Paraphrasing techniques
This page describes specific techniques you can use to put information from outside sources into your own words.
Embed the author's name
Begin restating the information by putting the author's name in the sentence. Please note APA style referencing is used in the examples below:
According to McDonald (2008), …
This doesn't have to be at the beginning of the sentence:
As identified by Smith (1990), social dynamics involve …
Social dynamics, as identified by Smith (1990), involve …
Social dynamics involve …, as identified by Smith (1990).
“According to” are probably the most commonly used words here, but there are hundreds more that can also be used:
Smith (1990) states that …
Smith (1990) asserts that …
Smith (1990) suggests that …
Smith (1990) corroborates this interpretation …
Smith (1990) contrasts this with a similar situation …
Smith (1990) highlights …
The key to developing the skill of restating other people’s ideas in your own words is to develop your own repertoire of words that can be used in academic writing. Below is a list of some words that can be used to introduce an author's ideas, grouped by approximate meaning:
articulates
comments
mentions
maintains
notes
points out
says
suggests
indicates
refers
acknowledges
asserts
claims
reports
concludes
summarises
shows
conveys
portrays
supports
substantiates
corroborates
verifies
confirms
hypothesises
theorises
conceptualises
understands
researches
experiments
conducts
administers
observes
analyses
examines
evaluates
scrutinises
criticises
characterises
recognises
defines
embodies
differentiates
distinguishes
highlights
specifies
challenges
compares
contradicts
contrasts
debates
defends
refutes
holds
justifies
connects
links
associates
correlates
This is not enough on its own. You must also restate and reorder the sentences that follow.
Restate and reorder
Use these sentence starters to repackage the sentence:
This concept is about …
This issue focuses on / involves / integrates / highlights / illustrates …
This means …
It is comprised of …
A central feature underlying this concept is …
This functions to / serves to / works to …
Change the order of the sentence.
Consider this quotation. Please note APA style referencing is used in the examples below:
“You begin searching an electronic database by typing in a ‘query,’ which is typically several words that are related to your topic of interest” (Kennedy & Smith, 2001, p. 294).
An effective paraphrase would keep the main points (searching, electronic database, query, definition of query), but rearrange the order:
Kennedy and Smith (2001, p. 294) define a query as a set of terms that relate to your subject. The first step in a search is to enter that query into an electronic database.
Signposts are words and phrases that link concepts together: “therefore,” “however,” “in contrast,” and many others. Adding these words can enhance the flow of your paraphrase and make it different from the original source. For a list of signpost words and phrases, see essay flow.
If a word is not subject-specific terminology or a keyword, you can replace it with a word of similar or identical meaning. A thesaurus is a useful tool here, but you should always ensure that the new word means what you think it does.
Evaluate and synthesise
If you can, include your own opinion about the source while paraphrasing. This shows that you understand the idea, can evaluate its usefulness, and can apply it in the assignment. Please note APA style referencing is used in the examples below:
The analysis made by Gibson (2002) about … is useful because it takes into account external factors.
Rather than paraphrasing one author at a time, consider combining several similar sources into a single sentence. This is known as synthesis:
Based on the ideas of Johnson (1997), McDonald (2000), and Wright (2002), it can be argued that …
Based on the findings of Johnson (1997), McDonald (2000), and Wright (2002), it can be demonstrated that …
Paraphrasing step by step
This step by step process can be used to put the ideas of other authors into your own words. Please note APA style referencing is used in the examples below:
“Marriage was a greater influence on the course of many of the women's lives than choice of job or career, or even family background. Yet few women talked about choosing to get married (although choice may be a misnomer) in the same way they talked about career choices. Relationships are generally believed to belong to the realm of emotion, and ‘we fell in love’ or ‘then I got married’ suffices. The decision to marry is not usually something to be analysed or explained, nor is the choice of a particular man. Indeed, both getting married and marrying a particular man often appeared to be inevitabilities rather than choices. Women did talk about how they met their future husbands, however” (Park, 1991, p. 113).
“Marriage was a greater influence on the course of many of the women’s lives than choice of job or career, or even family background. Yet few women talked about choosing to get married (although choice may be a misnomer) in the same way they talked about career choices. Relationships are generally believed to belong to the realm of emotion, and ‘we fell in love’ or ‘then I got married’ suffices. The decision to marry is not usually something to be analysed or explained, nor is the choice of a particular man. Indeed, both getting married and marrying a particular man often appeared to be inevitabilities rather than choices. Women did talk about how they met their future husbands, however” (Park, 1991, p. 113).
- marriage, getting married
- marriage was a great influence
- decision to marry
- not usually something to be analysed or explained
- getting married and marrying a particular man often appeared to be inevitabilities rather than choices
- selecting a life partner
- significant impact, influential factor
- choice, marriage options, choice of partner
- typically not talked about, not a topic of discussion
- the process of marriage and choice of partner were more a matter of course, something inevitable, compared to individual choice
Marriage was an influential factor in the women's lives. This was more so than other factors. Yet, at the same time, marriage options, including choice of partner, were typically not a topic of discussion for most women. Few women actually discussed the subject. Indeed, the process of marriage and choice of partner were more a matter of course, something inevitable, compared to individual choice.
Although marriage impacted the women's lives significantly, it was not a decision that was analysed. Indeed, it was more a matter of course than individual choice.
Park's (1991) interviews with women showed that although marriage impacted women's lives significantly, it was not typically a decision that was analysed. Few women discussed the topic of marriage, including choice of partner. Rather, marriage was seen as more a matter of course than individual choice.
References and further reading
The example quotations on this page are taken from the following book:
Kennedy, M. L., & Smith, H. M. (2001). Reading and writing in the academic community (2nd ed.). Prentice Hall.
Park, J. (Ed.). (1991). Ladies a plate. Auckland University Press.