In academic writing, it is crucial to

acknowledge the sources of information

you have used in order to avoid
PLAGIARISM.
Original ideas belong to those who had them first.
Different ways of using information
• Paraphrasing
• Summarizing
• Quoting
• Synthesizing
Good and bad paraphrasing

• A good paraphrase finds new words to

express the original meaning. It changes
the words but not the message. Accurate
paraphrases retain all parts.

• A bad paraphrase distorts the original

meaning, adding or deleting details that
never appeared in the original text.
 How do we paraphrase?
There are several methods to paraphrase:
• Using synonyms
• Combining sentences
• Changing word order
• Using versions of proper nouns
• Changing parts of speech
• Using negation
 Using Synonyms
• Changing word for word:
• Example:
Before: Many sorts of events can be
stressors, including disasters such as
hurricanes or tornados, major life
events such as divorce or the loss of a
job, and daily hassles such as having
to wait in line at the supermarket when
you need to be somewhere else in ten
minutes.
 Using Synonyms cont.
After: Many kinds of situations can be
stressors including disasters like
typhoons, turning points in one’s life
like divorce or the loss of a job, and
minor inconvenient/difficult problem
one may come across; e.g. having to
wait in queue at the market when you
need to be somewhere else in a few
minutes.
 Using Synonyms
Before: Many sorts of After: Many kinds of
events can be
stressors, including
disasters such as
hurricanes or tornados,
major life events such
as divorce or the loss of
a job, and daily hassles
such as having to wait
in line at the
supermarket when you
need to be somewhere
else in ten minutes.
situations can be
stressors including
disasters like typhoons,
turning points in one’s
life like divorce or the
loss of a job, and minor
inconvenient/difficult
problem one may come
across; e.g. having to
wait in queue at the
market when you need
to be somewhere else
in a few minutes.
 Combining Sentences
• You can combine sentences using : although,
though, despite, in spite of the fact that, which,
who, whom, so, and because.

Example:
Before: Ageism is the name given to the
discrimination or negative stereotypes
that are formed on the basis of age.
Ageism is particularly acute in our
attitudes about the elderly.
 Combining Sentences cont.
After: Ageism, which is particularly acute
in our attitudes about the elderly, is the
name given to the discrimination or
negative stereotypes that are formed
on the basis of age.
 Combining Sentences
Before: Ageism is the • After: Ageism,
name given to the which is particularly
discrimination or acute in our
negative attitudes about the
stereotypes that are elderly, is the name
formed on the basis given to the
of age. Ageism is discrimination or
particularly acute in negative
our attitudes about stereotypes that are
the elderly. formed on the basis
of age
 Changing Word Order

A. Change of voice:
Example:
Before: A group of interested citizens founded the school in
1853.
After: In 1853, the school was founded by a group of
interested citizens.
B. Change the position of modifiers:
Example:
Before: Since World War II, DDT and other organic
insecticides have been used in large quantities.
After: DDT and other organic insecticides have been used
in large quantities since World War II.
 Versions of Proper Names

Example:

Before: President Mubarak met the

Moroccan King.

After: Hosny Mubarak met King Mohamed

VI.
 Changing Parts of Speech
Example:

Medical research is always updated

Paraphrase:

Research in medicine is always updated

 Use of Negation
A. Using elements of negation:

Example:
Before: The dictionary offers only six definitions for space.
After: The dictionary does not offer except six definitions
for space.

B. Reversal:
Example:
Before: Before World War II, only men were admitted to the
university
After: Women could not attend the university prior to
World War II.
 Be careful!

• In order to produce a good paraphrase,

you normally need to use more than one
method of paraphrasing; or else, parts of
your produced text would be a replica of
the original text.
 Paraphrasing Guidelines
• Change the words but don’t tamper with
the meaning.
• Abbreviate whenever possible (as long as
you don’t alter the meaning )
• Change the order of ideas.
• Hold on to the specific
 Paraphrasing and plagiarism
• Paraphrasing: rewording someone else’s
ideas.
• Plagiarism: using someone else’s ideas
without attributing them, or mentioning
their source.
Paraphrasing Common Knowledge
• Common knowledge: found in any number
of reference works or studies.
• It can be paraphrased without a footnote.
• When should a source be cited?
• When a writer signals that he/she is
offering a new opinion, reinterpreting
existing facts, or challenging long-held
opinions.
 How to cite a source in an essay?

• write the name of the author of the article then

the year of publication between brackets in the
text so that you acknowledge the source and
author of the information.

• Richardson (1997) argued that ------------:   Or

• It has been claimed by Richardson (1997) that------ Or
• Richardson (1997)  asserted that -------.
• It has been suggested that--------------------------
(Richardson, 1997).
Adapted from:

Flemming, Laraine. Reading for Thinking. 4th ed. Boston: Houghton,

2003.

Raimes, Ann. Keys for Writers. 2nded. Boston: Houghton, 1991.