Paraphrasing

THE ART OF SAYING

EXACTLY WHAT THE SOURCE
SAID -- NOT EXACTLY
Remember:

You must give credit for every:

•Summary

•Paraphrase

•Quotation
Paraphrase Definition:
 A sentence-by-sentence restatement of the meaning of a
passage

 Owl Writing Lab

How to Paraphrase

1. Identify a passage that contains important

information in language too complicated or too
boring to quote.
“When the accumulation of wealth
is no longer of high social
importance, there will be great
changes in the code of morals. We
shall be able to rid ourselves of
many of the pseudo-moral
principles which have hag-ridden
us for years.”
John Maynard Keynes
British Economist
2. Read the passage carefully
“When the accumulation of wealth
is no longer of high social
importance, there will be great
changes in the code of morals. We
shall be able to rid ourselves of
many of the pseudo-moral
principles which have hag-ridden
us for years.”
John Maynard Keynes
British Economist
3. Read for “chunks” of
meaning
WHEN THE
ACCUMULATION
OF WEALTH IS NO
LONGER OF HIGH WHAT?
IMPORTANCE,
THERE WILL BE
GREAT CHANGES
IN THE CODE OF
MORALS.
3. Rewrite each “chunk” in
your own words
When the THE
UNDERSTANDIN
accumulation of G OF RIGHT AND
wealth is no longer WRONG WOULD
of high importance, BE DIFFERENT
there will be great IF SOCIETY
changes in the code VALUED MONEY
LESS THAN IT
of morals. DOES.
4. DO NOT:

• Translate one word at a time

• Follow the same sentence structure

At the time that

collecting money is WHAT
not any more of
elevated collective ?
significance . . .
5. DO:

• Use the thesaurus to carefully choose

synonyms

• Keep meaning in the same order

as much as possible
5. DO:

• Make sure that each sentence

makes sense

• Make sure that the whole

paraphrase makes sense
5. DO:

John Maynard
• Credit your Keynes says that the
source understanding of
right and wrong
would be different if
society valued money
less than it does
(56).
For Example:

UC WRITING LAB
Paraphrase Summary

 1. Select passage you want to use

 2. Read passage carefully
 3. Read for meaning in chunks
 4. Rewrite in your own words
 5. Do not translate one word at a time
 6. Make sure the writing makes sense
 7. Credit your source