Paraphrasing

Paraphrasing is… O using our own words, phrases, and sentence structure, to create a precise restatement, of another person’s words (written or spoken), without misrepresenting the original meaning. O often a translation of a tricky sentence or passage, where we decode the author’s words into simpler language. O sometimes a more condensed or shorter version of the original sentence(s), but it can also be longer than the original text. O typically more credible when we present an author’s ideas objectively.

Paraphrasing -- an essential skill for college O A 2009 study published in Delta Pi Epsilon Journal found that “the lack of knowledge in proper documentation and paraphrasing is a primary reason why some students plagiarize, albeit perhaps inadvertently. Implications point to the need for consistent in-depth instruction in proper quotation, citation, and paraphrasing techniques” (Wilhelm 41).

Paraphrasing -- an essential career skill O from the US Army Interpersonal Communication Training Manual (2011) O “In these techniques, you restate, paraphrase, or ‘mirror’ what the speaker said, using your own words, so the speaker can verify that you have correctly understood: O Example: Did you say that many fire team leaders carry a grenade launcher?”

What Can Be Paraphrased? O a short phrase O a sentence O a paragraph * Note: With a long and/or dense paragraph, since paraphrasing often involves point-by- point translation, this would be a long process. O It must be something specific from a text—we can point to it on the page

Paraphrasing Example from “Us and Them” Text: “…I tore off the wrappers and began cramming the candy bars into my mouth, desperately, like someone in a contest.” Paraphrase: Sedaris frantically ripped open his treats and raced to devour them. The writer’s specific ideas are presented but in YOUR OWN WORDS.

Paraphrasing Example Text: “…I tore off the wrappers and began cramming the candy bars into my mouth, desperately, like someone in a contest.” Paraphrase: Sedaris frantically opened his treats and raced to devour them. When we write about literature, we always write in 3 rd person POV.

Use Synonyms Text: “…I tore off the wrappers and began cramming the candy bars into my mouth, desperately, like someone in a contest.” Paraphrase: Sedaris ripped open his treats and raced to devour them.

Use Synonyms Text: “…I tore off the wrappers and began cramming the candy bars into my mouth, desperately, like someone in a contest.” Paraphrase: Sedaris frantically ripped open his treats and raced to devour them.

Use Synonyms Text: “…I tore off the wrappers and began cramming the candy bars into my mouth, desperately, like someone in a contest.” Paraphrase: Sedaris frantically ripped open his treats and raced to devour them. “Candy bars” is a common noun, so we would be fine to keep that wording.

Use Synonyms Text: “…I tore off the wrappers and began cramming the candy bars into my mouth, desperately, like someone in a contest.” Paraphrase: Sedaris frantically ripped open his treats and raced to devour them.

Use Synonyms Text: “…I tore off the wrappers and began cramming the candy bars into my mouth, desperately, like someone in a contest.” Paraphrase: Sedaris frantically ripped open his treats and raced to devour them.

Now we need to add some ELABORATION (context) for the reader Paraphrase: Sedaris frantically ripped open his treats and raced to devour them. CONTEXT: Who, What, Where, When, How, Why (Not all will always apply.) WHY is Sedaris rushing to eat the candy bars? WHERE is he when he’s doing this? WHEN is this happening? Look back at the story and then rewrite this paraphrase by elaborating—adding context.

Paraphrase with ELABORATION (context) added Paraphrase: Knowing he had little time before his mother took his Halloween chocolate to give to the Tomkeys, Sedaris frantically ripped open his treats and raced to devour them before she opened his bedroom door.

What kind of details from a text are easy to paraphrase? O facts or plot O specific phrases or sentences from a text that can be effectively written in many different ways

How to Paraphrase 1. Read and reread the text until you have a clear understanding of the main idea, including details. 2. Put the text away and see if you remember the main idea and details. Can you say them out loud? If not, reread again. 3. Now write down what you remember, but WITHOUT looking at the text. 4. Then compare your writing to the original. Are the writer’s specific ideas still there? If not, revise. 5. Have you paraphrased and not plagiarized? If not, revise again.

Is this paraphrasing or plagiarizing? O Original text: Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall. Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. All the king’s horses and all the king’s men, couldn’t put humpty back together again. O Paraphrase: Humpty Dumpty was sitting on a wall, but then he had a great fall. The king’s horses and his men, couldn’t put humpty back together again.

It’s Plagiarizing! O Original text: Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall. Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. All the king’s horses and all the king’s men, couldn’t put humpty back together again. O Paraphrase: Humpty Dumpty was sitting on a wall, but then he had a great fall. The king’s horses and his men, couldn’t put humpty back together again.

Why is this paraphrase ineffective? O Original text: Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall. Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. All the king’s horses and all the king’s men, couldn’t put humpty back together again. O Paraphrase: Something happened to Humpty Dumpty. The horses and soldiers working under the king had no idea what to do about it so they gave up and went home.

Why is this paraphrase ineffective? O Original text: Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall. Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. All the king’s horses and all the king’s men, couldn’t put humpty back together again. O Paraphrase: What happens to Humpty Dumpty is extremely tragic.

Now, you take a try! Paraphrase this text. O Original text: Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall. Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. All the king’s horses and all the king’s men, couldn’t put humpty back together again. - Read and then look away from the text - Use synonyms and change up the sentence structure and/or order of ideas - Compare your paraphrase to the original

Let’s see how you did.

How to Paraphrase and not Plagiarize O Replace words from the original text with synonyms. Original text: Humpty Dumpty [sat] rested [on] atop a wall. He [had a great fall] tumbled off and crashed to the ground. [All] Everyone of the king’s horses and [all the] king’s [men] workers [couldn’t] were unable to [put humpty back together] repair or rebuild him [again].

How to Paraphrase and not Plagiarize O Switch up the order of the ideas Original text: Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall. Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. All the king’s horses and all the king’s men, couldn’t put humpty back together again. O Switch up the order of the ideas: The king’s employees tried to…

How to Paraphrase and not Plagiarize O Change the sentence structure Original text: Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall. Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. All the king’s horses and all the king’s men, couldn’t put humpty back together again. Just changing the phrasing: While sitting on a wall, Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. Though they tried to put him back together again, all the king’s horses and men were unable to fix Humpty. Note! This change alone, would still count as a plagiarizing, but we could then replace and change words.

Do you have to change every single word when paraphrasing? Original text: Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall. Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. All the king’s horses and all the king’s men, couldn’t put humpty back together again. NO. Names (Humpty Dumpty) or basic common nouns (wall, king, horse) where there isn’t a suitable synonym don’t need to be changed.

Changing these underlined proper and common nouns is unnecessary and clunky Original text: Rita, a gorilla, at the Austin zoo learned sign language and especially loves using it when she wants to eat her favorite dinner: cheeseburgers and tater tots. Over-done/Clunky Paraphrase: At a facility where animals are kept for public viewing, located in Texas’s capital, Rita, a fur- covered ape, loves meat patties with cheese between two buns and mini deep-fried hash brown potatoes. She’s been trained to use the language of the deaf to request this particular meal.

Need more practice?– Paraphrase this nursery rhyme into your own words Original text: Jack and Jill O Jack and Jill went up the hill to fetch a pail of water. Jack fell down and broke his crown. And Jill came tumbling after. Read, look away, recall, and write this in your own words. Then compare your writing to the original. Use synonyms. Change sentence structure and/or the order of ideas. Do not alter the writer’s main ideas or add your opinion.