Paraphrasing

1. Paraphrasing Sandra Sembel

2. What is Paraphrasing? • Paraphrasing is taking a set of facts or opinions and rewording them. • When paraphrasing, it is important to keep the original meaning and details and to present it in a new form. • Basically, you are simply writing something in your own words that expresses the original idea and details.

3. Why Paraphrasing? • It aids comprehension – we can paraphrase something only when we have understood the information. • It helps us retain the information longer in our memory. • It exercises our critical thinking.

4. How? • Read and understand the original sentence(s). • Identify and jot down the key ideas. • Combine the key ideas and details in a sentence/paragraph. • Reread it again to make sure it has served the purpose. • Write down the source.

5. Examples Sentences

6. Example 1 Original: • In her lifetime, Mary contributed a lot to bring great transformation to the life of women. Paraphrase: • Mary’s life was dedicated to make incredible change for women.

7. Example 2 Original: • Giraffes like Acacia leaves and hay and they can consume 75 pounds of food a day. Paraphrase: • A giraffe can eat up to 75 pounds of Acacia leaves and hay everyday. 

8. Example 3 Can you try this? Original: • Any trip to Italy should include a visit to Tuscany to sample their exquisite wines. Paraphrase: ?

9. Example 3 Can you try this? Original: • Any trip to Italy should include a visit to Tuscany to sample their exquisite wines. Paraphrase: ? • Be sure to include a Tuscan wine-tasting experience when visiting Italy.  

10. Try this! • My car needs gasoline. • A college student usually has a lot of assignments to do. • Honesty is the best policy.

11. Examples Paragraphs

12. Original Paragraph 1 • In The Sopranos, the mob is besieged as much by inner infidelity as it is by the federal government. Early in the series, the greatest threat to Tony's Family is his own biological family. One of his closest associates turns witness for the FBI, his mother colludes with his uncle to contract a hit on Tony, and his kids click through Web sites that track the federal crackdown in Tony's gangland. 

13. Paraphrased Paragraph 1 • In the first season of The Sopranos, Tony Soprano’s mobster activities are more threatened by members of his biological family than by agents of the federal government. This familial betrayal is multi-pronged. Tony’s closest friend and associate is an FBI informant, his mother and uncle are conspiring to have him killed, and his children are surfing the Web for information about his activities.

14. Original Paragraph 2 • 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 manuscript should appear as directly quoted matter. Therefore, you should strive to limit the amount of exact transcribing of source materials while taking notes. Lester, James D. Writing Research Papers. 2nd ed. (1976): 46-47.

15. Paraphrased Paragraph 2 • In research papers students often quote excessively, failing to keep quoted material down to a desirable level. Since the problem usually originates during note taking, it is essential to minimize the material recorded verbatim (Lester 46-47).

16. Now, try this! Paragraph 1 • Although our human ability to communicate is genetically determined and hence is a part of our biological nature, speech development is importantly affected by the environment.

17. Paragraph 2 • Learning to talk occurs in similar ways and on similar schedules for all normal children, with little effect of differences in training or practice.

18. Paragraph 3 • Although a bad environment can retard language development, children can learn to speak in any environment where other people speak, but they need a supportive environment to learn to speak eloquently.