Principles of Paraphrasing

How to Avoid Inadvertent Plagiarism

in Three Easy Modules

February 24, 2011

Tutorial Features

Notes = Full Transcript

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 Tutorial Outline

• Module 1: Defining Correct Paraphrasing

• Module 2: Rules for Quoting

Quoting, Summarizing
Summarizing, and
Paraphrasing

• Module 3: Tips and Strategies for Successful

Paraphrasing

• Self Check: Paraphrasing Skills Worksheet (with Texts

by HGSE Faculty) and Answer Key

Publication Manual of the American

Psychological Association

The 6th edition of APA's

Publication Manual

http://apastyle.apa.org/pubmanual.html

2
 APA Exposed

http://isites.harvard.edu/apa_exposed

Module 1

Defining Correct Paraphrasing

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What Exactly Does “Paraphrase” Mean?

• The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines

the noun “paraphrase” as “a restatement of a
text, passage, or work giving the meaning in
another form.”

Paraphrase. (2010). In Merriam-Webster online dictionary. Retrieved July 21,

2010, from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/paraphrase

Why Worry About Paraphrasing?

• Your ability to restate ideas in your own words signals to
your readers that you understand the subject matter.
• In education and psychology
psychology, the use of long quotes is
not preferred.
• Paraphrasing allows you to succinctly compare,
contrast, and synthesize the ideas of scholars in your
field.
• Paraphrasing allows you to represent the ideas of others
and demonstrate how your own ideas relate to and
build on the ideas of other scholars.

• Paraphrasing correctly avoids inadvertent plagiarism.

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 How Much Do I Need to Change?
• When paraphrasing correctly it is NOT enough:
– To change one or even a few words
– To rearrange the words
– To replace the words with synonyms
– To omit a few words
– To change the punctuation
– To reorder the phrases in a sentence
– To reorder the sentences in a paragraph
p g p

What is Paraphrasing Really About?

• Paraphrasing is really about:

– Understanding a passage
– Internalizing the meaning of the text
– Restating the important points in your own voice

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 Module 2

Rules for Quoting, Summarizing, and Paraphrasing

Quoting, Summarizing, & Paraphrasing

• There are three ways to represent the work or ideas of

another author in your writing:
– You can quote the author
– You can summarize the author’s point or findings
– You can paraphrase the author’s text

• When you quote a text you need to follow different

rules from when you summarize or paraphrase a text.
– HGSE students are required to know and use the rules
for quoting, summarizing, and paraphrasing texts
– Following these rules will help you avoid inadvertently
committing plagiarism!

• In all three cases you must give credit to the author

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What if I want to quote, summarize, or paraphrase
a source, but there’s no author to credit?

• You must always indicate when you are quoting,

summarizing, or paraphrasing ideas that are not your own
• If there’s no author you need to use something else
instead
– Use the title in place of the author’s name
– If there’s no year of publication listed use (n.d.) in place of
the year

• Example of a Wikipedia Reference:

Winifred Mary Ward. (n.d.). Retrieved May 31, 2008, from Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winifred_Mary_Ward

– Use CAUTION with wiki sources!

Quoting
• When quoting another author’s text in APA style you must:
– Use quotation marks for quotes less than 40 words*
– Cite the author
author’s
s last name
– Note the year of publication
– Provide the page number(s) on which the quotation
appears

*For additional examples of how to quote sources, including how to use block
quotes and how to quote from online sources, you can refer to the 6th Edition
of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. For an
online tutorial on this topic you can go to APA Exposed: Everything You Always
Wanted to Know about APA Format but Were Afraid to Ask
http://isites.harvard.edu/apa_exposed

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 Example: Quoting a Long Text
• Here’s an example of a quote longer than 40 words:
According to Strauss (2008),

The Newbery Medal has been the gold standard in children's literature for more than eight
decades. On the January day when the annual winner is announced, bookstores nationwide
sell out, libraries clamor for copies and teachers add the work to lesson plans.

Now the literary world is debating the Newbery's value, asking whether the books that
have won recently are so complicated and inaccessible to most children that they are
effectively turning off kids to reading. Of the 25 winners and runners-up chosen from 2000
to 2005
2005, four of the books deal with death,
death six with the absence of one or both parents and
four with such mental challenges as autism. Most of the rest deal with tough social issues.
(p. C01)

Reference:
Strauss, V. (2008, December 16). Plot twist: The Newbery may dampen kids' reading. The Washington
Post. Retrieved from http://www.washingtonpost.com

Examples: Quoting a Short Text

• Here are two examples of a short quote:
According to Strauss (2008), “Now the literary world is debating the
Newbery's
y value,, askingg whether the books that have won recentlyy are so
complicated and inaccessible to most children that they are effectively turning
off kids to reading” (p. C01).

“Now the literary world is debating the Newbery's value, asking whether the
books that have won recently are so complicated and inaccessible to most
children that they are effectively turning off kids to reading” (Strauss, 2008, p.
C01).

Reference:
Strauss, V. (2008, December 16). Plot twist: The Newbery may dampen kids' reading. The
Washington Post. Retrieved from http://www.washingtonpost.com

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 Comparing Long and Short Quotes
Block Quote (40 words or more)
According to Strauss (2008),

The Newbery Medal has been the gold standard in children's literature for more than eight decades. On the January day
when the annual winner is announced, bookstores nationwide sell out, libraries clamor for copies and teachers add the work
to lesson plans.

Now the literary world is debating the Newbery's value, asking whether the books that have won recently are so
complicated and inaccessible to most children that they are effectively turning off kids to reading. Of the 25 winners and
runners-up chosen from 2000 to 2005, four of the books deal with death, six with the absence of one or both parents and
four with such mental challenges as autism. Most of the rest deal with tough social issues. (p. C01)

Quotation Marks (39 words or fewer)

According to Strauss (2008), “Now the literary world is debating the Newbery's value, asking whether the books that have
won recently
tl are so complicated
li t d andd inaccessible
i ibl to
t mostt children
hild that
th t they
th are effectively
ff ti l turning
t i off
ff kids
kid to
t reading”
di ” (p.
(
C01).

Quotation Marks (39 words or fewer)

“Now the literary world is debating the Newbery's value, asking whether the books that have won recently are so complicated
and inaccessible to most children that they are effectively turning off kids to reading” (Strauss, 2008, p. C01).
Reference:
Strauss, V. (2008, December 16). Plot twist: The Newbery may dampen kids' reading. The Washington Post. Retrieved from
http://www.washingtonpost.com

Example: Quotes with Ellipses

A Quote Without Ellipses
According to Strauss (2008),

The Newbery Medal has been the gold standard in children's literature for more than eight decades. On the January
day when the annual winner is announced, bookstores nationwide sell out, libraries clamor for copies and teachers
add the work to lesson plans.

Now the literary world is debating the Newbery's value, asking whether the books that have won recently are so
complicated and inaccessible to most children that they are effectively turning off kids to reading. (p. C01)

A Quote Shortened with Ellipses

According to Strauss (2008),

The Newbery Medal has been the gold standard in children's literature for more than eight decades….

Now the literary world is…asking whether the books that have won recently are so complicated and
inaccessible to most children that they are effectively turning off kids to reading (p. C01).

Reference:
Strauss, V. (2008, December 16). Plot twist: The Newbery may dampen kids' reading. The Washington Post. Retrieved
from http://www.washingtonpost.com

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 Example: Quotes with Brackets
Quote Without Brackets
According to Strauss (2008), “Of the 25 winners and runners-up chosen from 2000
to 2005, four of the books deal with death, six with the absence of one or both
parents and four with such mental challenges as autism” (p. C01).

Quoted Text with Brackets Added

According to Strauss (2008), “Of the 25 [Newbery Medal] winners and runners-up
chosen from 2000 to 2005, four of the books deal with death, six with the absence
of one or both parents and four with such mental challenges as autism” (p. C01).

Reference:
Strauss, V. (2008, December 16). Plot twist: The Newbery may dampen kids' reading. The Washington Post.
Retrieved from http://www.washingtonpost.com

Summarizing

• When summarizing another author’s text you must:

– Accurately reflect the author’s message
– Cite the author’s last name
– Note the year of publication
– Use your own words
– Use your own sentence structure

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 Example: Summarizing a Text

• Here’s an example of a summary:

According
g to Strauss ((2008),
), children’s books that are
awarded the Newbery Medal for excellence focus on
topics that are so sophisticated and serious they may
actually discourage children’s desire to read.

Reference:
Strauss, V. (2008, December 16). Plot twist: The Newbery may
dampen kids' reading. The Washington Post. Retrieved from
http://www.washingtonpost.com

Example: Paraphrasing Correctly

• Here’s an example of a paraphrase:
According to Strauss (2008), children’s books that are
awarded the Newbery Medal for excellence sell well even
though they tend to focus on difficult topics, such as death and
developmental disabilities. Instead of promoting children’s
interest in books, these topics are so sophisticated and difficult
for children to comprehend they may actually discourage
children’s desire to read.
Reference:
Strauss, V. (2008, December 16). Plot twist: The Newbery may dampen kids'
reading. The Washington Post. Retrieved from http://www.washingtonpost.com

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 Paraphrasing Correctly

• When paraphrasing another author’s text you must:

– Accurately reflect the author’s message
– Cite the author’s last name
– Note the year of publication
– Use your own words
– Use your own sentence structure

Quote Within a Paraphrase

• Here’s an example of a quote within a
paraphrase:
According to Strauss (2008)
(2008), children’s
children s books that are awarded the
Newbery Medal for excellence sell well even though they tend to focus on
difficult topics, such as “the absence of one or both parents” and “mental
challenges such as autism” (p. C01). Instead of promoting children’s
interest in books, these topics are so sophisticated and difficult for children
to comprehend they may actually discourage children’s
children s desire to read
read.

Reference:
Strauss, V. (2008, December 16). Plot twist: The Newbery may dampen kids'
reading. The Washington Post. Retrieved from http://www.washingtonpost.com

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 Compare and Contrast
Quote:
According to Strauss (2008),
The Newbery Medal has been the gold standard in children's literature for more than eight decades. On
the January day when the annual winner is announced, bookstores nationwide sell out, libraries clamor
for copies and teachers add the work to lesson plans.
Now the literary world is debating the Newbery's value, asking whether the books that have won
recently are so complicated and inaccessible to most children that they are effectively turning off kids
to reading. Of the 25 winners and runners-up chosen from 2000 to 2005, four of the books deal with
death, six with the absence of one or both parents and four with such mental challenges as autism.
Most of the rest deal with tough social issues. (p. C01)

Summary:
According to Strauss (2008), children’s books that are awarded the Newbery Medal for excellence often
have topics
p that are so sophisticated
p and serious theyy discourage
g children’s desire to read.

Paraphrase:
According to Strauss (2008), children’s books that are awarded the Newbery Medal for excellence sell
well even though they tend to focus on difficult topics, such as death and developmental disabilities.
Instead of promoting children’s interest in books, these topics are so sophisticated and difficult for
children to comprehend they may actually discourage children’s desire to read.
Strauss, V. (2008, December 16). Plot twist: The Newbery may dampen kids' reading. The Washington
Post. Retrieved from http://www.washingtonpost.com

Quoting, Summarizing, & Paraphrasing

Author Exact Quotation Page Your Your

& Text Marks Number(s) Own Own
Year Words Structure

Quote
#
Summary
&
Paraphrase
*
= Necessary = Prohibited = Not required

# In APA format quotation marks are used for quotes that have 39 or fewer
words. Block quotes are used for quotes that are 40 words or more.

* Remember, you must place quotation marks around a quoted phrase within a
paraphrase or summary.

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 Structuring Longer Paraphrased Passages

• When you paraphrase longer passages, you

should also try to restructure the order in
which the ideas are presented.

Is It Better to Quote, Summarize, or Paraphrase?

• In social sciences such as education and

psychology, it’s best to limit your use of quotes.
• Some educators think that students use direct
quotes when they don’t fully understand the
original text and cannot accurately restate its
meaning in their own words.
• Most readers appreciate concise papers with
well-supported
well supported arguments.
– If a brief summary can accurately convey the important
information from a source, then a summary is best.
– If you need more detail to convey the point of your argument,
you may need to paraphrase the original text.

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 Module 3

Tips and Strategies for Successful Paraphrasing

WARNING!

Haphazard Note Taking Can Be

DANGEROUS!
• Will you remember
– What was paraphrased and what was a direct quote?
– Where the quotes and paraphrases came from?
– What the original text said?

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 Conducting Research &Taking Notes
• When Typing or Pasting text into a Word file
– Always type the exact text
– Always
Al use quotation
t ti marks
k in
i your notes
t
– Always include the citation information
ƒ Author
ƒ Date
ƒ Page number(s)
Modern Language Association of America (2009). MLA handbook for writers of
research papers (7th ed.). New York: Author.

– Always note your interpretations and ideas for

your paper in a separate document.

Recheck All Paraphrases in the Final Edit

• Always recheck the paraphrasing in the final

version of your paper.
– Make sure you used your own words

– Make sure you used your own sentence structure

– Make sure the paraphrased text still accurately reflects

the meaning communicated in the original source

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 An Approach to Paraphrasing

• Deep Understanding of the Material

• Reword, Rephrase, Restructure

– Reread the passage you intend to paraphrase
– Highlight the ideas that support your argument
– Without looking
g at the original
g p
passage
g write the
important ideas in your own words
– Check to make sure that you have reworded,
rephrased, and restructured the text

Highlights to Bulleted List

Original Bulleted List of Important Points
As if you don't have enough to worry about when
you're going under the knife, hospitals are getting a • Archives of Surgery report
failing grade in infection control. According to a new
study in the Archives of Surgery, nearly 44 percent of
some 34,000
34 000 surgical
i l patients
ti t across ththe country
t did • 44 % of 34
34,000
000 not appropriately
not receive antibiotics within 60 minutes of surgery. administered antibiotics
That one-hour target is considered a gold standard in
the prevention of surgical-site infections, or SSIs,
which affect 300,000 of the estimated 2 million
• Within1 hour=best practices
Americans who pick up hospital-acquired infections
each year. Though most patients received antibiotics, • Antibiotic errors lead to
the drugs were given "too late or too early," says lead preventable infections and deaths
author Dr. Dale Bratzler of the Oklahoma Foundation
for Medical Quality. Such errors can lead to staph
infections, which then result in prolonged hospital • Discuss pre
pre-surgical
surgical antibiotic
stays, cost increases and higher mortality rates. No treatment with the doctor
one is suggesting self-medication. But if you're
scheduled for surgery, your best bet in germ warfare is
to talk to your doctor about whether your procedure
requires prior antibiotic therapy. If the answer is yes, Reference:
ask how your medical team will get you the drugs at
Raymond, J. (2005, March 7). Medicine: It
the right time. (p. 60)
cuts both ways. Newsweek, 60.

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 Bulleted List to Paraphrase
Bulleted List of Important Points Paraphrase

According to Raymond (2005) , best

• Archives of Surgery report practices in surgical science require that
patients receive antibiotic treatments within
• 44 % off 34
34,000
000 nott appropriately
i t l one hour of surgery. Raymond noted that an
administered antibiotics Archives of Surgery report found that pre-
surgical antibiotics are not consistently
• Within1 hour=best practices administered in the appropriate one-hour
time frame. Although deviations from the
• Antibiotic errors lead to protocol can lead to serious consequences,
preventable infections and deaths including preventable infections and deaths,
the report indicated that, of the 34,000 cases
studied 44% of patients were not
studied,
• Discuss pre-surgical antibiotic appropriately medicated. Raymond
treatment with the doctor recommends patients talk with their doctors
prior to surgery to ensure proper antibiotic
Reference: protocols are followed.
Raymond, J. (2005, March 7). Medicine:
It cuts both ways. Newsweek, 60.

Original to Paraphrase
Original Paraphrase
As if you don't have enough to worry about when According to Raymond (2005) , best practices
you're going under the knife, hospitals are getting a in surgical science require that patients receive
failing grade in infection control. According to a new
antibiotic treatments within one hour of
study in the Archives of Surgery, nearly 44 percent of
some 34,000
34 000 surgical
i l patients
ti t across ththe country
t did surgery. Raymond noted that an Archives of
not receive antibiotics within 60 minutes of surgery. Surgery report found that pre-surgical
That one-hour target is considered a gold standard in antibiotics are not consistently administered in
the prevention of surgical-site infections, or SSIs, the appropriate one-hour time frame. Although
which affect 300,000 of the estimated 2 million deviations from the protocol can lead to
Americans who pick up hospital-acquired infections
serious consequences, including preventable
each year. Though most patients received antibiotics,
the drugs were given "too late or too early," says lead
infections and deaths, the report indicated that
author Dr. Dale Bratzler of the Oklahoma Foundation of the 34,000 cases studied, 44% of patients
for Medical Quality. Such errors can lead to staph were not appropriately medicated. Raymond
infections, which then result in prolonged hospital recommends patients talk with their doctors
stays, cost increases and higher mortality rates. No prior to surgery to ensure proper antibiotic
one is suggesting self-medication. But if you're protocols are followed.
scheduled for surgery, your best bet in germ warfare is
to talk to your doctor about whether your procedure
requires prior antibiotic therapy. If the answer is yes, Reference:
ask how your medical team will get you the drugs at
Raymond, J. (2005, March 7). Medicine: It
the right time. (p. 60)
cuts both ways. Newsweek, 60.

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 Maintaining Tone & Voice

• Write in your voice

• Use a tone appropriate for your audience

• Strive for a smooth seamless text

A “Sticky” Situation

• Encountering a “sticky” patch….

• Online Tools
– Quick and Easy
– Can be used to verify the original source
– Can be used to compare
p quoted or p
q paraphrased
p
text to the original

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 WARNING!

Remember Haphazard
p Cut and Paste is

DANGEROUS!

Recapping Paraphrasing

• Paraphrasing is really about:

– Understanding a passage
– Internalizing the meaning of the text
– Restating the important points in your own voice

• Four Rs to Avoid the Perils of Paraphrasing

1.Reword
2 Rephrase
2.Rephrase
3.Restructure
4.Recheck

• Cite your sources

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 For More Information

The 6th edition of APA's

Publication Manual APA Exposed
http://apastyle.apa.org/pubmanual.html http://isites.harvard.edu/apa_exposed

Gutman Library’s Writing and Research Services

HGSE Students With Questions Can Contact

Gutman Library’s
Academic Writing Services
http://www.appointmentquest.com/provider/2030159020

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 Principles of Paraphrasing Recap

• Module 1: Defining Correct Paraphrasing

• Module 2: Rules for Quoting, Summarizing, and Paraphrasing

• Module 3: Tips and Strategies for Successful Paraphrasing

Are you ready to see what you’ve learned?

Self Check

• Test Your Paraphrasing Skills Worksheet (with Texts

by HGSE Faculty) (33kb pdf)

• Test Your Paraphrasing Skills Answer Key (28kb pdf)

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