Examples
All examples on this page are in APA Style unless stated otherwise.
Explaining the ideas of authors in your own words shows that you understand the concepts and opinions of those authors. It takes skill to alter the form of information without changing the meaning of that information, and it is a skill well worth developing.
There are 2 approaches to putting authors' ideas into your own words:
- Summarising: creating a shortened version of the source information.
- Paraphrasing: putting the source information into other words and phrases.
Summarising
Summarising involves selecting some key features and then using them to create a shortened version of the author's prose.
When summarising source information, you shouldn't significantly alter the meaning. Make sure there's enough difference between the original and your summarised version by simplifying ideas and presenting them using a different sentence structure or order.
Summary example and explanation
Summary example and explanation
Original excerpt
“Children spend a very large proportion of their daily lives in school. They go there to learn, not only in a narrow academic sense, but in the widest possible interpretation of the word – about themselves, about being a person within a group of others, about the community in which they live, and about the world around them. Schools provide the setting in which such learning takes place” (Leyden, 1985, p. 38).
First summary suggestion
As Leyden (1985) points out, schools are places for children to learn about life, themselves, other people, as well as academic information.
Second summary suggestion
Schools are places for children to learn about life, themselves, other people, as well as academic information (Leyden, 1985).
Summary explanation
These summaries use the same keywords as the original: schools, learn, others, themselves and academic. This is because many concepts and ideas cannot be broken down to a more basic level without losing the original meaning. The difference between the summary and the original is the arrangement of keywords and the combination of new words.
A summary doesn't include all the ideas from the original text. These summaries omit the first sentence's meaning (that children spend much of their daily lives in school) and other details about the community in which they live.
Condense and merge sentences with similar ideas. The point 'schools provide the setting for learning' is merged with the second sentence: 'schools are places for children to ...'. The order of ideas is changed. Leyden's version mentions the academic focus of learning first, then the broader context of issues children learn at school. The summary reverses this, presenting the broader context first, then the academic focus of learning.
Summarising tips
- Identify keywords in the source information and link other words to create a different combination.
- Summarise without significantly altering the meaning of the information.
- Be selective about the ideas you choose to include.
- Reorder the ideas. Create a distinction between your version and the author's.
- Summarise the points of several authors in 1 sentence if they're making similar arguments.
Paraphrasing
Paraphrasing involves restating information using different words. Unlike summarising, paraphrasing focuses less on shortening and condensing the information. The objective is to rewrite the information by drawing on different words and phrases.
When paraphrasing a source, replacing a few words is not enough. It results in a bad paraphrase that may even be plagiaristic.
Keeping recognised terms
In some circumstances, you must keep some features of the original phrase. For instance, some words and phrases are recognised terms used within a field. They're not specific to an individual author. Such terminology and technical concepts should not be changed.
If the terminology is known generally in the field you don't need to put it in quotation marks, but if you're unsure, it's safest to put quotation marks anyway.
Putting source information in your own words
Learn specific paraphrasing techniques to put source information into your own words.
Evaluate and synthesise
Evaluate and synthesise
Evaluate
If you can, include your own opinion about the source while paraphrasing to show you:
- understand the idea
- can evaluate its usefulness
- can apply it in the assignment.
Example
The analysis made by Gibson (2002) about … is useful because it takes into account external factors.
Synthesise
Rather than paraphrasing 1 author at a time, consider combining several similar sources into a single sentence. This is known as synthesis.
Synthesis examples
Based on the ideas of Johnson (1997), McDonald (2000), and Wright (2002), it can be argued that …
Based on the findings of Johnson (1997), McDonald (2000), and Wright (2002), it can be demonstrated that …
Restate and reorder
Restate and reorder
Sentence starters to restate main points
Use these sentence starters to repackage the sentence.
This concept is about …
This issue focuses on / involves / integrates / highlights / illustrates …
This means …
It is comprised of …
A central feature underlying this concept is …
This functions to / serves to / works to …
Reorder the sentence
Effective paraphrasing would keep the main points (searching, electronic database, query, definition of query) but rearrange the order.
Original sentence
“You begin searching an electronic database by typing in a ‘query,’ which is typically several words that are related to your topic of interest” (Kennedy & Smith, 2001, p. 294).
Reordered sentence
Kennedy and Smith (2001, p. 294) define a query as a set of terms that relate to your subject. The first step in a search is to enter that query into an electronic database.
Source: Reading and writing in the academic community (2nd ed.)
Signpost words and phrases
Signposts are words and phrases that link concepts together: 'therefore,' 'however,' 'in contrast' and many others. Adding these words can enhance the flow of your paraphrase and make it different from the source.
If a word is not subject-specific terminology or a keyword, you can replace it with a word of similar or identical meaning. A thesaurus is a useful tool, but you should always ensure that the new word means what you think it does.
Include the author's name
Include the author's name
Begin restating the information by putting the author's name in the sentence. You can place the author's name at the beginning, middle or end.
Using the author's name in a sentence
According to McDonald (2008), …
As identified by Smith (1990), social dynamics involve …
Social dynamics, as identified by Smith (1990), involve …
Social dynamics involve …, as identified by Smith (1990).
Avoid overusing words and phrases
'According to' are probably the most commonly used words, but there are hundreds more you can also use.
'According to' alternatives
Smith (1990) states that …
Smith (1990) asserts that …
Smith (1990) suggests that …
Smith (1990) corroborates this interpretation …
Smith (1990) contrasts this with a similar situation …
Smith (1990) highlights …
Paraphrasing examples and explanations
Effective paraphrasing examples
Effective paraphrasing examples
Original excerpt
“Children spend a very large proportion of their daily lives in school. They go there to learn, not only in a narrow academic sense, but in the widest possible interpretation of the word – about themselves, about being a person within a group of others, about the community in which they live, and about the world around them. Schools provide the setting in which such learning takes place” (Leyden, 1985, p. 38).
First paraphrase example
As Leyden (1985) points out, schools are places where children spend a significant amount of time. Beyond merely going to school to learn academic information, Leyden argues that learning occurs within a far wider context as children also learn about who they are, by being in groups, their local community, as well as the wider world which surrounds them. Hence, schools offer the settings to facilitate children's learning about a great many things.
Second paraphrase example
Schools are places where children spend a significant amount of time (Leyden, 1985). Beyond merely going to school to learn academic information, learning occurs within a far wider context as children also learn about who they are, by being in groups, their local community, as well as the wider world which surrounds them (Leyden, 1985). Hence, schools offer the settings to facilitate children's learning about a great many things.
Paraphrase explanation
The paraphrased version is more detailed than the 1 sentence summary in the previous section. Here, we rewrote each of the 3 sentences in the quotation. This paraphrased version relies on more of the keywords from the original: schools, children, academic, learn, spend, groups, community, world, settings and learning.
The paraphrased version retains the order of ideas. Unlike the summarised version, the paraphrased one mentions the academic focus of learning first, followed by a broader context of issues children also learn about at school. The paraphrased version also represents the specific points addressed by Leyden. In contrast, the summarised version presents a general representation of the ideas while leaving out specific aspects.
The paraphrase and the summary have at least 1 thing in common. The paraphrased example integrates many other words and phrases not used by Leyden to get Leyden's message across. For instance, Leyden refers to learning 'not only in a narrow academic sense but in the widest possible interpretation of the word – about themselves… '. The paraphrased version refers to the same idea in another way: 'beyond merely going to school to learn academic information, learning occurs within a far wider context as children also learn about who they are … '.
Bad paraphrasing example
Bad paraphrasing example
Original excerpt
“Capital represents human creations that are used in the production of goods and services. We often distinguish between human capital and physical capital. Human capital consists of the knowledge and skills people develop (through education and formal or on-the-job training) that enhance their ability to produce, such as the taxi driver's knowledge of the city's streets or the surgeon's knowledge of the human body. Physical capital consists of buildings, machinery, tools, and other manufactured items that are used to produce goods and services. Physical capital includes the driver's cab, the surgeon's scalpel, the ten-ton press used to print Newsweek, and the building where your economics class meets” (McEachern, 1991, p. 3).
Bad paraphrasing
Capital signifies human products that are utilised in the creation of goods and services (McEachern, 1991). Human capital comprises knowledge and skills that people develop (through education and on-the-job training) to enhance their capacity to produce. In contrast, physical capital comprises buildings, machinery, tools, and other manufactured items that are utilised to produce goods and services (McEachern, 1991).
Source: Economics: A contemporary introduction (2nd ed.)
Paraphrase explanation
Although acknowledging the author with bracketed in-text citations, the phrasing is not sufficiently different from the original. Only a few words are substituted:
- represents = signifies
- creations = products
- production = creation
- ability = capacity
- used = utilised
- consist of = comprises
The sentence structure is exactly the same as the original, and the paraphrase omits the examples. Using linking phrases, for example, 'In contrast', does not adequately restate the author's idea. To meet paraphrasing requirements, restate the whole passage in different words.
Better paraphrasing
Capital is an economic concept referring to the things humans make, which are then used “in the production of goods and services” (McEachern, 1991, p. 3). This broad concept can be divided into human as well as physical capital, as McEachern illustrates. Indeed, human capital focuses on the products pertaining to individuals' skills and expertise, which function to improve individuals' production capacity. This type of capital can be gained through some form of education and/or training. In contrast, physical capital involves the kinds of tools and equipment, including buildings, that are central to providing goods and services.
Paraphrase comparison
There are several differences between the bad and better examples:
- Capital represents 'an economic concept.' At the basic word level, the better paraphrase draws on the paraphraser's understanding to help rewrite the author's idea.
- Instead of distinguishing between 2 types of capital, as the original version does, the better paraphrase talks of dividing the 'broad concept' of capital into 2, reframing the author's words. Similarly, as in the point above, the author's words have been reframed using the paraphraser's understanding.
- Using linking words at the beginning of sentences helps the writing flow, such as 'indeed' and 'in contrast.'
- Rather than keeping the term 'consists of...', for human and physical capital, the paraphrase uses 'human capital focuses on...' and 'physical capital involves' to explain these terms. Instead of talking about human capital as enhancing people's ability, the paraphrase talks about 'function[ing] to improve …' Likewise, 'central to the production of…' replaces 'used to produce'.
- Substitute individual words with other words, such as 'things humans make' for 'human creations' and 'individuals' instead of 'people.'
- 2 references in the paraphrase acknowledge the author's ideas, 1 in brackets and another embedded in the body of a sentence.
Using recognised terms in a paraphrase
Using recognised terms in a paraphrase
In the better paraphrasing example above, the original author's phrasing for 'in the production of goods and services' is retained and quotation marks acknowledge the author.
Other phrases retained from the original are: 'physical capital' and 'human capital.' These are recognised terms in economics and must remain unchanged.
The phrase 'goods and services' is kept because it's a recognised term commonly applied in many other contexts beyond an academic setting. Consequently, it was not necessary to use quotation marks around it.
Paraphrasing step-by-step
Use this step-by-step process to put the ideas of other authors into your own words.
1, Write down or paste a copy of the passage. Underline or highlight the author's main points.
“Marriage was a greater influence on the course of many of the women’s lives than choice of job or career, or even family background. Yet few women talked about choosing to get married (although choice may be a misnomer) in the same way they talked about career choices. Relationships are generally believed to belong to the realm of emotion, and ‘we fell in love’ or ‘then I got married’ suffices. The decision to marry is not usually something to be analysed or explained, nor is the choice of a particular man. Indeed, both getting married and marrying a particular man often appeared to be inevitabilities rather than choices. Women did talk about how they met their future husbands, however” (Park, 1991, p. 113).
2, List some key ideas, concepts and phrases from the passage.
- marriage, getting married
- marriage was a great influence
- decision to marry
- not usually something to be analysed or explained
- getting married and marrying a particular man often appeared to be inevitabilities rather than choices
3, Where possible, note down alternative phrases or synonyms for each of these.
- selecting a life partner
- significant impact, influential factor
- choice, marriage options, choice of partner
- typically not talked about, not a topic of discussion
- the process of marriage and choice of partner were more a matter of course, something inevitable, compared to individual choice
4, Rewrite using those alternative words and phrases.
Marriage was an influential factor in the women's lives. This was more so than other factors. Yet, at the same time, marriage options, including choice of partner, were typically not a topic of discussion for most women. Few women actually discussed the subject. Indeed, the process of marriage and choice of partner were more a matter of course, something inevitable, compared to individual choice.
5, Can you simplify further?
Although marriage impacted the women's lives significantly, it was not a decision that was analysed. Indeed, it was more a matter of course than individual choice.
6, Insert the name of the author.
"Park's (1991) interviews with women showed that although marriage impacted women's lives significantly, it was not typically a decision that was analysed. Few women discussed the topic of marriage, including choice of partner. Rather, marriage was seen as more a matter of course than individual choice."
Paraphrasing tips
- Build up your idea of the information before you begin to paraphrase.
- Create a repertoire of words for academic writing.
- Develop a picture in your mind to help frame or guide your paraphrase.
- Expand on what the author is saying with your knowledge and understanding.
- Include the author's name in the paraphrase.
- If possible, include your own opinion about the source while paraphrasing.
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