PARAPHRASI

NGACADEMIC WRITING
LECTURE 6
 The paraphrase and summary are
indispensable tools in essay writing
because they allow you to include other
people’s ideas without cluttering up your
essay with quotations and help you take
greater control of your essay.
WHEN TO Consider relying on either tool when an
idea from one of your sources is important
PARAPHRASE to your essay but the wording is not.
AND WHEN You should be guided in your choice of
which tool to use by considerations of
TO space.
Think about how much of the detail from
SUMMARIZE? your source is relevant to your argument.
If all your reader needs to know is the
bare bones, then summarize.
Ultimately, be sure not to rely too heavily
on either paraphrase or summary. Your
ideas are what matter most.
CONTENT OF PARAPHRASES

When you paraphrase, you are explaining your source's argument, following its
line of reasoning and its sequence of ideas, in your own words. This is essential to avoid
the risk of plagiarism.
The paraphrase should give the reader an accurate understanding of the author's
position on the topic and, in doing so, prove that you understand the passage well
enough to restate it.
Remember: your job is not to prove yourself correct, but to uncover and explain all
the facts and arguments involved in your subject.
Paraphrasing involves changing a text so that it is quite dissimilar to the source
yet retains all the meaning.
Paraphrases are almost the same size as the original source. Although used in
summary writing, paraphrasing does not aim to shorten text, merely to restate it.
A good paraphrase is significantly different in wording without having changed the meaning at all.
 Physical evidence of a lost civilization has
been found off the coast of China.

Could become:
Remains of an ancient society have been
discovered in the sea near China.
PARAPHRASI Or:
NG It has long been known that Cairo is one of
the most populous cities on earth, but no-one
knew exactly how populous it was until last
EXAMPLES month.

Could become:
For many years, Cairo has known to be one
of the world's most heavily populated cities.
However, the precise extent of its population
remained unknown before last month.
TECHNIQUES OF PARAPHRASING

When you are at the note-taking stage, and you come across a passage that may be
useful for your essay, do not copy the passage verbatim unless you think you will want to quote it.
In your notes you should already be translating the language of the original into your
own words. What matters is that you capture the original idea. Find alternative
words/synonyms for these words/phrases - do not change specialised vocabulary and
common words.
This restatement preserves both the original meaning of the passage and the author's
position on the matter, but it may be difficult to read at some points. Fine tune the
sentence construction, possibly even adding a phrase here and there to illustrate a
point more clearly or show a connection between two ideas.
Ensure the paraphrase alters the wording of the passage without changing its meaning. It should
retain the basic logic of the argument, its sequence of ideas, and even the examples
used in the passage. Most importantly, it accurately conveys the author's meaning and
opinion.
 This rewriting of history was not so
much a matter of a new start.

Becomes
This rewriting of history was not so much a
CHANGE matter of starting again.

NOUNS TO
He lives in a small room, but out of his
VERBS earnings he makes a start at having a house
built.

Becomes
He lives in a small room, but out of his small
earnings starts to have a house built.
 The Normans invaded Britain in 1066.

Becomes

The Norman invasion of Britain took

place in 1066.
CHANGE
VERBS TO
The bomb exploded and caused many
casualties.
NOUNS
Becomes
The explosion caused many casualties.
 He wrote frequently.

Becomes

CHANGE He wrote on frequent occasions.

He was a frequent writer.

ADVERBS TO
ADJECTIVES Politically, it was a poor decision.

Becomes
From a political point of view, it was a poor
decision.
It was a poor political decision.
 We can relate a study of this kind to texts
in other media too.

Becomes

A study of this kind can be related to texts

CHANGE
in other media too.
ACTIVE
In this treatment the teacher can use a VERBS TO
variety of techniques to elicit the language
learners already know. PASSIVE
Becomes VERBS
In this treatment a variety of techniques are
used to elicit the language learners already
know.
BREAK UP SENTENCES

Given the extent to which deforestation increased markedly

in the four southern states during 1987 and 1988, it is heartening
news that during the early part of the 1989 dry season the
burning seemed to have been curtailed somewhat, due to a
combination of policy changes, better controls on burning, and
most important of all an exceptionally wet "dry" season.

Becomes

Deforestation increased markedly in the four southern

states during 1987 and 1988. On account of this, it is heartening
news that during the early part of the 1989 dry season the
burning seemed to have been curtailed somewhat. The reason for
this is a combination of policy changes, better controls on
burning, and most important of all an exceptionally wet "dry"
season.
COMBINE SENTENCES

Tropical forests are defined here as evergreen or partly

evergreen forests. They grow in areas receiving not less than 100 mm
of precipitation in any month for two out of three years. The mean
annual temperature is 24-plus degrees Celsius. The area is essentially
frost-free.

Becomes

Tropical forests are defined here as evergreen or partly

evergreen forests, in areas receiving not less than 100 mm of
precipitation in any month for two out of three years, with mean annual
temperature of 24-plus degrees Celsius, and essentially frost-free.
STEPS OF PARAPHRASING

There are three main techniques for paraphrasing:

1. Changing vocabulary by finding synonyms for words (Microsoft Word can help with this, but
be careful that the word you select has precisely the same meaning).
Research  Study; Result  Outcome; Country  State
Note that not all words can be paraphrased. Technical language and simple
grammatical structures are hard to paraphrase. For example, economics, socialism or
pandemic have few effective synonyms.
2. Changing word class
The people of Georgia living in mountainous regions  The Georgian citizens
living in the mountains
3. Changing word order
Ancient Rome then collapsed  The collapse of Ancient Rome began
PRACTICE – SYNONYMS

Find synonyms for the words in italics.

a) Sleep scientists have found that traditional remedies for insomnia, such as counting sheep, are

ineffective.
Sleep researchers have found that established cures for insomnia, for instance counting
sheep, do not work.

b) Instead, they have found that imagining a pleasant scene is likely to send you to sleep quickly.
Instead, they have discovered that visualising an attractive environment is likely to encourage
you to sleep rapidly.

c) The research team divided 50 insomnia sufferers into three groups.

The scientists split 50 insomniacs into three groups.

d) One group was told to imagine a waterfall, while another group tried sheep counting.
One group was asked to think of a waterfall, while another group attempted sheep
counting.
PRACTICE – WORD CLASS

Change the word class of the words in italics, and then re-write the sentences.
a) A third group was given no special instructions about going to sleep.
A third group was not specially instructed about going to sleep.

b) It was found that the group thinking of waterfalls fell asleep 20 minutes quicker.
The findings showed that the group thinking of waterfalls fell asleep 20 minutes
quicker.

c) Mechanical tasks like counting sheep are apparently too boring to make people sleepy.
It appears that mechanical tasks like counting sheep are too boring to make people
sleepy.
PRACTICE – WORD ORDER

Change the word order of the following sentences

a) There are many practical applications to research into insomnia.
Research into insomnia has many practical applications.

b) About one in ten people are thought to suffer from severe insomnia.
It is thought that about one in ten people suffer from severe insomnia.
c)

d) It is calculated that the cost of insomnia for the American economy may be $35
billion a year.
The cost of insomnia for the American economy has been calculated at
approximately $35 billion a year.
 Original:
Paul Ekman from the University
of California has conducted a long
series of experiments on how nonverbal
behaviour may reveal real inner states.
Paraphrase:
Paul Ekman who works at the
University of California has performed a
EXAMPLES sequence of investigations on the way
nonverbal behaviour may disclose real
internal conditions.

This is not enough by itself. You also

need to change the words and the
structure of the text or use direct
quotations
 Original:
Besides being a theory about the
basis and origin of knowledge and the
contents of our minds in general,
empiricism is also sometimes a
methodology.
Paraphrase:
Not only is empiricism a theory
EXAMPLES about the basis and origin of knowledge
and the contents of our minds in
general, it also sometimes a
methodology.

This is not enough. The last part has

been copied directly.
REMEMBER

Whenever you paraphrase you must provide a reference (in-text

in APA style).

The paraphrase must be entirely in your own words. You must do

more than merely substitute phrases here and there. You must
also completely alter the sentence structure.

Check:
Your paraphrase is accurate.
The meaning is the same.
The length is almost the same.
The style is your own.
You have acknowledged the source with a complete in-text
APA citation.
PARAPHRASING EXERCISE

Before the last century, no humans had visited Antarctica and even today the vast
continent has a winter population of less than 200 people. However, a recent report from
a New Zealand government agency outlines the scale of the pollution problem in the ice
and snow. Although untouched compared with other regions in the world, the bitter cold
of Antarctica means that the normal process of decay is prevented. As a result, some
research stations are surrounded by the rubbish of nearly 60 years’ operations.
Despite popular belief, the polar continent is really a desert, with less precipitation
than the Sahara. In the past, snowfall slowly covered the waste left behind, like beer
cans or dead pack animals, but now, possibly due to global warming, the ice is thinning,
and these are being exposed. Over 10 years ago the countries using Antarctica agreed a
treaty on waste disposal, under which everything is to be taken home, and this is slowly
improving the situation. However, the scientists do not want everything removed. The
remains of very early expeditions at the beginning of the twentieth century have
acquired historical value and will be preserved.
PARAPHRASING EXERCISE – POTENTIAL ANSWER

Antarctica was unexplored until the 20th century, and still has a tiny population in
relation to its size (of less than 200 people in winter). Yet it suffers from various pollution
problems that have been described in a report by a New Zealand government agency. The
extremely low temperatures there impede the usual patterns of decay, though compared
with most parts of the world it remains in pristine condition. Some long-established
scientific bases have large piles of garbage around them.
Few people realise that Antarctica has very little precipitation (less than the Sahara)
and is actually a desert, so that in the current context of global warming the melting ice
tends to reveal the rubbish that previously was being buried under the snow. For more
than a decade the nations involved in Antarctic research have respected an agreement to
repatriate their garbage, and this should gradually solve the problem. But there are a few
items that will not be cleared up, since they belonged to the early period of exploration
and have now acquired historic significance.
PARAPHRASING EXERCISE 2

In India, millions of young people are unable to find a job, while

employers struggle to find qualified candidates. What was being promoted by
local policymakers a few years ago as India’s ''demographic dividend'' – the
fact that more than half of its population of 1.2 billion is younger than 25 – is
not delivering the sort of bounty that had been anticipated. As a result,
businessmen frustrated at being unable to get skilled workers, increasingly
turn to automation – a disaster for a country that needs jobs for the
unemployed youth flooding the market.
 PARAPHRASING EXERCISE 3

For 10 years, the Environmental Media Association (EMA) has been

working to subtly insert messages about the environment into prime-time
television programming. Created by and for professionals in the
entertainment industry, the EMA works with the stars in front of the cameras
as well as the creative staff behind them to include environmental themes in
scripts, show environmental products on sets, and make environmentally
sound decisions in the studios.