Paraphrasing How to Do It and Avoid Plagiarism

Paraphrasing: How to Do It and Avoid Plagiarism By the end, we will know… * The definition of paraphrasing * How to find the main idea of the text in order to paraphrase it * How to put a passage in your own words without changing the meaning

What is Paraphrasing? ? PARAPHRASING IS… �A rewriting of text in your own words �Used to clarify meaning �Used to shorten a longer statement but keeps the main ideas �A detailed restatement, not a summary, which focuses on one main idea �Ideas expressed by someone else, presented in a new form �One way to borrow from a source (when quoting)

So How Do We Do It? �Read the passage carefully �Decide the main ideas of the passage �Highlight important words or phrases �Put the main points in your own words �Cite the author (give him/her credit!)

Why Should I Know This? ? �Paraphrasing is a valuable skill because ……. �It is better than quoting (sometimes). �It helps you control the temptation to quote too much. �The mental process required helps you grasp the full meaning of the original quote.

Let’s Look at an Example: Students frequently overuse direct quotation in taking notes, and as a result they overuse quotations in the final research paper. Probably only about 10% of your final paper should appear as direct quoting. Therefore, you should strive to limit the amount of quoting while taking notes. Lester, James D. Writing Research Papers. 2 nd ed. (1976): 46 -47 Paraphrasing: In research papers, students often quote too much, failing to keep quoting down. Since the problems usually originates during note taking, it is important to minimize the materials recorded. (Lester 46 -47) Summary: Students should take just a few notes in direct quotation from sources to help minimize the amount of quoted material in a research paper. (Lester 46 -47)

How is this Paraphrasing? Looking at the example, briefly answer these questions in your notes and share them during classroom discussion… �Which specific words are paraphrased, or changed? �Does this change the main idea of the text? Why/why not? �How are the paraphrase and the summary different?

Exploring Another Passage � Read the following passage and write down (in your notes) the main idea as well as key words and phrases – You have five minutes to do so. “This past summer, I gathered a group of 20 babies between the ages of 14 and 20 months. I handed each one a Black. Berry. No sooner had the babies grasped the phones than they swiped their little fingers across the screens as if they were i. Phones, seemingly expecting the screens to come to life. It appears that a whole new generation is being primed to navigate the world of electronics in a ritualized, Apple-approved way. ” Lindstrom, Martin. “You Love Your i. Phone. Literally. ” www. newyorktimes. com. (2011).

Now You Try Paraphrasing Again using your guided notes, paraphrase this passage (making sure not to take direct quotes or change the main idea): “This past summer, I gathered a group of 20 babies between the ages of 14 and 20 months. I handed each one a Black. Berry. No sooner had the babies grasped the phones than they swiped their little fingers across the screens as if they were i. Phones, seemingly expecting the screens to come to life. It appears that a whole new generation is being primed to navigate the world of electronics in a ritualized, Apple-approved way. ” Lindstrom, Martin. “You Love Your i. Phone. Literally. ” www. newyorktimes. com. (2011).

Remember… �Paraphrasing without citing your source is still considered plagiarism! �Stay true to the author’s main idea/message when you are paraphrasing �Put the text into your own words, do not just summarize Please put your notes in your folders and have a wonderful day!