ENG S213 midterms
Paraphrasing Checklist for Paraphrasing
vs.
Summarizing
Misconceptions
- Paraphrasing and summarizing
written materials are the same
thing.
Note: This idea results in poor
writing mechanics as well as running
the risk of failing a written
assignment.
What is the difference?
—Paraphrasing is a restatement of the author’s
original thought and meaning.
—Summarizing is the condensing of a passage or
thought into a much smaller package.
Paraphrasing
The American Heritage College Dictionary defines a
paraphrase as:
“a restatement of text or passage in another form
or words” (1009a)
Etymology:
Paraphrase derives from the Latin paraphrasis and
the Greek "paraphrazein" meaning to show or
explain. (1010)
Perhaps the best working definition for
paraphrasing is :
to restate another’s work in your own words but
maintain the author’s original meaning.
1. Reread the original passage carefully in
order to fully understand the concept &
author’s meaning.
2. Identify the main points of the passage.
3. Rewrite the passage in your own words
(not just substituting synonyms or
order for some of the text).
4. Compare your text to the original and use
the 5 finger test.
(If you count more than 5 exact words,
you need to change it!)
5. Build in the in-text citation and be sure to
include the page no. or paragraph no.
(See the Parenthetic Citations pptx. for
more help.)
The 4 “Musts” for
Paraphrasing
1. Be in your own words!
2. Be near or longer than the original
passage.
3. Be used to explain a difficult/complex
concept or passage.
4. Convey the original meaning.
 Summarizing The 4 “Musts” for
The American Heritage College Dictionary defines a Paraphrasing
summary as: 1. Be in your own words!
“a presentation of a body of material in a
condensed form, or by reducing it to its main 2. Be shorter (by half) of the original
points” (1382) passage.

Etymology: 3. May contain some of the words from the

Paraphrase derives from the Middle English/Med. original work, however these single words
Latin "summārius" and the Latin summa meaning must be contained in “quotation marks”.
of or concerning the sum. (1382)
4. Convey the original meaning but does not
Perhaps the best working definition for evaluate or comment on the author’s
summarizing is : original work.
A condensed version of an original passage or
writing. It provides only the main points and
eliminates extra details , but a summary is KEY POINTS: WRITING A
considerably shorter that the original work. SUMMARY
—Read or watch the Write the summary in

Checklist for Summarizing source material your own words

—Make a list of the key —Edit and cut what’s
1. Reread the original passage carefully in
points unnecessary
order to fully understand the concept &
author’s meaning.

2. Identify the main points of the passage.

3. Rewrite the passage using only the main

points of the original work
(e.g., thesis statement and conclusion)

4. Compare your text to the original and use

the “vision test”.
(The original work must be twice the size
as your work. If not, you need to “shrink” or
cut down the number of words you use!)

5. Build in the in-text citation and be sure to

include the page no. or paragraph no.
(See the Parenthetic Citations pptx. for
more help.)