Mastering the Art of Paraphrasing
Your Comprehensive Guide to Academic English
Why Paraphrasing is Vitally Important
Demonstrate Comprehension
It shows you've truly understood the source material, not just copied it.
Avoid Plagiarism
It's the cornerstone of ethical academic practice, allowing you to use ideas correctly.
Integrate Sources Seamlessly
It helps you weave evidence into your own arguments for a smoother, more coherent text.
Develop Your Academic Voice
Translating ideas into your own style helps you cultivate a unique and credible voice.
Control Emphasis
It allows you to highlight the aspects of a source most relevant to your argument.
Proven Methods for Effective Paraphrasing
1. Use Synonyms
This is a common technique, but must be used carefully. Simply swapping words without changing the sentence structure can lead to "patchwriting," which is still a form of plagiarism. Use a thesaurus for ideas, but always check that the synonym fits the academic context.
Original: The study's results were significant.
Paraphrased: The findings of the research were noteworthy.
Original: The ancient civilization built complex structures.
Paraphrased: The old society constructed intricate buildings.
2. Change Sentence Structure
This involves rearranging the ideas within a sentence. You can break a long, complex sentence into two or more simpler ones, or combine short, choppy sentences into a more fluid one. This is a powerful way to make the idea your own.
Original: Although the new policy was implemented to save money, it inadvertently caused several logistical problems, which ultimately led to employee dissatisfaction.
Paraphrased: The new policy was designed to reduce costs. However, it created a number of logistical issues that resulted in unhappy employees.
Original: The research was conducted. The goal was to understand consumer behavior. The study focused on online shopping habits.
Paraphrased: To understand consumer behavior, research was conducted that focused on online shopping habits.
3. Alter the Voice (Active/Passive)
Switching between active and passive voice changes the focus of the sentence. The active voice emphasizes the "doer" of the action, while the passive voice emphasizes the action or the recipient. This is often used in scientific writing.
Original (Active): The researchers administered the survey to 500 participants.
Paraphrased (Passive): The survey was administered to 500 participants by the researchers.
Original (Passive): The decision was made by the committee after a long debate.
Paraphrased (Active): The committee made the decision after a long debate.
4. Change Parts of Speech
This technique involves changing the grammatical form of a word (e.g., verb to noun, adjective to adverb). This often requires you to restructure the rest of the sentence as well.
Original: We must analyze (verb) the results.
Paraphrased: We must perform an analysis (noun) of the results.
Original: The data showed a gradual (adjective) increase.
Paraphrased: The data showed that the numbers increased gradually (adverb).
Dos & Don'ts Quick Reference
DO...
- Fully understand the original text before you begin.
- Write your paraphrase without looking at the original to ensure it's in your own style.
- Check your version against the original for accuracy and meaning.
- Cite the original source, including author and year.
DON'T...
- Just swap a few words with synonyms (patchwriting).
- Copy the original sentence structure too closely.
- Forget to include a citation, as the idea is not yours.
- Use quotation marks unless you are using the exact words.
Sharpen Your Skills: Interactive Exercises
Paraphrase each sentence using the words in brackets. Use the provided sentence starter.