To Paraphrase Properly You Need To

Paraphrasing is more than just swapping words; it's about demonstrating your understanding of a source and expressing it in your own voice. To paraphrase properly, you need to master a range of skills and techniques, ensuring accuracy, originality, and proper attribution.

The Fundamentals of Paraphrasing

Paraphrasing is re-writing a text or passage in your own words without changing the meaning. It involves more than just replacing a few words with synonyms. A good paraphrase demonstrates that you understand the original text and can convey its information in a new way. The key goals of paraphrasing include:

• Understanding: To truly paraphrase, you must first deeply understand the original text.
• Originality: The paraphrase should be in your own words and sentence structure, not a close copy of the original.
• Accuracy: The meaning of the paraphrase must be the same as the original text.
• Attribution: You must give credit to the original source, even when paraphrasing.

Why Paraphrasing Matters

Paraphrasing is a vital skill in academic writing, journalism, and professional communication. It allows you to incorporate the ideas of others into your work without plagiarizing. Effective paraphrasing helps you:

• Avoid Plagiarism: By rewriting content in your own words, you avoid copying someone else's work without giving credit.
• Clarify Complex Ideas: Paraphrasing allows you to simplify and explain difficult concepts in a way that is easier for your audience to understand.
• Support Your Arguments: Paraphrased material can be used as evidence to support your claims and strengthen your arguments.
• Demonstrate Understanding: Paraphrasing shows your instructors or readers that you have a firm grasp of the material you are working with.
• Maintain Your Voice: Paraphrasing allows you to integrate external sources into your writing while maintaining your unique writing style.

Steps to Paraphrase Effectively

1. Understand the Original Text

The first step in paraphrasing is to fully understand the original text. Read the passage carefully, looking up any unfamiliar words or concepts. Try to identify the main ideas and supporting details. Techniques to improve understanding include:

• Active Reading: Engage with the text by highlighting key points, making notes in the margins, and asking questions.
• Summarizing: Briefly summarize the main idea of the passage in your own words. This will help you focus on the core message.
• Outlining: Create an outline of the passage, noting the main points and supporting details.
• Discussing: Discuss the text with someone else to gain a different perspective and clarify any misunderstandings.

2. Identify Key Concepts

Once you understand the text, identify the key concepts and ideas that need to be included in your paraphrase. These are the essential elements that convey the main message of the original passage. Strategies for identifying key concepts:

• Highlighting: Highlight or underline the main ideas and important details in the text.
• Note-Taking: Write down the key concepts in your own words. This will help you avoid copying phrases directly from the original text.
• Concept Mapping: Create a visual representation of the main ideas and their relationships to each other.

3. Rewrite in Your Own Words

Now comes the most crucial step: rewriting the passage in your own words. Avoid simply replacing a few words with synonyms. Instead, focus on rephrasing the entire passage using your own sentence structure and vocabulary. Tips for effective rewriting:

• Change Sentence Structure: Break long sentences into shorter ones, or combine short sentences into longer ones. Change the order of the ideas in the passage.
• Use Synonyms: Replace words with synonyms, but be careful to choose words that have the same meaning in context.
• Change the Voice: If the original passage is in the active voice, try rewriting it in the passive voice, and vice versa.
• Use Different Examples: If the original passage uses examples to illustrate a point, try using different examples in your paraphrase.

4. Check for Accuracy

After you have rewritten the passage, check to make sure that your paraphrase accurately reflects the meaning of the original text. Ensure that you have not unintentionally changed the author's intended message. Ways to verify accuracy:

• Compare: Compare your paraphrase to the original text, sentence by sentence, to ensure that you have not misinterpreted any information.
• Seek Feedback: Ask someone else to read your paraphrase and the original text to see if they understand the same message from both.
• Refer Back: Refer back to your notes and summaries to ensure that you have included all of the key concepts from the original passage.

5. Cite Your Source

Even when paraphrasing, you must always give credit to the original source. Use proper citation methods (such as footnotes, endnotes, or in-text citations) to indicate where you found the information. Guidelines for proper citation:

• In-Text Citations: Include the author's name and the year of publication in parentheses after the paraphrased material.
• Bibliography: Include a complete list of all the sources you used in your paper at the end of your document.
• Follow Style Guides: Adhere to the citation style guidelines required by your instructor or publication (e.g., MLA, APA, Chicago).

Techniques for Effective Paraphrasing

1. Using Synonyms

Replacing words with synonyms is a common paraphrasing technique, but it is important to choose synonyms that fit the context and maintain the meaning of the original text. Precautions when using synonyms:

• Context Matters: Make sure the synonym fits the context of the sentence. A word can have multiple meanings, so choose the one that is most appropriate.
• Thesaurus Use: Use a thesaurus to find synonyms, but don't rely on it blindly. Always check the definition of the synonym to ensure that it has the same meaning as the original word.
• Avoid Overuse: Don't overuse synonyms to the point where your writing sounds unnatural or forced.

2. Changing Sentence Structure

Changing the sentence structure involves rearranging the order of the ideas in the passage, breaking long sentences into shorter ones, or combining short sentences into longer ones. Benefits of changing sentence structure:

• Originality: Changing the sentence structure makes your paraphrase more original and less like a direct copy of the original text.
• Clarity: Rearranging the ideas in the passage can help you clarify complex concepts and make them easier to understand.
• Voice: Changing the sentence structure can help you maintain your own writing style and voice.

3. Changing the Voice (Active to Passive)

Changing the voice from active to passive (or vice versa) can be an effective way to paraphrase a passage. The active voice emphasizes the actor, while the passive voice emphasizes the action. When and how to change the voice:

• Active Voice: "The dog chased the ball." (Emphasis on the dog)
• Passive Voice: "The ball was chased by the dog." (Emphasis on the ball)
• Flexibility: Changing the voice can help you rephrase a passage in a way that is both accurate and original.

4. Summarizing

Summarizing involves condensing the main ideas of a passage into a shorter version. This technique is useful when you only need to convey the general meaning of the original text. Aspects of effective summarizing:

• Brevity: Summaries should be shorter than the original text.
• Main Ideas: Focus on the main ideas and supporting details, omitting less important information.
• Objectivity: Summaries should be objective and avoid adding your own opinions or interpretations.

5. Using Different Examples

If the original passage uses examples to illustrate a point, try using different examples in your paraphrase. This can help you demonstrate your understanding of the concept and make your paraphrase more original. Scenarios for using different examples:

• Relevance: Choose examples that are relevant to your audience and context.
• Clarity: Use examples that clearly illustrate the concept you are trying to explain.
• Originality: Make sure the examples are different from those used in the original text.

Common Paraphrasing Mistakes to Avoid

1. Patchwriting

Patchwriting is a type of plagiarism that involves changing a few words in the original text while leaving the sentence structure and overall meaning intact. To avoid patchwriting:

• Understand: Fully understand the original text before you begin to paraphrase.
• Rewrite: Rewrite the passage in your own words and sentence structure.
• Cite: Always cite your source, even when paraphrasing.

2. Quoting Too Much

Over-relying on direct quotes can make your writing sound disjointed and can prevent you from demonstrating your understanding of the material. Focus on paraphrasing and summarizing whenever possible, and use direct quotes sparingly. When to use direct quotes:

• Impact: Use direct quotes when the original author's words are particularly memorable or impactful.
• Authority: Use direct quotes when you need to cite an authority on a particular subject.
• Analysis: Use direct quotes when you plan to analyze the author's language or style.

3. Failing to Cite

Failing to cite your sources, even when paraphrasing, is plagiarism. Always give credit to the original author for their ideas. Guidelines for avoiding citation errors:

• Track Sources: Keep track of all the sources you use in your research.
• Cite Everything: Cite everything that is not your own original thought or idea.
• Use a Style Guide: Follow a consistent citation style (e.g., MLA, APA, Chicago).

4. Misinterpreting the Original Text

Misinterpreting the original text can lead to inaccurate paraphrases. Always double-check your understanding of the text before you begin to rewrite it. Steps to ensure accurate interpretation:

• Read Carefully: Read the original text carefully and look up any unfamiliar words or concepts.
• Summarize: Summarize the main ideas of the passage in your own words.
• Seek Feedback: Ask someone else to read your paraphrase and the original text to see if they understand the same message from both.

Tools and Resources for Paraphrasing

Several tools and resources can help you improve your paraphrasing skills:

• Thesauruses: Thesauruses can help you find synonyms for words, but be careful to choose words that fit the context.
• Grammar Checkers: Grammar checkers can help you identify and correct errors in your writing.
• Paraphrasing Tools: Paraphrasing tools can help you rewrite text in your own words, but be sure to review and edit the results to ensure accuracy and originality.
• Style Guides: Style guides (e.g., MLA, APA, Chicago) provide guidelines for proper citation and formatting.

Examples of Effective Paraphrasing

Original Text: "The rapid development of technology has transformed the way we communicate, making it easier than ever to connect with people around the world."

Poor Paraphrase: "The fast growth of technology has changed how we communicate, making it simpler to connect with people all over the world." (This is patchwriting, with only a few words changed.)

Effective Paraphrase: "Technology's swift advancement has revolutionized communication, enabling individuals to connect globally with unprecedented ease." (This paraphrase uses different words and sentence structure while maintaining the original meaning.)

Original Text: "Education is the key to unlocking a brighter future, providing individuals with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in life."

Poor Paraphrase: "Education is the key to opening a brighter future, giving people the knowledge and skills they need to do well in life." (This is patchwriting, with only a few words changed.)

Effective Paraphrase: "A strong education empowers individuals with the necessary skills and knowledge, paving the way for a more promising future." (This paraphrase uses different words and sentence structure while maintaining the original meaning.)

Advanced Paraphrasing Techniques

1. Combining Information from Multiple Sources

When writing academic papers, you often need to combine information from multiple sources. Paraphrasing allows you to integrate these ideas into a cohesive narrative. Strategies for combining information:

• Synthesize: Look for common themes and ideas across multiple sources.
• Organize: Organize the information in a logical order.
• Attribute: Clearly attribute each idea to its original source.

2. Paraphrasing Complex or Technical Material

Paraphrasing complex or technical material can be challenging, but it is important to ensure that your paraphrase is accurate and understandable. Tips for simplifying complex material:

• Break It Down: Break down the complex material into smaller, more manageable parts.
• Define Terms: Define any technical terms or jargon.
• Use Analogies: Use analogies or metaphors to explain difficult concepts.

3. Maintaining Academic Integrity

Maintaining academic integrity is essential when paraphrasing. Avoid plagiarism by following these guidelines:

• Understand Plagiarism: Understand what constitutes plagiarism and how to avoid it.
• Cite Sources: Cite all of your sources, even when paraphrasing.
• Seek Help: Ask your instructor or a writing center for help if you are unsure about how to paraphrase properly.

The Ethical Considerations of Paraphrasing

Paraphrasing is not just a technical skill; it also has ethical implications. It is important to use paraphrasing responsibly and ethically to avoid plagiarism and give proper credit to the original authors. Ethical considerations:

• Honesty: Be honest about the source of your ideas.
• Respect: Respect the intellectual property of others.
• Responsibility: Take responsibility for your own work and avoid plagiarism.

Conclusion

Mastering the art of paraphrasing is an essential skill for effective communication and academic success. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can learn to paraphrase accurately, originally, and ethically. Remember to understand the original text, rewrite it in your own words, check for accuracy, and always cite your sources. With practice, you can become a skilled paraphraser and enhance the quality of your writing.