Paraphrasing is when you express ideas and information from your sources in your own way using your own words. This is central to university study and writing and is also an ability which employers look for in graduates.
Why are students usually asked to paraphrase?
- Paraphrasing allows you to go through a mental process which helps you to understand and think about what you read in a more independent way.
- It helps you to express the information and ideas from sources in your own style of thinking and writing so that you can integrate them smoothly into your own argument and essay.
- It helps you to restate information and ideas from your sources in a way that best supports your own argument.
- Paraphrasing shows your tutor that you have understood what you have read and that you have used your reading to develop your knowledge and ideas.
- It helps you to express information and ideas from complicated texts more clearly and simply
- It helps you to restate information and ideas from your sources which are not special enough to quote.
- Paraphrasing also helps you to avoid high similarity scores (plagiarism) in your assignment grades and feedback.
The rules of paraphrasing
There are four rules we should follow when we paraphrase:
- change the language of the text (words and phrases)
- change the grammar/structure of the text (tenses, word order etc)
- keep the original meaning
- include a citation
How to write an effective paraphrase
Paraphrasing is done differently by everyone, and we each have our own system that we like to follow. However, it can be useful to consider ways that are different to your own. Remember that often, the most difficult part of paraphrasing is trying to keep the original meaning of the source text you are rewriting!
A suggested list of steps to create an effective paraphrase are:
- make sure the information you want to paraphrase is relevant and supports the point you are making in your essay
- read the sentence/text carefully (until you fully understand it)
- highlight key words and phrases
- find synonyms for these key words and phrases
- cover the original sentence/text
- try to rewrite in your own words changing: language (synonyms); structure (grammar, tenses, word order etc)
- uncover the sentence/text and re-read to make sure you have kept the original meaning
- decide how/where you will cite the author in your paragraph
Examples in action - acceptable paraphrase
With reference to the four rules of paraphrasing (see above) the following are acceptable examples of paraphrasing.
Original
Like drought, excess rainfall and flooding can also contribute to epidemics of waterborne infectious diseases, in this case due to poor sanitation resulting from runoff from overwhelmed sewage lines or the contamination of water by livestock.
(Source: Shuman, E., M.D. (2010, March 25). Global climate change and infectious diseases. New England Journal of Medicine; 362, 12, 1061-1063. Retrieved from nejm.org at MIT Libraries.)
Acceptable paraphrase #1 - used synonyms
An overabundance of rainfall can also be a factor in spreading infectious diseases carried by water, usually as a result of overflowing sewers and pollution from farm animals (Shuman, 2010).
Acceptable paraphrase #2 - changed sentence structure
When there is an overabundance of rainfall, two situations can occur: sewers can overflow and water can become polluted by the presence of livestock, both of which can lead to outbreaks of waterborne diseases (Shuman, 2010).
Examples in action - unacceptable paraphrase
With reference to the four rules of paraphrasing (see above) the following are unacceptable examples of paraphrasing.
Original
We do not yet understand all the ways in which brain chemicals are related to emotions and thoughts, but the salient point is that our state of mind has an immediate and direct effect on our state of body.
(Source: Siegel, B. (1986). Love, Medicine and Miracles (p. 69). New York: Harper and Row.)
Unacceptable paraphrase #1
Siegel (1986) writes that we still do not know all the ways in which brain chemistry is related to emotions and thoughts, but the important point is that our mental state has an immediate and direct effect on our physical state.
Why is this unacceptable?
- The writer has kept the same exact sentence structure
- The writer had only substituted synonyms in certain places; in others the wording is exactly the same as the original
- Even though the writer mentions the original source in the introductory phrase, the result is plagiarism.
Unacceptable paraphrase #2
According to Siegel (1986), our mind affects our body quickly and directly, although we do not yet understand every aspect of how brain chemicals relate to emotions and thoughts.
Why is this unacceptable?
- Although the writer has changed the structure of the sentence, key phrases come directly from the original.
- Even though the writer mentions the original source in the introductory phrase, the result is plagiarism.
Checklist
Each time you rewrite information from another source, ask yourself the following questions to evaluate whether your paraphrase has been successful:
- Has sufficient language (words and phrases) been changed in the paraphrased text?
- Has the grammar of sentences (structure, tenses) been effectively changed?
- Does the paraphrase change (in any way) the original meaning of the text?
- Has a citation been accurately included?
- Overall, is the paraphrase acceptable / unacceptable?
Next steps
- Consult our Study Skills Guides including: Integrating information from sources; Quoting information from sources; Using reporting verbs
- Attend our interactive Study Skills Workshops
Not feeling confident yet?
Don’t worry! Email studyskills@abertay.ac.uk. We are here to help!
Last modified by Student and Academic Services