How to Paraphrase

Let's say that you want to introduce information from another source (a book, a journal
article, or website, for example) into your paper. You could approach this by quoting the
work directly or try to convey the information from the original source in your paper by
rephrasing it in your own words. This latter approach is paraphrasing.

Let's take a moment to make a clear distinction between the two:

Quoting: To quote is to include the identical wording from the original source in your
paper. Quoted material in your paper is distinguished from your own words by the use
of " " or by indenting the quoted text (if quoting a longer passage). In addition to
quotation marks or indenting, all quoted material should also be cited, using either
footnotes, endnotes, or in-text citation.

Paraphrasing: To paraphrase is to include the ideas or information from an original

source in your paper by rephrasing those ideas or information in your own words. The
key to successful paraphrasing is to use as few words as possible from the original
text--be mindful not to change the meaning that you are trying to convey as you
rephrase--and to cite your paraphrase. Without proper citation, your paraphrase could
be construed as plagiarism.
 Examples of Paraphrasing
Paraphrasing involves taking a passage - either spoken or written - and rewording it.
Writers often paraphrase sentences and paragraphs to deliver information in a more
concise way, as you'll see in the examples below. When paraphrasing, it is important to
keep the original meaning so that the facts remain intact. Basically, you are writing
something in your own words that still expresses the original idea.
Paraphrasing is common when writing an essay or research paper. It allows you to
explain important ideas in your own writing style and focus on the information that is
most useful in making your point. Even when you put someone else's ideas into your
own words, you must cite the source of your information. This gives credit to the original
author for their ideas.
Paraphrasing is slightly different than summarizing. When you summarize a passage,
you focus on restating only the main idea in your own words. Paraphrasing, on the other
hand, aims to provide most of the information in a slightly condensed
form. Summaries are much shorter than the original passage, while paraphrasing can
be shorter, longer or the same length.

Paraphrasing Sentences
Sometimes you only need to paraphrase the information from one sentence. Here are some
examples of paraphrasing individual sentences:

 Original: Her life spanned years of incredible change for women as they gained more rights than
ever before.
Paraphrase: She lived through the exciting era of women's liberation.
 Original: Giraffes like Acacia leaves and hay, and they can consume 75 pounds of food a day.
Paraphrase: A giraffe can eat up to 75 pounds of Acacia leaves and hay daily.
 Original: Any trip to Italy should include a visit to Tuscany to sample the region's exquisite
wines.
Paraphrase: Be sure to make time for a Tuscan wine-tasting experience when visiting Italy.
 Original: Symptoms of influenza include fever and nasal congestion.
Paraphrase: A stuffy nose and elevated temperature are signs you may have the flu.
 Original: The price of a resort vacation typically includes meals, tips and equipment rentals,
which makes your trip more cost-effective.
Paraphrase: All-inclusive resort vacations can make for an economical trip.
 Original: He has tons of stuff to throw away.
Paraphrase: He needs to get rid of a lot of junk.

Paraphrasing Paragraphs
Paraphrasing a longer passage can take a little more effort, as you have to ensure it is different
enough from the original to be classed as your own work.

Here is an example of paraphrasing a paragraph from "Family Values and Feudal Codes: The
Social Politics of America's Twenty-First Century Gangster." Journal of Popular Culture 37.4
(2004) by Ingrid Field Walker, taken from Duke University Libraries.

Original passage:

In The Sopranos, the mob is besieged as much by inner infidelity as it is by the federal
government. Early in the series, the greatest threat to Tony's Family is his own biological family.
One of his closest associates turns witness for the FBI, his mother colludes with his uncle to
contract a hit on Tony, and his kids click through Web sites that track the federal crackdown in
Tony's gangland.

Paraphrased passage:

In the first season of The Sopranos, Tony Soprano's mobster activities are more threatened by
members of his biological family than by agents of the federal government. This familial
betrayal is multi-pronged. Tony's closest friend and associate is an FBI informant, his mother
and uncle are conspiring to have him killed, and his children are surfing the Web for information
about his activities.
 Avoiding Plagiarism
There is a fine line between plagiarism and paraphrasing. If the wording, or even the sentence
structure, of the paraphrased text is too close to the wording of the original content, it will look
like you are trying to pass off someone else's words as your own. This is plagiarism, which is
unethical and even illegal in some cases. The main ideas need to come through, but the wording
has to be your own.

If you don't think you can paraphrase a sentence or passage and have the meaning come across as
clearly, you can use the original author's exact words if you put them in quotation marks. You
will also need to identify the source of the material by giving the author's name. For example:

 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. famously said, "In the end, we will remember not the words of our
enemies, but the silence of our friends."

In this example, Dr. King's exact words are quoted, and he is given credit for them in the
sentence.

If you choose to paraphrase information and put it into your own words instead, you will still
need to give credit to the original author for ideas that are unique and not common knowledge.
For example:

 According to New York Times columnist Paul Krugman, the economy is doing well based on
GDP and falling unemployment.

In this case, the writer put Paul Krugman's ideas into their own words, but still gave credit for
them by naming him as the source. This is required when the ideas aren't considered general
knowledge available to all. Because Krugman is an expert in economics, these ideas are his and
should be cited as such.

On the other hand, common facts like historical dates and basic information do not need to be
cited. For example, you would not need to find an encyclopedia article to back you up if you
wrote that the Battle of Gettysburg ended on July 3, 1863, or that the earth revolves around the
sun. These are well-known facts accepted by all and do not require sources.
Be Clear and Concise
When writing a report or a research paper, you'll need to master paraphrasing to present relevant
information in a clear, concise way. Practice putting facts and figures into your own words, and
be sure to cite sources in the format required by your instructor, and you'll have no trouble
getting your point across without worrying about plagiarism.