Paraphrasing is an essential skill for students at all levels. Whether you’re working on an essay, research paper, or thesis, effectively paraphrasing sources is key to building a strong, well-reasoned argument based on credible evidence.

But what does it mean to paraphrase? Paraphrasing involves using your own words to express someone else’s ideas. It’s a way to integrate sources into your writing while avoiding word-for-word plagiarism.

However, paraphrasing correctly is often trickier than it seems. Properly paraphrasing requires understanding the source material and carefully rewriting it using complete sentences that capture the original meaning.

To help ensure you paraphrase sources flawlessly every time, follow this step-by-step guide:

How to Paraphrase in 5 Easy Steps

If you find paraphrasing challenging, take a look at our simple step-by-step guide:

  1. Read the passage carefully until you fully comprehend it. Before paraphrasing, read the entire excerpt slowly and ensure you understand the core ideas, context, and meaning. It may help to jot down a few notes, identifying the key points.
  2. Write your paraphrase…but don’t look at the original. Without peeking back at the source text, rewrite the excerpt entirely in your own words. Don’t just swap or omit a few words here and there. Aim to completely rephrase the ideas using new vocabulary and sentence structures.
  3. Check your paraphrase against the original passage. Now, compare your rewritten version to the original source material. Did you accurately capture the complete meaning while avoiding any close copying of phrases or sentences? Make any required adjustments.
  4. Modify wording as needed to make it flow. Tweak your paraphrased text to ensure it flows naturally and fits well within your paper. Replace any awkward phrasing.
  5. Cite your paraphrased source. Include an in-text citation pointing to the original source, according to whichever style guide you follow (MLA, APA, Chicago, etc.)

How to Paraphrase Correctly

An effective paraphrase meets two key criteria:

  • It rephrases the passage completely using new vocabulary and sentence structure. 
  •  It communicates the same message as the original without distorting the meaning.

Successful paraphrasing goes beyond simply substituting some words with synonyms. It involves restructuring the ideas in an entirely new way while capturing the full essence of the original.

Paraphrasing Examples

Let’s look at an example passage and compare ineffective and effective ways to paraphrase it:

Original Text: 

“Human activitiesInfluenced by the robust economic growth of recent decades, human impacts on the planet’s ecology increased dramatically in the latter part of the 20th century, exacerbated by a doubling of world population.” (Withgott & Laposata, 2012)

Inadequate Paraphrase:

Due to the rapid economic expansion over recent decades, anthropogenic effects on ecological systems around the world intensified substantially during the last part of the 20th century, made worse by the world’s population doubling.

This attempt changes some wording but maintains much of the original sentence structure and phrasing, which is improper paraphrasing.

Correct paraphrasing

According to Withgott and Laposata (2012), robust global economic growth coupled with a doubling of the human population in the late 20th century put massive new strains on the planet’s ecological systems during that period.

By rewriting from a new perspective with original sentence construction and flow of ideas, this paraphrase accurately captures the full meaning using fresh language.

How to Cite a Paraphrase

Whether you quote directly or paraphrase, you must cite your source. Cite paraphrased material by making an in-text citation to the original work from which you derived the ideas.

The format of your in-text citation depends on the citation style your institution requires. For example:

  • APA: (Author Last Name, Year, p. Page Number) 
  • MLA: (Author Last Name Page Number)

Paraphrasing vs. Quoting

While quoting sources involves using their exact wording, paraphrasing is rewriting the ideas entirely in your own words.

When should you paraphrase versus quote? Here are some general guidelines:

Paraphrase when:

  • You want to summarize or restate the source’s core idea in your own voice
  • The text is long, and only specific points are relevant 

Quote when: 

  • The wording itself is so ideal that rewriting would reduce its impact
  • You want to analyze, critique, or respond to the specific wording
  • The source is a famous passage, speech, or words from an important figure

Paraphrasing vs. Summarizing

While they’re similar techniques, paraphrasing and summarizing are distinct skills:

  • Paraphrasing involves rewriting a passage from a source and recreating it with equivalent meaning but fully new phrasing.
  • Summarizing involves briefly restating only the source’s main ideas in your own words – condensing it to its essence.

Example:

 According to Jane (2016), it is crucial to examine how human architecture influences the evolution of other species. Jane highlights the indoor biome, which consists of species thriving predominantly human-made structures, as a neglected subject among ecologists. Emphasizing the significance of studying this biome, Jane argues that it offers essential insights into comprehending the Anthropocene era.

Avoiding Plagiarism When Paraphrasing

It’s crucial to paraphrase properly to avoid any form of plagiarism. Even if you try to restate a source’s ideas, direct copying of phrases or structures counts as plagiarism.

When paraphrasing, be sure to:

  • Use your own words and sentences throughout
  • Capture the full meaning, but don’t mimic the phrasing
  • Cite the source to give attribution for the original ideas

To ensure you’ve accurately paraphrased and credited all your references, it’s advisable to conduct a plagiarism check prior to turning in your paper. Additionally, make sure to thoroughly review the source material yourself and attempt to paraphrase it in your own words initially.