ENGLISH 214Paraphrasing

TECHNICAL WRITING PARAPHRASING

What is paraphrasing?• Express the meaning in your own words.• Restate the essential information and someone else’s

ideas in your own way.• Good paraphrasing retains the original meaning

but is different in structure and style.• If you keep quoting directly it will look like you have

copied all the work.• Good paraphrasing indicates that you understand the

original.• Remember that you need to cite the source to protect

you against plagiarism.

TECHNICAL WRITING PLAGIARISM

What is plagiarism?• Using someone’s ideas without giving credit to

them intentionally or unintentionally• It is not acceptable• You either use “quotation marks” around

borrowed language or paraphrase in your own words

• It is often useful to use the phrase “according to...” before citing work

TECHNICAL WRITING PARAPHRASING

How do you paraphrase?1. Keep the meaning the same2. Use synonyms when appropriate

• Use a Thesaurus• Do not use an Arabic / English dictionary• Changing the words are not paraphrasing• Use your own style

3. Vary the grammatical structure and order of information when possible• Change the order of phrases• Change active verbs to passive• Change the order of the information presented• Use expanding clauses• Use combining clauses• Make two sentences out of one

TECHNICAL WRITING STEPS TO SUCCESSFUL PARAPHRASING

1. Read and re-read the text until you understand its meaning

2. Look up any words that prevent you understanding. Use a dictionary but be careful that you have used the right ones

3. Identify and select the main idea(s) you wish to paraphrase

4. Write a brief outline / notes of these points5. Write the paraphrase

• Do not look at the source as you write• Use your own words• Keep to the main ideas• Do not change the meaning

TECHNICAL WRITING PARAPHRASING EXAMPLE

Modern Greece traces its roots to the civilisation of ancient Greece, generally considered the cradle of Western civilisation.

Ideas:Greece - linked to ancient timesBirthplace of civilisation

Possible paraphrases:Greece is linked to society in antiquity. In general, it is regarded as the birthplace of Western civilisation..Today, Greece is viewed as the origin of Western culture and society. It can track its roots to ancient times.

Present day Greece can map out its heritage to civilisation classical times and is widely accepted as the fount of Western civilisation.

TECHNICAL WRITING PARAPHRASING EXAMPLE

Modern Greece traces its roots to the civilisation of ancient Greece, generally considered the cradle of Western civilisation.

Ideas:Greece - linked to ancient timesBirthplace of civilisation

Possible paraphrases:Greece is linked to society in antiquity. In general, it is regarded as the birthplace of Western civilisation..Today, Greece is viewed as the origin of Western culture and society. It can track its roots to ancient times.

Present day Greece can map out its heritage to civilisation in classical times and is widely accepted as the fount of Western civilisation.

TECHNICAL WRITING TRY IT OUT YOURSELF

TECHNICAL WRITING PARAPHRASE THESE SENTENCES

My car needs gasoline.

My automobile needs fuel.My wheels need gas.

The U.S. government has enormous debt.

The federal government has an extremely large debt.The national government has a huge debt.

A college student usually has homework to do.

A person going to college typically has to study at home.People taking college courses usually have assignments to do

Developed from: http://www.unm.edu/~quadl/college_learning/paraphrasing.html

TECHNICAL WRITING PARAPHRASE THESE SENTENCES BY REPLACING THE

CAPITALISED WORDS WITH A SYNONYMThe way to a MALE'S heart is through his TUMMY.

The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.

A FLYING ANIMAL in the hand is AS VALUABLE AS two in the bush.

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

There's a FOOL WITH MONEY born every SIXTY SECONDS.

There is a sucker born every minute.

Developed from: http://www.unm.edu/~quadl/college_learning/paraphrasing.html

TECHNICAL WRITING LOOK AT THIS COMPLEX SENTENCE EXTRACT

THREE IDEAS AND STATE THEM SEPARATELYAlthough our human ability to communicate is genetically determined and hence is a part of our biological nature,

speech development is importantly affected by the environment.

a. The ability for human communication is biologically based.

b. The ability for human communication is transmitted through genes.

c. Environment also influences how human communication develops.

Developed from: http://www.unm.edu/~quadl/college_learning/paraphrasing.html