English B50 Paraphrasing

Using Source Material When incorporating source material into your work, you have three choices for how to include it. Quoting Summarizing Paraphrasing

Quoting, Summarizing, Paraphrasing Quoting, which we have already covered, is probably the simplest option of the three. We have practiced summarizing, or putting the main points of the text into your own words, in the rhetorical précis assignments. Paraphrasing is probably the most challenging of the three options.

Paraphrasing Paraphrasing is essentially translating: you take the ideas from the original text and translate them into your own language. Unlike a summary, a paraphrase is not condensed. Every idea present in the original text should be present in your paraphrase. Like a summary, the paraphrase should be entirely in your own language; like a summary, the paraphrase should be introduced and cited in MLA format.

Plagiarism The most common types of plagiarism I run into is unintentional—students attempt to paraphrase source material but their wording is too similar to the original text.

How to paraphrase the right way It’s easy to want to “borrow” some of the language from the original, but is likely to end in plagiarism. Here are some hints for how to paraphrase without plagiarizing.

Synonyms Swap out words for synonyms, or words that have roughly the same meaning as those in the original text. A thesaurus might come in handy here.

Vary Your Structure You have to convey all of the ideas from the original text, but they don’t have to be presented in the same order as they were in the original. Vary the structure of the sentences and even paragraphs. This will help you ensure that the writing is your own.

Put the Original Away Having the original text staring you in the face can make you feel trapped by it— how else could you possibly convey those ideas? Read a small section (a couple of sentences) and then put the original away before attempting to paraphrase. This will help you avoid the temptation of borrowing.

Check Your Work When you are done, look back over your paraphrase and compare it to the original text. Is it structurally too similar? Are there strings of words that come directly from the original. Remember using three or more words in a row from the original is considered plagiarism. Yes, that includes words like “a”, “to”, and “the”. No, changing every third words is not acceptable. If you find that you have inadvertently plagiarized, go back and fix your work.

When in Doubt, Ask! If you’re ever working on an assignment and wondering “Did I accidentally plagiarize?” you can always come and ask me about it. Make sure you bring the original text as well as your work so we can double check. The consultants at the Writing Center are also very adept at helping students correct inadvertent plagiarism. Ultimately, it’s better to be safe than sorry— ask rather than facing the penalty.

Practice Now we’re going to get some paraphrase practice. Look at “The Right to Be Vile”. In small groups, paraphrase the second to last paragraph (beginning with “Finally and most important”). Be prepared to share your group’s paraphrase with the class.