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Paraphrasing

Jaimie Brzezinski
Quotations should not be over-used, so you must learn to
Avoiding paraphrase and summarise in order to include other

plagiarism
writers’ ideas in your work.

by Paraphrasing involves re-writing a text so that the language

summarising is substantially different while the content stays the same.

and Summarising means reducing the length of a text but


paraphrasing retaining the main points.
Paraphrasing
• This is writing something using different words without changing the
original meaning.
• The paraphrase should be clearer and more easily understood than
the original and about the same length.
• You may paraphrase:
• Short sections of text
• Longer sections of text
• Information that explains tables or figures
Steps for Paraphrasing

1. Read the text carefully.


2. Look up any subject specific words – synonyms.
3. Rephrase simplifying the vocabulary and sentence structure, but don’t change meaning.
4. Revise comparing to the original. Your paraphrase should clarify.
5. Don’t forget to use an intext reference.
What has been changed?
Note that an effective paraphrase usually:

• keeps some
• has a different • has mainly
• retains the same phrases from the
structure to the different
meaning original that are in
original vocabulary
common use
THE CAUSES OF THE INDUSTRIAL
REVOLUTION
Allen (2009) argues that the best explanation for the British
location of the industrial revolution is found by studying demand
factors. By the early eighteenth century high wages and cheap
energy were both features of the British economy. Consequently,
the mechanization of industry through such inventions as the
steam engine and mechanical spinning was profitable because
employers were able to economize on labor by spending on coal.
At that time, no other country had this particular combination of
expensive labor and abundant fuel.
Evaluate these three paraphrases:
(A.)

A focus on demand may help to explain the UK origin of the industrial


revolution. At that time workers’ pay was high, but energy from coal
was inexpensive. This encouraged the development of mechanical
inventions based on steam power, which enabled bosses to save money
by mechanizing production (Allen, 2009).
(B.)

The reason why Britain was the birthplace of the industrial revolution
can be understood by analyzing demand in the early 1700s, according
to Allen (2009). He maintains that, uniquely, Britain had the critical
combination of cheap energy from coal and high labor costs. This
encouraged the adoption of steam power to mechanize production,
thus saving on wages and increasing profitability.
(C.)

Allen (2009) claims that the clearest explanation for the UK location of
the industrial revolution is seen by examining demand factors. By the
eighteenth century cheap energy and high wages were both aspects of
the British economy. As a result, the mechanization of industry through
inventions such as the steam engine and mechanical spinning was
profitable because employers were able to save money on employees
by spending on coal. At that time, Britain was the only country with
significant deposits of coal.
Techniques for paraphrasing

 (a) Changing vocabulary by using synonyms:

argues > claims 


eighteenth century > 1700s 
wages > labour costs 
economise > saving

• NB. Do not attempt to paraphrase every word


 (b) Changing word class:

explanation (n.) > explain (v.)


mechanical (adj.) > mechanise (v.)
profitable (adj.) > profitability (n.)
 (c) Changing word order:

. . . the best explanation for the British location of


the industrial revolution is found by studying
demand factors.

A focus on demand may help explain the UK


origin of the industrial revolution.
Extra help…on Sicua

1 2
Academic vocabulary Synonyms
PARAPHRASE THE FOLLOWING
ARTICLE USING THE FOLLOWING
STEPS
STEP 1
Find synonyms for the words underlined

(i) The growth of the car industry parallels the development of


modern capitalism.

(ii) It began in France and Germany, but took off in the United
States.

(iii) There Henry Ford adapted the moving production line from the
Chicago meat industry to motor manufacturing, thus inventing
mass production.
STEP 2
Change the word class of the underlined words, and then re-write
the sentences

(i) In the 1920s Alfred Sloan’s management theories helped


General Motors to become the world’s dominant car company.

(ii) After the second world war the car makers focused on the
styling of their products, to encourage more frequent model
changes.

(iii) From the 1970s there was criticism of the industry due to the  inefficiency of most
vehicles, which used petrol wastefully.
STEP 3
Change the word order of the following sentences (other changes
may be needed)

(i) At the same time, trades unions became increasingly militant


in defence of their members’ jobs.
Example: At the same time increasingly militant trades unions
defended their members’ jobs.
(ii) Today the industry owns some of the most famous brands in
the world.
(iii) However, many car makers are currently threatened by
increased competition and saturated markets.
COMBINE ALL THESE TECHNIQUES
TO PARAPHRASE THE PARAGRAPH
FOUR WHEELS GOOD
The growth of the car industry parallels the development of modern capitalism. It began in
France and Germany, but took off in the United States. There Henry Ford adapted the
moving production line from the Chicago meat industry to motor manufacturing, thus
inventing mass production. In the 1920s Alfred Sloan’s management theories helped
General Motors to become the world’s dominant car company. After the Second World War
the car makers focused on the styling of their products to encourage more frequent model
changes. From the 1970s there was criticism of the industry due to the inefficiency of most
vehicles, which used petrol wastefully. At the same time, trades unions became
increasingly militant in defense of their members’ jobs. Today the industry owns some of
the most famous brands in the world. However, many car makers are currently threatened
by increased competition and saturated markets.
PRACTICE PARAPHRASING USING
THE TECHNIQUES LEARNT
THE PAST BELOW THE WAVES
More than three million shipwrecks are believed to lie on the seabed, the result of storms and
accidents during thousands of years of sea-borne trading. These wrecks offer marine archaeologists
valuable information about the culture, technology and trade patterns of ancient civilizations, but
the vast majority have been too deep to research. Scuba divers can only operate down to 50
meters, which limits operations to wrecks near the coast, which have often been damaged by
storms or plant growth. A few deep sea sites (such as the Titanic) have been explored by manned
submarines, but this kind of equipment has been too expensive for less famous subjects. However,
this situation has been changed by the introduction of a new kind of mini submarine: the automatic
underwater vehicle (AUV). This cheap, small craft is free moving and does not need an expensive
mother-ship to control it. Now a team of American archaeologists are planning to use an AUV to
explore an area of sea north of Egypt which was the approach to a major trading port 4,000 years
ago.
Homework
• Two articles that you will use to summarise and paraphrase.

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