Let's say you have found some good information in a journal - how do you put that into your writing? There are basically three ways: summarising, paraphrasing, or quoting. Here's what they are and how to use them.
If you copy the exact words of a source, don't forget to put quotation marks (" ") to show the start and finish of the quote. Don't forget to attach the reference. Keep quotes short.
If you want to use something from a source, only use the relevant parts and decide if it needs to be quoted. For example, in this activity which exampe is the best for putting in a student's essay?
This is when you give the same information as the original source text, but use different words. A paraphrase is usually a similar length to the original.
It is something we do all the time, for example, telling someone what someone else said.
But, quoting word-for-word exactly what someone said is quite unusual. We are not very good at remembering the exact words, but if we understand something, we remember the gist of it and can tell other people about it in our own words.
In your assignments, you can use this natural ability to paraphrase, and so avoid too much quoting.
Play the video below to see one way of paraphrasing.
Put the steps of writing a paraphrase into the correct order.
Answers to this activity can also be found at the bottom of this page.
Now do this review activity about the advantages of paraphrasing.
Answers to this activity can also be found at the bottom of this page.
Don't forget, always give the reference for a paraphrase.
SummarisingA summary is the main point or points of a source in a more general way than a paraphrase. Paraphrasing is more appropriate for shorter texts and summarising for longer ones.
Have a go at the following activity about when to paraphrase and when to summarise. Some general knowledge (or access to Google) required. (Answers are available at the bottom of the page.)
The steps for summarising are the same as for paraphrasing.
As with paraphrases, look at the source before and after writing your summary, but don't look at the source while you are writing.
The key is to understand the source - it will then automatically be turned into your own words by your brain - as long as you do not look at the original while you are writing.
Don't forget, always give the reference for a summary.
Answers to Activity 1
1. Read and understand
2. Take very brief keyword notes
3. Close the book and write your paraphrase from memory and your notes
4. Open the book and check your paraphrase is accurate but worded differently.
Answers to Activity 2
The correct choices are:
Answers to Activity 3
