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Paraphrasing

Why Paraphrase?

Paraphrasing means writing someone else's words in your own way yet still keeping the intended meaning. By paraphrasing others' ideas, you will guard against the temptation to copy slavishly from the text you are reading. Effective paraphrasing will include your own ideas supported by research material.

Paraphrasing correctly shows that you have understood the passage you are referencing and can put it in your own words coherently.

Paraphrasing is an alternative to quoting directly, but as the paraphrase is still dependent on someone else's ideas, the source material must be acknowledged according to the required system of referencing in your faculty/school.

How to Paraphrase?

  1. Identify the purpose of the text.
  2. Read the original carefully. Check the meanings of words if necessary.
  3. Select the important idea/s and information by highlighting the original or taking notes. Select important definitions of key terms.
  4. Select the main claim/thesis of the text to be paraphrased. Write down your own understanding of this claim.
  5. Gather groups of details, examples and minor ideas under more general terms, a phrase or single word.
  6. Omit ideas that are repeated in the original.
  7. If possible, evaluate the author's attitude (critical or complimentary, certain or uncertain).
  8. Put the original source aside before you begin to write the paraphrased paragraph.
  9. After writing your paraphrase, check that the meaning and attitude of the original text are unaltered.
  10. Use quotation marks for any phrases retained from the original.
  11. Always keep accurate bibliographical details for in-text references and your reference list.

Source: CLC staff

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