Difference between revisions of "Paraphrase a Paragraph"
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=== Understanding the Basics === | === Understanding the Basics === | ||
| − | #Know what ‘paraphrasing’ means. “Paraphrasing” is saying something someone else has said in your own words. You still express the same ideas, just in a different way. It can be a useful skill to have, especially if you are trying to write an essay or article.<ref>https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/owlprint/619/</ref> | + | #Know what ‘paraphrasing’ means. “Paraphrasing” is saying something someone else has said in your own words. You still express the same ideas, just in a different way. It can be a useful skill to have, especially if you are trying to write an essay or article.<ref name="rf1">https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/owlprint/619/</ref> |
#*Of course, you always want to give credit when you use someone else’s ideas, but paraphrasing gives you a chance to say it in your own words instead of using a direct quotation. By stating it your way, the information may fit better into what you’re writing, allowing your writing to flow more easily from one idea to the next. | #*Of course, you always want to give credit when you use someone else’s ideas, but paraphrasing gives you a chance to say it in your own words instead of using a direct quotation. By stating it your way, the information may fit better into what you’re writing, allowing your writing to flow more easily from one idea to the next. | ||
#Be aware of the differences between paraphrasing and summarizing. Paraphrasing may sound suspiciously like summarizing, but they are actually two different methods of a rewriting a text. In both methods, you are putting the text in your own words, though summarizing sometimes uses some of the same phrases as the original, depending on your end goals. | #Be aware of the differences between paraphrasing and summarizing. Paraphrasing may sound suspiciously like summarizing, but they are actually two different methods of a rewriting a text. In both methods, you are putting the text in your own words, though summarizing sometimes uses some of the same phrases as the original, depending on your end goals. | ||
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#Understand that paraphrasing doesn’t necessarily mean making the text shorter. When you summarize, you are trying to take a longer text and make it into a shorter, succinct text using your own words. This is not the case with paraphrasing. In fact, sometimes your paraphrased paragraph might be slightly longer than the original, depending on the words you choose. | #Understand that paraphrasing doesn’t necessarily mean making the text shorter. When you summarize, you are trying to take a longer text and make it into a shorter, succinct text using your own words. This is not the case with paraphrasing. In fact, sometimes your paraphrased paragraph might be slightly longer than the original, depending on the words you choose. | ||
=== Paraphrasing Correctly === | === Paraphrasing Correctly === | ||
| − | #Change the original word choice. When you paraphrase, you must change the words being used. That is, as a writer you have your own unique way of explaining an idea, and therefore, your diction is important. “Diction” just means the words you choose to make your point. When you are paraphrasing, you must choose different words than the ones in the original text to explain the same idea.<ref | + | #Change the original word choice. When you paraphrase, you must change the words being used. That is, as a writer you have your own unique way of explaining an idea, and therefore, your diction is important. “Diction” just means the words you choose to make your point. When you are paraphrasing, you must choose different words than the ones in the original text to explain the same idea.<ref name="rf1" /> |
#*Example: The words you would choose to tell someone how to ride a bike are different from the words another writer would choose. Someone else may say “Climb on the bike,” while you might say, “Sit on the bike seat.” Both have essentially the same meaning—“Get on the bike”—yet they are worded differently. | #*Example: The words you would choose to tell someone how to ride a bike are different from the words another writer would choose. Someone else may say “Climb on the bike,” while you might say, “Sit on the bike seat.” Both have essentially the same meaning—“Get on the bike”—yet they are worded differently. | ||
#Use a thesaurus to help you with word choice. You can use a thesaurus if you can’t think of another word to convey the same idea, as it can remind you of other similar words you already know (these words are called synonyms). Be careful to only use words that you are sure fit, however, as a word you don’t know may have a connotation that isn’t appropriate for the paragraph. “Connotation” is the feeling a word has. | #Use a thesaurus to help you with word choice. You can use a thesaurus if you can’t think of another word to convey the same idea, as it can remind you of other similar words you already know (these words are called synonyms). Be careful to only use words that you are sure fit, however, as a word you don’t know may have a connotation that isn’t appropriate for the paragraph. “Connotation” is the feeling a word has. | ||
#*For instance, “grumble” and “protest” have similar meanings, and they would be listed as synonyms in a thesaurus. However, they have different connotations. For instance, “protest” is often connected to politics while “grumble” is not. | #*For instance, “grumble” and “protest” have similar meanings, and they would be listed as synonyms in a thesaurus. However, they have different connotations. For instance, “protest” is often connected to politics while “grumble” is not. | ||
| − | #Create your own syntax for your paraphrased paragraph. Paraphrasing doesn’t just relate to word choice; it also has to do with syntax and structure. “Syntax” is how you put your words together to form a sentence.<ref | + | #Create your own syntax for your paraphrased paragraph. Paraphrasing doesn’t just relate to word choice; it also has to do with syntax and structure. “Syntax” is how you put your words together to form a sentence.<ref name="rf1" /> |
#*For instance, “Jane stared at the sunset as she ate oranges” is syntactically different from the sentence “Jane ate oranges while she stared at the sunset.” | #*For instance, “Jane stared at the sunset as she ate oranges” is syntactically different from the sentence “Jane ate oranges while she stared at the sunset.” | ||
| − | #Try to change the structure of the paragraph. “Structure” is how sentences and paragraphs are put together. Of course, you want to put the sentences in your paragraphs together in a way that makes sense. You want to lead your reader through the idea you are presenting. Nonetheless, you still have some wiggle room in how a paragraph goes together. When you’re paraphrasing, you can’t just replace words in the text with synonyms (words that mean the same thing) and call it done. You actually need to restructure it until it is a completely new paragraph that conveys the same idea.<ref>https://writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/QPA_paraphrase.html</ref> | + | #Try to change the structure of the paragraph. “Structure” is how sentences and paragraphs are put together. Of course, you want to put the sentences in your paragraphs together in a way that makes sense. You want to lead your reader through the idea you are presenting. Nonetheless, you still have some wiggle room in how a paragraph goes together. When you’re paraphrasing, you can’t just replace words in the text with synonyms (words that mean the same thing) and call it done. You actually need to restructure it until it is a completely new paragraph that conveys the same idea.<ref name="rf2">https://writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/QPA_paraphrase.html</ref> |
#*<i>Paragraph you would like to paraphrase</i>: “Jane swerved in the road to avoid hitting the deer. As the car veered off the road, Jane couldn’t help thinking this day may be her last. Her thoughts flashed to her children and her spouse. The car hit the tree with a sickening crunch, and Jane blacked out. However, she awoke within a few seconds, bruised and sore, but alive.” | #*<i>Paragraph you would like to paraphrase</i>: “Jane swerved in the road to avoid hitting the deer. As the car veered off the road, Jane couldn’t help thinking this day may be her last. Her thoughts flashed to her children and her spouse. The car hit the tree with a sickening crunch, and Jane blacked out. However, she awoke within a few seconds, bruised and sore, but alive.” | ||
#*<i>Paraphrased paragraph example 1</i>: “Jane saw a deer in the road, so she swung her car around to miss the animal. Her car headed for the trees. Her mind flooded with images of her family, and she wondered if she would die today. As the front of the car crunched into the tree, she lost consciousness for a moment, though she thankfully survived the crash with just a few bumps.” | #*<i>Paraphrased paragraph example 1</i>: “Jane saw a deer in the road, so she swung her car around to miss the animal. Her car headed for the trees. Her mind flooded with images of her family, and she wondered if she would die today. As the front of the car crunched into the tree, she lost consciousness for a moment, though she thankfully survived the crash with just a few bumps.” | ||
