to your point
  • Using synonyms where they don’t distort the meaning

The main point is to ensure you don’t just copy the structure of the original text, but instead reformulate the idea in your own words.

Paraphrasing without crediting the original author is a form of plagiarism , because you’re presenting someone else’s ideas as if they were your own.

However, paraphrasing is not plagiarism if you correctly cite the source . This means including an in-text citation and a full reference, formatted according to your required citation style .

As well as citing, make sure that any paraphrased text is completely rewritten in your own words.

Plagiarism means using someone else’s words or ideas and passing them off as your own. Paraphrasing means putting someone else’s ideas in your own words.

So when does paraphrasing count as plagiarism?

  • Paraphrasing is plagiarism if you don’t properly credit the original author.
  • Paraphrasing is plagiarism if your text is too close to the original wording (even if you cite the source). If you directly copy a sentence or phrase, you should quote it instead.
  • Paraphrasing  is not plagiarism if you put the author’s ideas completely in your own words and properly cite the source .

To present information from other sources in academic writing , it’s best to paraphrase in most cases. This shows that you’ve understood the ideas you’re discussing and incorporates them into your text smoothly.

It’s appropriate to quote when:

  • Changing the phrasing would distort the meaning of the original text
  • You want to discuss the author’s language choices (e.g., in literary analysis )
  • You’re presenting a precise definition
  • You’re looking in depth at a specific claim

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

Gahan, C. & Caulfield, J. (2023, June 01). How to Paraphrase | Step-by-Step Guide & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved November 3, 2023, from https://www.scribbr.com/working-with-sources/how-to-paraphrase/

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Paraphrasing - an overview

Paraphrasing is ..., what are the differences between quoting, paraphrasing & summarising .

  • Why Paraphrase?
  • Paraphrasing versus Plagiarism
  • The Do's and Don'ts of Paraphrasing
  • Paraphrasing - examples
  • Further Information

proper paraphrasing of a sentence written by

Paraphrasing is 'a restating of someone else’s thoughts or ideas in your own words. You must always cite your source when paraphrasing’ (Pears & Shields, 2019 p. 245).  

(Solas English, 2017)

  • Quoting means using someone else’s exact words and putting them in quotation marks.. 
  • Paraphrasing means expressing someone else’s ideas in your own voice, while keeping the same essential meaning.
  • Summarising means taking a long passage of text from someone else and condensing the main ideas in your own words.

Watch the video below for more information.  

(UNC Writing Center, 2019)

  • Next: Why Paraphrase? >>
  • Last Updated: Sep 8, 2023 9:42 AM
  • URL: https://lit.libguides.com/paraphrasing

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How to Avoid Plagiarism

  • Defining Plagiarism
  • Proper vs. Improper Paraphrasing
  • Writing Skills

Improper Paraphrasing

Improper paraphrasing is a very common form of plagiarism. This occurs when one lifts a direct phrase from another work and changes just a few words - and then claims the work as wholly their own. Learning how to properly paraphrase is a very important component of good writing. But, remember, just because you have properly paraphrased does not mean that you do not need to cite the source of the original idea. Paraphrasing is simply a way of putting someone else's ideas into your own words - it does not make the idea your own.

Examples of Paraphrasing

Paraphrasing is when you take an original idea from an author's work and reword, or rephrase, it so that the words are your own. It is important to remember that no matter how successful you are at paraphrasing, only the words are your own. When you paraphrase you must give credit through a citation for the author's original idea.

Original Phrase

"Western law begins with two major subgroups. One contains the legal systems of the European continent. Although there are many differences among European legal systems, they are all descended from the law of the Roman Empire and were influenced by the procedures of Medieval Roman Catholic canon law."

Dorothy H. Bracey, Exploring Law and Culture 31 (2006).

If you want to use this exact language in a paper, or any other work for a course, you must use quotation marks and provide a citation. If you want to use the idea, but not necessarily the author's words, you can paraphrase - but remember, you need to really need to explain the idea in your own words for it to be properly paraphrased; and don't forget the citation! 

Western law has two major subgroups. One is the legal systems of Europe. There are differences between the European legal systems, but they are all descended from the Roman Empire and influenced by the procedures of the Medieval Roman Catholic law.

With or without a citation, the above phrase is plagiarism. Changing a few words and omitting others is not enough for proper paraphrasing. You must really understand what the phrase means and then put it in your own words. 

Proper Paraphrasing

At first glance, it can seem like the legal traditions of European countries are all very different. However, as part of one of the larger subgroups of Western law, European legal systems largely share a common origin in the Roman Empire and Medieval Roman Catholic Church law.

This is an example of proper paraphrasing (and citation). The original phrase has been reworded and the original idea is being attributed to the original author.

Help With Paraphrasing

If you feel like you need help with paraphrasing, there are some very good resources online. Purdue University has an online writing lab (the OWL) that offers tips on how to paraphrase as well as a quiz to see if you really understand how to paraphrase. This is an important skill to practice in order to avoid plagiarism. 

  • Purdue's OWL instructions on how to paraphrase
  • Purdue's OWL paraphrase exercise

Checklist From the OWL

6 Steps to Effective Paraphrasing

  • Reread the original passage until you understand its full meaning.
  • Set the original aside, and write your paraphrase on a note card.
  • Jot down a few words below your paraphrase to remind you later how you envision using this material. At the top of the note card, write a key word or phrase to indicate the subject of your paraphrase.
  • Check your rendition with the original to make sure that your version accurately expresses all the essential information in a new form.
  • Use quotation marks to identify any unique term or phraseology you have borrowed exactly from the source.
  • Record the source (including the page) on your note card so that you can credit it easily if you decide to incorporate the material into your paper.

Taken from Purdue Online Writing Lab, Paraphrase: Write It in Your Own Words

  • << Previous: Defining Plagiarism
  • Next: Writing Skills >>
  • Last Updated: Mar 22, 2022 9:47 AM
  • URL: https://law-richmond.libguides.com/howtoavoidplagiarism

Department of Health & Human Services

Paraphrasing and Plagiarism: What the Writing Guides Say

Although virtually all professional and student writing guides, including those in the sciences, provide specific instructions on the proper use of quotation marks, references, etc., some fail to offer specific details on proper paraphrasing. With some exceptions, writing guides that provide instructions for proper paraphrasing and for avoiding plagiarism tend to subscribe to a "conservative" approach to paraphrasing. That is, these guides often suggest that when paraphrasing, an author must substantially modify the original material. Consider the following examples of paraphrasing guidelines:

Don’t plagiarize. Express your own thoughts in your own words…. Note, too, that simply changing a few words here and there, or changing the order of a few words in a sentence or paragraph, is still plagiarism. Plagiarism is one of the most serious crimes in academia.
You paraphrase appropriately when you represent an idea in your own words more clearly and pointedly than the source does. But readers will think that you plagiarize if they can match your words and phrasing with those of your source.

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Part 6: Style and the Writing Process

How instructors view paraphrases.

Should writers paraphrase more than they quote? When should a writer use paraphrase? When should quotes be used?

Believe me, students can get frustrated and nervous at the prospect of paraphrasing. The reason, I think, is that one needs to know what a source means before being able to paraphrase. As handbook editor Jane Aaron writes in an early edition of The LB Brief Handbook “[. . .] an unsuccessful paraphrase–one that plagiarizes–copies the author’s words or sentence structures or both without quotation marks ” (423). You will need to get good at paraphrasing to do well in college-level writing.

Cite as you write.  Remember, when in doubt about whether or not to cite, just cite. Cover yourself against accusations of plagiarism.

Reword and Reorder Reorder and Reword To count as a valid paraphrase, you need to reword and reorder the original. Then, of course, you cite the source. You cannot just switch around a few words and hope that you’ve done enough.

It’s not okay to slightly reword the original, or simply to replace the verb with a synonym. This is a form of plagiarism. While still keeping to the source’s meaning, you must attempt to entirely reword and reorder the original.  If part of the original cannot or should not be reworded, put that phrasing in quotes.

Please ask questions if you are unsure about what constitutes a proper paraphrase. Like most citing issues, judge on a case-by-case basis.

Don’t forget to interpret your cited information. Even though it’s in your words, you still need to interpret.

Remember These Questions? Should writers paraphrase more than they quote? When should a writer use paraphrase? When should quotes be used?

Quotes should be used when the writer couldn’t say it better, or when the source “said it” in such a distinctive manner that it’s almost impossible to paraphrase without losing much of the meaning. Advertising and famous speeches convey meaning better if they are cited. Imagine paraphrasing “Coke, the real thing” or “We have nothing to fear but fear itself!”

However, in academic writing situations you are expected to paraphrase a lot. Quotes should be used sparingly. Take the time to understand what you’re quoting. Reorder and reword it, cite it, then interpret.

Do you see how all those activities (reordering, etc.) will tend to give you lots to say about a paraphrase? If you think of the area after your citation as the place where proving happens, then the work of interpretation becomes much easier. That is, if you go to the trouble of understanding, reorder and rewording a given quote, then throwing in a few sentences of interpretation is a relatively easy task. You already translated the quote into your own words by paraphrasing; now, show what the quote means and how it helps one’s thesis.

  • How Instructors View Paraphrases. Authored by : Joshua Dickinson. Provided by : Jefferson Community College. Located at : http://www.sunyjefferson.edu . Project : College Writing Handbook. License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike

proper paraphrasing of a sentence written by

Tips on Paraphrasing

  • Have you simply changed a few words to synonyms? Try again. Being handy with a thesaurus is not enough to make the sentence yours.
  • Have you included exact sequences of words from the original? If so, make sure to put quotation marks around those phrases, or re-write until the entire paraphrase is your words.
  • Have you retained the meaning of the original? Changing the author's meaning is not plagiarism, but academic honesty requires you to represent other's work accurately in your writing.

DeCandido, Graceanne A. "Bibliographic Good vs. Evil in Buffy the Vampire Slayer ." American Libraries Sept. 1999: 44-47.

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Q. How do I paraphrase or quote my sources correctly?

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Answered By: Priscilla Coulter Last Updated: Jun 02, 2023     Views: 85246

When you are writing a research paper, finding the right words can be tricky.  If you read a superb sentence or a perfect paragraph in one of your sources, you might be tempted to copy and paste it into your own paper.  Most of us understand that just copying and pasting someone else's work, without providing a citation , is plagiarism .   But what if:

  • You change a word or two in the sentence after you paste it into your paper, then provide a citation at the end of it.  Is that enough?  
  • You rewrite the sentence or paragraph or sentence in your own words.  Do you still need a citation?

While the situations above may seem like grey areas, they can still constitute plagiarism.  If you keep in mind a very basic definition of plagiarism ( representing someone else's words, data or ideas as your own ) , it can guide you in deciding what to do instead.  We recommend:

  • If you rewrite that perfect paragraph or sentence (aka you paraphrase or summarize it), remember that the ideas in the reworded version still came from the original author(s)...so you must cite the original source !  
  • Don't try to change just a word or two, and pass the rest off as your own writing (even with a citation, you are representing someone else's words as your own if you don't use quotation marks). 
  • Direct quotes should be used sparingly...paraphrasing or summarizing better shows your instructor that you have a good grasp of the sources that you read.
  • Don't forget to cite the source that the quote comes from!

Would it help to see some examples?   Explore the Writing Process page of Writing@APUS :

Writing Process page

Text-based tutorials:

  • Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing (Purdue OWL)
  • Avoiding Plagiarism - Paraphrasing (MIT)
  • Avoiding Plagiarism - Quoting (MIT)

Video tutorials:

  • Summarizing, Paraphrasing, and Quoting: A Guide to Doing it Right! ( Genesee Community College)
  • Paraphrasing Ideas in your Writing (University of Melbourne)
  •  Quoting VS Paraphrasing - APA style (Suffolk County Community College)
  • Paraphrasing (Imagine Easy Solutions)
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Proper vs. Improper Paraphrasing: How To Do It Right

  • Posted on October 26, 2023 October 26, 2023

Plagiarism is a serious concern in academic and professional contexts, with severe consequences. Inappropriate paraphrasing can involve merely substituting a few words with synonyms without altering the original text’s structure or meaning. 

This article aims to guide readers on proper vs. improper paraphrasing techniques for avoiding plagiarism. It covers the appropriate use of direct quotes and synonyms and the importance of accurately conveying the author’s ideas while still expressing them in one’s words.

What Is Improper Paraphrasing?

Improper paraphrasing is considered plagiarism when it involves using someone else’s ideas, language, or sentence structure without giving proper attribution. While paraphrasing is a valuable writing skill, it is essential to properly cite the original source and refrain from repeating the original content word-for-word

Improper paraphrasing can occur when a writer uses close matches of the original content with slight changes, such as changing a few words but keeping the sentence structure the same or summarizing a large portion of the original text without proper citation. 

It is crucial to understand the difference between quoting and paraphrasing and always to provide appropriate citations when writing a research paper. When paraphrasing, using one’s own words and sentence structure to convey the original idea is best.

Here is an example of improper paraphrasing.

proper paraphrasing of a sentence written by

What Is Proper Paraphrasing?

Proper paraphrasing is a critical skill in academic writing, where writers restate the original author’s ideas in their own words while retaining the original meaning. 

To paraphrase correctly, writers should fully understand the original text, take notes, summarize the ideas in their own words, and compare the result to the original text. This demonstrates the writer’s comprehension of complex material and ability to communicate it effectively.

When paraphrasing in academic writing , it’s crucial to use quotation marks appropriately and sparingly for direct quotes. Preferably, writers should use paraphrasing to integrate the original author’s ideas. 

Properly citing the original source is essential for maintaining academic integrity. Citations should include relevant information such as the author’s name, publication date, and work title. Failing to cite sources can result in accusations of plagiarism, which can have severe consequences for one’s academic and professional career.

This example demonstrates proper paraphrasing, which involves using one’s own words and sentence structure to restate the original idea.

proper paraphrasing of a sentence written by

Proper & Improper Paraphrasing: Side by Side

proper paraphrasing of a sentence written by

The table above shows an original passage, an acceptable paraphrase , and an unacceptable paraphrase. Acceptable paraphrases use different sentence structures and keywords to keep the original meaning. In contrast, unacceptable ones either use the exact words or change the sentence structure to change the meaning. 

Only information that is common knowledge does not require paraphrasing or citation. Proper paraphrasing involves rewording the original sentence and citing the source, while improper paraphrasing uses the exact words or alters the sentence structure.

6 Steps To Avoid Improper Paraphrasing

Here are a few tips to help writers avoid common pitfalls while paraphrasing.

1. Check the Source of the Original Content

Before paraphrasing any content, individuals should check the validity and recent publication of the source to avoid outdated or invalid sources that may result in inaccurate paraphrasing and unintentional plagiarism.

2. Fully Understand the Meaning of the Content

To paraphrase accurately, it’s essential to fully comprehend the meaning of the original content by reading the text several times and researching any unclear terms.

3. Use Quotation Marks for Unique Words or Phrases

If a phrase or group of words is unique to the original content, individuals should use quotation marks to indicate a direct quote and rephrase the surrounding text to convey the same meaning.

4. Compare Your Paraphrasing With the Original

After drafting the paraphrased content, individuals should compare it with the original to ensure the uniqueness and accurate conveyance of the original text.

5. Cite All Sources, Every Time

Writers must give proper credit and attribution to the original author or source using in-text citations and a reference list when paraphrasing content.

6. Use a Plagiarism Checker

Individuals should also use a plagiarism checker to double-check their work for any types of plagiarism and ensure proper credit and attribution have been provided using in-text citations , a reference list, and quotation marks when necessary.

Plagiarism Checker for Peace of Mind

Proper paraphrasing is vital for maintaining the original meaning of source material in one’s own writing. Improper paraphrasing is a form of plagiarism that can result in significant consequences. 

To avoid inappropriate paraphrasing, writers should use direct quotations when necessary and provide proper citations for all source material. Using a plagiarism checker like Quetext can help writers ensure their work is original and free of plagiarism by scanning for improper paraphrasing.

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COMMENTS

  1. Unlocking the Secrets of Proper Grammar: How to Correct English Sentences

    In today’s fast-paced world, effective communication is more important than ever. Whether you’re writing an email, a social media post, or an important business document, having proper grammar is vital to ensure your message is clear and pr...

  2. What Are Some Examples of Good Thesis Sentences?

    Examples of a good thesis sentence includes a summary of the writer’s arguments about the subject of the written piece. A good thesis sentence answers a question that the body of the paper answers and explains in greater detail.

  3. What Is a Number Sentence?

    A number sentence is an equation or an inequality which is written with numbers and symbols rather than words. The term is most often used in the early grades when students are learning addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.

  4. CITI Plagiarisms Flashcards

    Proper paraphrasing of a sentence written by someone else may be accomplished by: Using your own words and writing voice to express the idea conveyed in the

  5. proper paraphrasing of a sentence written by someone else ...

    Proper paraphrasing of a sentence written by someone else may be accomplished by rewriting the original sentence using different language

  6. Paraphrasing, Summarising and Quoting

    Paraphrasing and summarising require analytical and writing skills which are crucial to success at university. What are the differences?

  7. How to Paraphrase

    Paraphrasing is plagiarism if you don't properly credit the original author. ... If you directly copy a sentence or phrase, you should quote it

  8. What is Paraphrasing?

    Paraphrasing means 'to state something written or spoken in different words, especially in a shorter and simpler form to make the meaning

  9. Proper vs. Improper Paraphrasing

    Learning how to properly paraphrase is a very important component of good writing. But, remember, just because you have properly paraphrased

  10. Paraphrasing and Plagiarism: What the Writing Guides Say

    author's ideas or facts using our words and sentence structure. Print.

  11. How Instructors View Paraphrases

    Please ask questions if you are unsure about what constitutes a proper

  12. Paraphrasing (MLA)

    Paraphrases should sound like you, using vocabulary and sentence structures

  13. Q. How do I paraphrase or quote my sources correctly?

    When you are writing a research paper, finding the right words can be tricky. If you read a superb sentence or a perfect paragraph in one of

  14. Proper vs. Improper Paraphrasing: How To Do It Right

    Proper paraphrasing is a critical skill in academic writing, where ... Proper paraphrasing involves rewording the original sentence and