what is the difference between summarizing and paraphrasing quizlet

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Wonder summary, paraphrase vs summary.

In academic writing and everyday communication, effectively conveying information is crucial. Two common techniques for rephrasing original content are paraphrasing and summarizing. While they share the goal of reinterpreting source material, their approaches and purposes differ significantly. This article delves into the nuances of paraphrasing and summarizing, providing clarity on when and how to use each method.

What is a Paraphrase?

Paraphrasing is a technique used to restate a specific passage or concept from a source in a new way while preserving the original meaning. The primary objective of paraphrasing is to make the original content clearer or easier to understand, without changing its underlying message. A successful paraphrase maintains the same length as the original text but employs different vocabulary and sentence structures to express the same idea. This approach ensures that the essence of the original text is communicated effectively, while also demonstrating the writer’s understanding of the material.

For instance, let’s look at a passage from George Orwell’s novel “1984”:

Original : “It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen. Winston Smith, his chin nuzzled into his breast in an effort to escape the vile wind, slipped quickly through the glass doors of Victory Mansions, though not quickly enough to prevent a swirl of gritty dust from entering along with him.”

Paraphrase : “On a chilly April day, the clocks struck thirteen as Winston Smith hurried into Victory Mansions to escape the biting wind. Dust swirled around him as he entered through the glass doors, trying to shield his chin from the cold.”

In this paraphrase, the overall structure and length of the original passage are more or less maintained, but different word choices and sentence constructions are used to convey the same scene and actions. This rephrasing allows for a fresh perspective on the text while keeping the original context and meaning intact. We recommend paying attention to the new AI Paraphrasing Tool if you need reliable and high-quality paraphrasing.

What is a Summary?

A summary is a concise representation of a source’s main ideas, distilling its essential points into a brief and accessible format. Unlike a paraphrase, which maintains the original length and detail, a summary is significantly shorter, stripping away extraneous information to focus solely on the core concepts. The structure of a summary typically involves an introduction to the main theme, followed by a streamlined account of the key arguments or events, and concluding with the overarching conclusion or outcome. Summaries are invaluable for providing a quick snapshot of a text, enabling readers to grasp the primary message without engaging with the full details.

For instance, a summary of George Orwell’s novel “1984” might read:

“In George Orwell’s ‘1984,’ the protagonist Winston Smith navigates life in a totalitarian regime where Big Brother controls every aspect of existence, and independent thought is suppressed. The novel explores themes of surveillance, government control, and the erosion of individual freedom. Winston’s struggle against the oppressive government and his doomed romance with Julia highlights the human spirit’s resilience and the dangers of unchecked authority. Ultimately, ‘1984’ serves as a cautionary tale about the potential consequences of totalitarianism and the loss of personal liberties.”

This summary represents the central narrative and themes of “1984” without going deep into the specific plot details or character development found in the full novel.

To understand how to make a proper summary for your academic paper, consider exploring the Free Summarizing Tool , which will provide you with some top-quality summaries.

Contrast & Compare: Paraphrase vs Summary

To deepen our understanding of the distinctions between paraphrasing and summarizing, let us examine another excerpt from George Orwell’s “1984”:

Original : “In the end the Party would announce that two and two made five, and you would have to believe it. It was inevitable that they should make that claim sooner or later: the logic of their position demanded it. Not merely the validity of experience, but the very existence of external reality, was tacitly denied by their philosophy.”

Paraphrase : “Ultimately, the Party would declare that two plus two equals five, and acceptance of this claim would be mandatory. Such an assertion was bound to emerge at some point, as it was a necessary conclusion of their ideology. Their doctrine implied a rejection not just of the significance of personal experience but also of the concept that an external world exists at all.”

Summary : “The Party’s ideology leads to the denial of objective reality, eventually claiming that two plus two equals five, a belief that citizens must accept.”

In this comparison, the paraphrase retains the original passage’s complexity and length , merely altering the phrasing and sentence structure to convey the same ideas with new words. This method allows for a detailed restatement of the original text, preserving its full meaning without directly copying it.

On the other hand, the summary compresses the passage’s key ideas into a concise statement , significantly reducing the length and removing all but the most crucial points. This approach aims to give readers a quick understanding of the primary message without the nuanced detail provided in the original text or the paraphrase.

We presented these examples to illustrate that while a paraphrase is an alternate expression of the same detail and length as the original text, a summary distills the text’s essence into a more compact form. This distinction is essential for effective communication, as it allows the writer to choose the most appropriate method for their purpose—whether to explore an idea in detail or to present a brief overview.

Here are the key points of our comparison, so you can understand and memorize the differences more easily

When to Summarize and When to Paraphrase

Deciding whether to summarize or paraphrase depends on the context and objectives of your writing.

Summarizing is particularly useful when dealing with extensive material, and you aim to present the core ideas concisely. For instance, in a literature review, you might summarize various research studies to highlight the overall trends and conclusions without going into the methodology or detailed results of each study. Similarly, in an executive summary, you would distill the key points of a lengthy report or proposal to give decision-makers a quick understanding of the document’s content and significance.

On the other hand, paraphrasing is the better choice when you need to maintain the level of detail in a specific piece of text but present it in a clearer or more relatable way. In a research paper, you might paraphrase a complex theoretical concept to make it more understandable for your audience, while preserving the intricacies of the original idea. Paraphrasing is also useful in analysis, where you need to discuss specific passages of a text in depth, rephrasing them to fit the flow of your argument without oversimplifying or omitting important details.

In short, choose to summarize when you need to condense broad topics into their essential points and opt for paraphrasing when you need to restate detailed information more clearly or differently.

Both paraphrasing and summarizing are essential tools in effective communication and writing. Understanding their differences and appropriate applications can enhance your ability to convey information accurately and concisely. While paraphrasing focuses on rewording without losing detail, summarizing aims to capture the essence of the content in a brief form. Choosing the right technique depends on your purpose and the needs of your audience.

When should I use paraphrasing over summarizing?

You should use paraphrasing over summarizing when you need to restate a specific passage or idea in your own words while retaining the same level of detail. Paraphrasing is suitable when you want to clarify, simplify, or integrate a particular point into your writing without altering its meaning. It’s often used in research papers, critical analyses, or when explaining complex concepts.

How do I effectively paraphrase a text?

To effectively paraphrase a text, follow these steps:

• Read and Understand: Read the original text thoroughly until you fully grasp its meaning.
• Restate in Your Own Words: Rewrite the passage using your vocabulary and sentence structure, avoiding any direct copying of phrases or terms.
• Compare with the Original: Check your paraphrase against the original text to ensure you’ve accurately conveyed the same meaning.
• Cite the Source: Even though you’ve paraphrased, it’s essential to attribute the ideas to the original author through proper citation.

What are the benefits of summarizing?

Summarizing offers several benefits. First, it allows you to condense lengthy texts into a brief overview, highlighting only the main points. Second, summarizing helps clarify complex or dense material by focusing on the core ideas. It also allows you to incorporate multiple sources or perspectives into a cohesive summary, which is particularly useful in literature reviews or overview sections. Finally, summaries can serve as a quick reference or memory aid for recalling the key points of a text.

Can I combine paraphrasing and summarizing in my writing?

Yes, you can combine paraphrasing and summarizing in your writing. This approach is often useful when dealing with a large body of text or complex ideas. You might summarize the overall argument or main points of a text and then use paraphrasing to delve into specific details or examples that support your analysis or argument. This combination allows you to present a comprehensive understanding of the source material while maintaining clarity and coherence in your writing.

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• Summarizing vs. Paraphrasing: Mastering the Art of Effective Writing

In the realm of effective communication and the pursuit of academic integrity, grasping the nuances of summarizing and paraphrasing is paramount. Both skills are essential tools in a writer’s arsenal, aiding in the clear and ethical presentation of information, whether for academic purposes, professional settings, or personal growth. Summarizing enables us to distill the essence of a text, capturing its most vital points in a concise format. Paraphrasing, on the other hand, involves rephrasing a piece of text with new expressions, while retaining the original meaning, thus demonstrating understanding and mastery over the subject matter. The question of what is the difference between summarizing and paraphrasing? is not just a matter of academic curiosity but a practical concern that touches on the core of how we convey and transform ideas.

This article aims to delve deep into these two fundamental writing techniques, exploring their distinct characteristics, applications, and the contexts in which they are most effectively employed. By understanding what is the difference between summarizing and paraphrasing?, readers can enhance their writing and comprehension skills, ensuring their communication is both impactful and ethically sound. Through this exploration, we will uncover how mastering the art of both summarizing and paraphrasing can lead to improved clarity, efficiency, and integrity in all forms of written expression.

Definitions and Purposes

Understanding the core of what is the difference between summarizing and paraphrasing? is crucial for anyone looking to refine their writing and communication skills. Summarizing and paraphrasing, while similar in their aim to convey existing ideas, diverge significantly in their approach and utility.

Summarizing is the process of distilling the main ideas of a text into a more concise version. It involves sifting through details to focus solely on the pivotal points, effectively reducing the length of the original content without sacrificing its core message. The purpose of summarizing extends beyond mere brevity; it allows readers to grasp the essence of a text quickly, making it invaluable for review, study, and situations where understanding overarching themes is more critical than knowing every detail.

Paraphrasing , on the other hand, is defined as the art of rewording a text to achieve a new expression of the same ideas, often maintaining the original length. This technique is not about reduction but transformation, ensuring the original message is preserved in new language. Paraphrasing serves multiple purposes: it demonstrates a deep understanding of the source material, allows writers to integrate information into their work without resorting to direct quotations, and helps avoid plagiarism by expressing concepts in new words.

When pondering what is the difference between summarizing and paraphrasing brainly, it’s important to recognize the distinct roles each plays in communication and writing. Summarizing is key when the goal is to highlight the main points of lengthy texts, making complex information more accessible. Paraphrasing, however, is crucial for reinterpreting texts closely, ensuring the original meaning is intact while seamlessly blending into new contexts. Both are fundamental in achieving clarity, enhancing comprehension, and ensuring academic and professional integrity in written communication.

Key Differences

The distinction between summarizing and paraphrasing is pivotal in academic and professional writing, with each method serving specific purposes based on the context and intended outcome. Understanding these differences is essential for effective communication, whether one is crafting a scholarly article, engaging in business correspondence, or simply aiming to convey information more effectively. Here, we explore the main distinctions between these two techniques, focusing on aspects such as length, detail level, and their preferred use in various contexts.

Length : One of the most apparent differences between summarizing and paraphrasing is the length of the resulting text. Summaries are inherently shorter than the original texts, as they aim to distill the content down to its most essential points, omitting all but the most crucial information. This brevity is particularly useful when dealing with large volumes of information where space or attention span is limited. Paraphrasing, by contrast, often results in text that is similar in length to the original. The goal of paraphrasing is not to reduce the content but to restate it, providing a different expression while keeping the full detail and meaning intact.

Detail Level : Closely related to the difference in length is the level of detail each method retains from the original source. Summarizing, by its nature, involves stripping away details to focus on the core message or main points. This means that examples, illustrations, and subsidiary arguments typically found in the original text are usually omitted in a summary. Paraphrasing, however, retains these details, rearticulating them in a new form. This method ensures that the nuanced argument or complex information is preserved, making paraphrasing ideal for contexts where fidelity to the original ideas and their full complexity is necessary.

Preferred Use : The choice between summarizing and paraphrasing often depends on the specific needs of the academic or professional context. Summarizing is particularly valuable in research and study, where synthesizing information from multiple sources into a coherent overview is required. It allows readers to quickly grasp the essence of a text without delving into all the specifics, making it ideal for literature reviews, abstracts, and executive summaries. Paraphrasing, on the other hand, is widely used when writers need to incorporate ideas from other works into their own writing without resorting to direct quotes. This technique is crucial for avoiding plagiarism, demonstrating understanding, and ensuring the seamless integration of external information into new works.

In summary, while both summarizing and paraphrasing are indispensable tools for effective writing, their key differences in length, detail level, and preferred contexts highlight the importance of selecting the right technique for the task at hand. Whether aiming for conciseness or fidelity to detail, understanding these distinctions can enhance one’s ability to communicate clearly and effectively across a range of academic and professional settings.

Examples and Application

To practically demonstrate what is the difference between summarizing and paraphrasing, and to highlight their distinct applications in various contexts, let’s use a short paragraph from a hypothetical research paper on climate change as our base text:

Original Text: “Climate change poses a significant threat to global biodiversity, leading to adverse effects on ecosystems and species worldwide. The increasing temperatures and changing precipitation patterns disrupt the natural habitats of many species, forcing them to migrate or adapt to new conditions. This environmental shift not only affects wildlife but also has profound implications for human societies, as it impacts food security, water resources, and overall biodiversity which are crucial for sustaining life on Earth.”

Summarized Version: Climate change significantly threatens global biodiversity and human societies by disrupting ecosystems and affecting food security and water resources.

Paraphrased Version: Global warming represents a major risk to the world’s biodiversity, causing detrimental impacts on natural ecosystems and various species. Such changes in the environment lead to shifts in wildlife habitats, necessitating adaptation or relocation, and pose significant challenges to human populations by jeopardizing food supply and water availability.

In the summarized version, the essence of the original text is distilled into a concise statement, focusing only on the key points about the threat of climate change to biodiversity and human societies. This demonstrates what is the difference between summarizing and paraphrasing brainly, as summarizing condenses the information, making it ideal for quick reference or an overview of a topic in academic writing, research summaries, or note-taking.

The paraphrased version, while maintaining the original message and detail level, rewords the content to present the same ideas differently. This skill is crucial in academic writing and content creation, where integrating information from various sources without falling into plagiarism is essential. Paraphrasing allows authors to use existing research to support their arguments or findings while ensuring the originality of their work.

Both summarizing and paraphrasing are invaluable in academic writing, research, and content creation, serving different purposes. Summarizing enables writers to present a broad overview of a topic succinctly, making complex information accessible. Paraphrasing, meanwhile, is key for detailed discussion and analysis, allowing writers to engage deeply with source material without compromising academic integrity. Mastering these skills ensures effective communication of ideas and the ethical use of information, highlighting the importance of understanding the nuanced differences between summarizing and paraphrasing.

Tips for Effective Practice

Mastering the skills of summarizing and paraphrasing is essential for anyone engaged in writing, whether for academic purposes, professional communication, or personal development. These techniques not only enhance the clarity and effectiveness of your writing but also ensure adherence to ethical standards by avoiding plagiarism. Here are some practical tips to help you refine your ability to summarize and paraphrase effectively.

Summarizing Efficiently

• Read Thoroughly : Begin by reading the entire text carefully to understand its main ideas and overall message. This comprehensive understanding is crucial for identifying the core elements that should be included in your summary.
• Identify Key Points : Look for the main arguments, findings, or messages in the text. These are the elements that your summary should focus on, as they represent the essence of the original work.
• Eliminate Details : Once you’ve identified the key points, consciously remove any extraneous information, such as specific examples, detailed descriptions, or subsidiary arguments. Your goal is to distill the text to its most fundamental insights.
• Use Your Own Words : Write the summary using your own language, which helps to ensure that you’ve truly understood the material and are not simply copying the author’s words.
• Keep It Brief : Aim for your summary to be significantly shorter than the original text. A good rule of thumb is to try for about 10-15% of the original length, depending on the summarization context.

Paraphrasing Effectively

• Understand Before You Start : Just like summarizing, effective paraphrasing requires a thorough understanding of the original text. You should be able to explain the concept in your own words before attempting to paraphrase.
• Change the Sentence Structure : One of the simplest ways to paraphrase is to alter the structure of the sentence. If the original sentence is passive, consider changing it to active voice, or vice versa. Rearrange the parts of the sentence in a way that makes sense but differs from the original.
• Use Synonyms Wisely : Replace words with their synonyms where appropriate, but be cautious not to change the technical terms or specific concepts that could alter the original meaning.
• Combine Sentences or Break Them Down : Depending on the complexity and length of the sentences, you may need to combine several short sentences into one or break a long sentence into several shorter ones.
• Check for Accuracy : Once you’ve paraphrased a section, compare it to the original to ensure that you’ve preserved the original meaning. It’s crucial that the paraphrased version stands as a true representation of the original ideas but in your own words.

By adhering to these strategies, you can enhance your summarizing and paraphrasing skills, ensuring your writing is both effective and ethically sound. Practice is key to mastering these techniques, so consider applying them regularly in your writing endeavors to become more proficient.

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Paraphrasing vs. Summarizing (Differences, Examples, How To)

It can be confusing to know when to paraphrase and when to summarize. Many people use the terms interchangeably even though the two have different meanings and uses.

Today, let’s understand the basic differences between paraphrasing vs. summarizing and when to use which . We’ll also look at types and examples of paraphrasing and summarizing, as well as how to do both effectively.

Let’s look at paraphrasing first.

What is paraphrasing?

It refers to rewriting someone else’s ideas in your own words. 

It’s important to rewrite the whole idea in your words rather than just replacing a few words with their synonyms. That way, you present an idea in a way that your audience will understand easily and also avoid plagiarism. 

It’s also important to cite your sources when paraphrasing so that the original author of the work gets due credit.

When should you paraphrase?

The main purpose of paraphrasing is often to clarify an existing passage. You should use paraphrasing when you want to show that you understand the concept, like while writing an essay about a specific topic. 

You may also use it when you’re quoting someone but can’t remember their exact words. 

Finally, paraphrasing is a very effective way to rewrite outdated content in a way that’s relevant to your current audience.

How to paraphrase effectively

Follow these steps to paraphrase any piece of text effectively:

• Read the full text and ensure that you understand it completely. It helps to look up words you don’t fully understand in an online or offline dictionary.
• Once you understand the text, rewrite it in your own words. Remember to rewrite it instead of just substituting words with their synonyms.
• Edit the text to ensure it’s easy to understand for your audience.
• Mix in your own insights while rewriting the text to make it more relevant.
• Run the text through a plagiarism checker to ensure that it does not have any of the original content.

Example of paraphrasing

Here’s an example of paraphrasing:

• Original:  The national park is full of trees, water bodies, and various species of flora and fauna.
• Paraphrased:  Many animal species thrive in the verdant national park that is served by lakes and rivers flowing through it.

What is summarizing?

Summarizing is also based on someone else’s text but rather than presenting their ideas in your words, you only sum up their main ideas in a smaller piece of text.

It’s important to not use their exact words or phrases when summarizing to avoid plagiarism. It’s best to make your own notes while reading through the text and writing a summary based on your notes.

You must only summarize the most important ideas from a piece of text as summaries are essentially very short compared to the original work. And just like paraphrasing, you should cite the original text as a reference.

When should you summarize?

The main purpose of summarizing is to reduce a passage or other text to fewer words while ensuring that everything important is covered.

Summaries are useful when you want to cut to the chase and lay down the most important points from a piece of text or convey the entire message in fewer words. You should summarize when you have to write a short essay about a larger piece of text, such as writing a book review.

You can also summarize when you want to provide background information about something without taking up too much space.

How to summarize effectively

Follow these steps to summarize any prose effectively:

• Read the text to fully understand it. It helps to read it a few times instead of just going through it once.
• Pay attention to the larger theme of the text rather than trying to rewrite it sentence for sentence.
• Understand how all the main ideas are linked and piece them together to form an overview.
• Remove all the information that’s not crucial to the main ideas or theme. Remember, summaries must only include the most essential points and information.
• Edit your overview to ensure that the information is organized logically and follows the correct chronology where applicable.
• Review and edit the summary again to make it clearer, ensure that it’s accurate, and make it even more concise where you can.
• Ensure that you cite the original text.

Example of summarization

You can summarize any text into a shorter version. For example, this entire article can be summarized in just a few sentences as follows:

• Summary:  The article discusses paraphrasing vs. summarizing by explaining the two concepts. It specifies when you should use paraphrasing and when you should summarize a piece of text and describes the process of each. It ends with examples of both paraphrasing and summarizing to provide a better understanding to the reader.

Paraphrasing vs. summarizing has been a long-standing point of confusion for writers of all levels, whether you’re writing a college essay or reviewing a research paper or book. The above tips and examples can help you identify when to use paraphrasing or summarizing and how to go about them effectively.

Inside this article

Fact checked: Content is rigorously reviewed by a team of qualified and experienced fact checkers. Fact checkers review articles for factual accuracy, relevance, and timeliness. Learn more.

About the author

Dalia Y.: Dalia is an English Major and linguistics expert with an additional degree in Psychology. Dalia has featured articles on Forbes, Inc, Fast Company, Grammarly, and many more. She covers English, ESL, and all things grammar on GrammarBrain.

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Paraphrasing vs. Summarizing: When and How to Use Each

In the realm of academic writing, paraphrasing and summarizing are two essential skills that allow writers to incorporate information from external sources. While both techniques involve restating someone else’s ideas in your own words, they serve different purposes and are employed in different contexts. In this blog post, we will explore the distinctions between paraphrasing and summarizing, discuss when to use each technique, and provide real-life examples to illustrate their application.

Paraphrasing: Explaining Ideas in Your Own Words

Paraphrasing involves restating someone else’s ideas or information in your own words while maintaining the original meaning. When you paraphrase, you provide a detailed explanation or rephrasing of the source material, capturing the essence of the original text without directly quoting it. Paraphrasing is often used when you want to delve into a specific idea, explore nuances, or provide additional context.

Example of Paraphrasing:

Original sentence: “The rise of social media has revolutionized communication, enabling people from different parts of the world to connect instantly and share ideas.”

Paraphrased sentence: “The emergence of social media platforms has transformed the way people communicate, allowing individuals from diverse geographical locations to connect immediately and exchange thoughts.”

In this example, the original sentence is paraphrased by rephrasing the language, altering the sentence structure, and using different vocabulary while maintaining the main idea.

When to Use Paraphrasing:

• When you want to provide an in-depth analysis or explanation of a specific concept or idea.
• When you need to clarify complex or technical information by expressing it in simpler terms.
• When you want to integrate the ideas of multiple sources into a cohesive narrative.

Summarizing: Condensing Information to the Main Points

Summarizing involves condensing a longer piece of text into a shorter version that captures the main points or central ideas. When you summarize, you distill the key information, omitting irrelevant details and examples. Summaries provide readers with an overview of the original text, allowing them to grasp the main ideas without having to read the entire source material.

Example of Summarizing:

Original paragraph: “The Industrial Revolution, which took place in the 18th and 19th centuries, marked a significant shift in human history. It was characterized by the transition from hand production methods to machine-based manufacturing, resulting in increased productivity, urbanization, and profound social and economic changes.”

Summary: The Industrial Revolution, occurring in the 18th and 19th centuries, transformed society through the adoption of machine-based manufacturing, leading to improved productivity, urbanization, and far-reaching social and economic transformations.

In this example, the original paragraph is summarized by condensing the information to the main points, capturing the essence of the Industrial Revolution without including specific details.

When to Use Summarizing:

• When you want to provide a concise overview of a longer text, such as a research article or a book.
• When you need to present a brief summary of multiple sources to provide an overview of a topic.
• When you want to emphasize the main ideas or arguments of a text while omitting specific details or examples.

Guidelines for Effective Paraphrasing and Summarizing :

• Understand the source material: Before attempting to paraphrase or summarize, make sure you thoroughly understand the original text. Identify the main ideas, supporting evidence, and any key details.
• Capture the essence: When paraphrasing, strive to maintain the original meaning while expressing it in your own words. When summarizing, focus on condensing the information to the main points without distorting the central ideas.
• Alter sentence structure and vocabulary: For paraphrasing, rephrase sentences using different structures and vocabulary. For summarizing, condense the information by eliminating unnecessary details and examples.
• Use citation and attribution: Both paraphrasing and summarizing require proper citation and attribution to acknowledge the original source. Follow the appropriate citation style guidelines (e.g., APA, MLA) to give credit to the original author.
• Revise and refine: After paraphrasing or summarizing, review your work to ensure clarity, coherence, and accuracy. Make necessary revisions to improve the flow of your writing and ensure that your paraphrased or summarized content fits seamlessly into your own work.

Conclusion :

Paraphrasing and summarizing are valuable skills in academic writing, allowing you to incorporate information from external sources while maintaining your own voice and perspective. Paraphrasing involves restating ideas in your own words to provide a detailed explanation, while summarizing condenses longer texts to capture the main points. By understanding the distinctions between paraphrasing and summarizing and knowing when to use each technique, you can effectively integrate external information into your writing. Remember to provide proper attribution, alter sentence structure and vocabulary, and revise your work for clarity and coherence. With practice, you will master these skills and enhance the quality and credibility of your academic writing.

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What Is the Difference Between Paraphrasing and Summarizing?

Many people confuse paraphrasing and summarizing. There's a difference. Knowing the difference between paraphrasing and summarizing is an important writing skill. Another important writing skill is knowing what plagiarism is and how to make sure you aren’t plagiarizing.

In this article, I’ll answer the questions:

• What is a paraphrasing?
• What is summarizing?
• What is the difference between them?

Plus, I'll share some writing tools and resources that can help you improve your writing. Knowing how to use these writing tools can help you write an effective and efficient assignment or report.

I’ll also tell you how to paraphrase and summarize passages correctly. Then I’ll give you some tips on how to avoid plagiarism.

What Is Paraphrasing?

To know the difference between paraphrasing and summarizing, you must know the answer to the question what is paraphrasing. According to owl.purdue.edu,  

“Paraphrasing involves putting a passage from source material into your own words. A paraphrase must also be attributed to the original source. Paraphrased material is usually shorter than the original passage, taking a somewhat broader segment of the source and condensing it slightly.”

What Is Summarizing?

Now that you know the definition of paraphrasing, let’s answer the question what does summarizing mean? According to owl.purdue.edu ,

“Summarizing involves putting the main idea(s) into your own words, including only the main point(s). Once again, it is necessary to attribute summarized ideas to the original source. Summaries are significantly shorter than the original and take a broad overview of the source material.”

Paraphrasing is where you understand the passage and understand the meaning well enough to restate the important information in your own words. Summarizing is correctly mirroring the original writer’s message and main ideas.

There are some similarities in paraphrasing and summarizing:

• You use your own words to restates the original idea for both. 
• You cite your sources when both paraphrasing and summarizing.

Using writing tools is important because they allow you to check for plagiarism in your work. Sometimes they can help you identify passages you may need to rephrase. Here's a short list of tools you can use:

Some of these tools will also check your passage for correct grammar or help you to prepare a properly formatted source citation.  Be careful, though. Most tools are only able to detect word-for-word copies. 

Here's How to Paraphrase

The right skills are needed to paraphrase successfully. When you paraphrase, you need to match the original text's meaning without using the wording of the original text.

Paraphrasing shows that you understand the original content enough to say it in your own words. You can also use paraphrasing to shorten the original idea. Often paraphrasing is rewording the original text in a precise way. Paraphrasing is common when writing an essay or research paper.

Here are some examples of paraphrasing based on passages I wrote:

Original: Many different jobs use writing whether it's for emails, presentations or more. So, it's important to know how to write.

Paraphrase: Writing is a necessary skill no matter what field you’re in. You need to have good writing skills.

Original: Envato Elements is a subscription service where you pay a low monthly fee for unlimited digital assets.

Paraphrase: If you want unlimited downloads of digital assets, then subscribe to Envato Elements for a low monthly free.

Here's How to Summarize

When you're summarizing a quote, you're summing the main point of the source in your own words. When summarizing the original work, you're creating a shorter version.

The purpose of summarizing is to avoid unneeded details and just cover the main points of the original material. If the reader of your summary has read the original source, then your summary should remind the reader of the original work. If the reader hasn’t read the original material, then your summary should provide an introduction to the original material.

Here are examples of how to summarize based on passages I wrote:

Original:  Writing well can be a difficult skill to have. It’s constantly changing if you want to keep up with a causal style and use recently popular words. Writing also requires a lot of practice in order to become a professional at this skill. But there are several ways to improve this skill other than writing. Reading is one of the ways you can improve your writing. Through reading, you’ll be introduced to other writing styles and other perspectives.

Summary: Improving your writing takes a lot of practice. One of the activities you can do to improve your writing skill is reading.

Original:  Plagiarism is little more than theft and can have many different consequences. One of the consequences for students is that they can get suspended or expelled and barred from entering another school or university. Professionals have consequences too. When a professional writer commits plagiarism, it can follow the writer for their whole career. They may be fired or demoted, and this can cause them to have difficulty finding another job. There are also legal consequences for plagiarism. There have been cases where someone was found guilty of plagiarism and had to pay a fine.

Summary: Plagiarism is a serious crime. Someone who commits plagiarism can be expelled, barred from jobs or schools, or fined.

Notice how the summaries are much shorter than the original passages.

Ten Tips to Avoid Plagiarism When Writing

When you plagiarize another writer's work, you're basically stealing and trying to benefit from the other writers' work. Plagiarism could stop you from getting academic referrals or career advancement. Here are some tips on how to avoid plagiarism:

1. Understand What Plagiarism Is

There are different types of plagiarism. So, to prevent plagiarism, you need to find out and understand the different types of plagiarism. Once you know all the different types of plagiarism and understand it, you can avoid it. YourDictionary.com has a list of the different types of plagiarism. Study the list carefully.

2. Give Yourself Time to Write

Some people may plagiarize due to lack of time. It's always important to give yourself enough time to complete your writing assignments. Make sure that you've got plenty of time to complete any research you may need to do.

If you can, it’s best to give yourself a cushion and complete your writing early if you can. This gives you time to look over your work for mistakes.

3. Use Multiple Sources

Don’t use just one source for your work. When you use one source, it's easier to plagiarize. Instead, use a wide variety of sources. This also shows the reader that you did a lot of research and have a broad understanding of the topic.

4. Make a Note of Your Sources

When you're doing your research, it's best to keep track of your sources. If you’re going to use a quote, paraphrase, or summarize keep track of which source each of those came from. This makes it easier to cite your sources. Make sure that your sources are organized and marked in your notes.

5. Cite Your Sources

Whether you use a quote, paraphrase, or summarize, you need to mention the source. There are established ways to cite your sources. Which one you use depends on your teacher or boss and what method they want you to use.

MLA format is the most common format that you can consider using if you need to cite for personal writing. There are websites such as owl.purdue.edu that have a thorough explanation of how to cite sources in every format. You can also learn more about citing sources from presentations in this article:

6. Add Your Own Insights

Instead of only using source material in your writing, try adding your own insights about the topic. When you add your insights, it shows the reader that you really understand the topic. If you don’t know enough about the topic, then research the topic until you understand and know more about the topic.

7. Edit and Proofread

If you want to avoid mistakes, edit, and proofread your writing several times. Checking your material more than once is best. Often people miss some mistakes the first time editing and proofreading. When proofreading, makes sure that every quote, paraphrase, or summary is cited. You also want to ensure that every citation is done properly and in the right format.

8. Use the Right Tools

If you’re concerned about plagiarism, there are many plagiarism checkers online. This will catch many instances of plagiarism, and you can rewrite it if needed.

Using a plagiarism tool doesn't take a lot of time. So, don't skip this step. A plagiarism tool scans online text and will tell you what percentage of your writing is identical to online articles.

Most schools have a rule about what percentage of the same wording is allowed in assignments. Usually, this percentage is fairly low. Know the percentage your school uses and make sure your assignments are well under.

Some plagiarism checkers can also help you remove badly paraphrased writing that could still be considered theft. You can also print a copy of the plagiarism check and keep it if you're worried about being accused of plagiarism.

9. Reference Page

If you've got many sources, it's beneficial to have a reference page. Reference pages are typically found at the end of your paper. They list the sources you used in your assignment and your research.

It's best to work on this list from the start of your assignment. If you try to hurry up and add a reference page at the end, then you could accidentally forget a source.

10. Get Someone Else to Read Your Work

Ask a friend, teacher, or editor about your sources if you're working on an assignment or project. You can ask if you properly cited your sources. It’s best not to take chances about citing sources since plagiarism can have serious consequences. It’s essential to ensure that everything in your work is properly cited.

Learn More About Writing

Do you want to learn even more about good writing practices? Study these tutorials for more information:

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Because you've got unlimited downloads, you can just download a different template if you download a template, and you don’t like it.

Use These Writing Tips for Your Next Assignment or Project Today!

You now know how to summarize and paraphrase, which are essential tools to use in your writing. You know what paraphrasing is and what summarizing is. I just gave you tips on how not to plagiarize.

Paraphrasing and summarizing will take your writing to the next level. Instead of having an assignment or project filled with quotes, you’ll have a well-written and thought-out piece. If you want to use a new font or need a template, use premium templates from Envato Elements .

Now that you know more about these writing tools, you can make a better writing assignment. Go use these writing tools today!

Editorial Note: This content was originally published in March 2022. We're sharing it again because our editors have determined that this information is still accurate and relevant.

• Key Differences

Know the Differences & Comparisons

Difference Between Summary and Paraphrase

On the other hand, paraphrase means the restatement of the passage, in explicit language, so as to clarify its hidden meaning, without condensing it. In paraphrasing, the written material, idea or statement of some other person is presented in your own words, which is easy to understand.

These two are used in an excerpt to include the ideas of other author’s but without the use of quotations. Let us talk about the difference between summary and paraphrase.

Content: Summary Vs Paraphrase

Comparison chart.

Definition of Summary

A summary is an abridged form of a passage, which incorporates all the main or say relevant points of the original text while keeping the meaning and essence intact. It is used to give an overview of the excerpt in brief, to the reader. In summary, the author’s ideas are presented in your own words and sentences, in a succinct manner.

A summary encapsulates the gist and the entire concept of the author’s material in a shorter fashion. It also indicates the source of the information, using citation. Basically the length of the summary depends on the material being condensed.

It encompasses the main idea of every paragraph and the facts supporting that idea. It does not end with a conclusion, however, if there is a message in the conclusion, it is included in the summary. It also uses the keywords from the original material, but it does not use the same phrases or sentences.

Summaries save a lot of time of the reader, as the reader need not go through the entire work to filter the most important information contained in it, rather the reader gets the most relevant information in hand.

Definition of Paraphrase

Paraphrasing is not a reproduction of a similar copy of another author’s work, rather it means to rewrite the excerpt in your own language, using comprehensible words and restructuring the sentences, but without changing the context. Hence, in paraphrasing, the original idea and meaning of the text are maintained, but the sentence structure and the words used to deliver the message would be different.

The paraphrased version of the text is simple and easily understandable. The length is almost similar to the original text, as it only translates the original text into simplest form. It is not about the conversion of the text in a detailed manner, rather it is presented in such a way that goes well with your expression.

In paraphrasing, someone else’s written material is restated or rephrased in your own language, containing the same degree of detail. It is the retelling of the concept, using a different tone to address a different audience.

Key Differences Between Summary and Paraphrase

The points discussed below, explains the difference between summary and paraphrase

• To summarize means to put down the main ideas of the essential points of the excerpt, in your own words, while keeping its essence intact. On the contrary, to paraphrase means to decode the original text in your own words without distorting its meaning or essence.
• A summary is all about emphasizing the central idea (essence) and the main points of the text. In contrast, paraphrasing is done to simplify and clarify the meaning of the given excerpt, so as to enhance its comprehension.
• If we talk about the length of the summary in comparison to the original text, it is shorter, because summary tends to highlight the main points only and excludes the irrelevant material of the text. As against, in case of paraphrasing, the length is almost equal to the original text, because its aim is to decipher, i.e. to convert the complex text in a language which is easily understandable without excluding any material from the text.
• The main objective of summarizing is to compile and present the gist of the author’s idea or concept in a few sentences or points. Conversely, the primary objective of paraphrasing is to clarify the meaning of author’s work in a clear and effective manner when the words used by him/her are not important or the words are too complex to understand.
• A summary is used when you want to give a quick overview of the main ideas to the reader about the topic. On the contrary, Paraphrase is used when the idea or main point is more significant than the actual words used in the material and also when you want to use your own voice to explain the concept or idea.
• A summary does not include lengthy explanations, examples and what the reader has understood. In contrast, a paraphrase does not include the exact same wordings or paragraphs used in the original source, so as to avoid plagiarism.

Steps for Summarizing

• First of all, you need to read the entire passage twice or thrice to grasp the meaning and essence of the material.
• Identify and underline all the important points, ideas and supporting facts which you have read.
• Now, explain the material to yourself, for better understanding.
• Rewrite in your own words, the salient points and central idea from the original text, in a few sentences.
• Omit unnecessary detailing and examples.
• Make a comparison of the original text and the summary which you’ve created.

Steps for Paraphrasing

• Read the entire text carefully, twice or thrice, to absorb the meaning and essence.
• Rewrite the author’s ideas in a unique language, i.e. in your own voice. Make sure that the sentences and words used are your own and it should not be a mere substitution or swapping of words and phrases.
• Further, the sequence in which idea is presented, need not be different from the original source.
• Compare the paraphrased version with the main text, and ensure that the essence clearly presented, as well as make sure that it is free from plagiarism.
• Check that the words and phrases which are directly taken from the text are within quotation marks.
• Provide references.

In a nutshell, a summary is nothing but a shorter version of an excerpt or passage. On the contrary, a paraphrase is the restatement of the original text or excerpt. One can use any of the two sources, as per the requirement, when the idea of any of the sources is relevant to your material, but the wording is not that important.

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The Sheridan Libraries

• Avoiding Plagiarism
• Sheridan Libraries

Paraphrasing & Summarizing

• What is Plagiarism?
• School Plagiarism Policies
• Common Knowledge
• Minimizing Your Plagiarism Risk
• Student Help
• Helping Prevent Plagiarism in Your Classroom
• Avoiding Plagiarism Course
• Course FAQs

To help the flow of your writing, it is beneficial to not always quote but instead put the information in your own words. You can paraphrase or summarize the author’s words to better match your tone and desired length. Even if you write the ideas in your own words, it is important to cite them with in-text citations or footnotes (depending on your discipline’s citation style ). 

Definitions

• Paraphrasing allows you to use your own words to restate an author's ideas.
• Summarizing allows you to create a succinct, concise statement of an author’s main points without copying and pasting a lot of text from the original source.

What’s the difference: Paraphrasing v. Summarizing

Explore the rest of the page to see how the same material could be quoted, paraphrased, or summarized. Depending on the length, tone, and argument of your work, you might choose one over the other. 

• Bad Paraphrase
• Good Paraphrase
• Reread: Reread the original passage until you understand its full meaning.
• Write on your own: Set the original aside, and write your paraphrase on a note card.
• Connect: Jot down a few words below your paraphrase to remind you later how you envision using this material.
• Check: Check your rendition with the original to make sure that your version accurately expresses all the essential information in a new form.
• Quote: Use quotation marks to identify any unique term or phraseology you have borrowed exactly from the source.
• Cite: Record the source (including the page) on your note card or notes document so that you can credit it easily if you decide to incorporate the material into your paper.

Explore the tabs to see the difference between an acceptable and unacceptable paraphrase based on the original text in each example.

Original Text

“Business communication is increasingly taking place internationally – in all countries, among all peoples, and across all cultures. An awareness of other cultures – of their languages, customs, experiences and perceptions – as well as an awareness of the way in which other people conduct their business, are now essential ingredients of business communication” (Chase, O’Rourke & Wallace, 2003, p.59). 

More and more business communication is taking place internationally—across all countries, peoples, and cultures.  Awareness of other cultures and the way in which people do business are essential parts of business communication (Chase, O’Rourke & Wallace, 2003, p.59)

Compare the Original and Paraphrase

Too much of the original is quoted directly, with only a few words changed or omitted. The highlighted words are too similar to the original quote: 

More and more business communication is taking place internationally —across all countries, peoples, and cultures .  Awareness of other cultures and the way in which people do business are essential parts of business communication (Chase, O’Rourke & Wallace, 2003, p.59)

Original Text 

“Business communication is increasingly taking place internationally – in all countries, among all peoples, and across all cultures. An awareness of other cultures – of their languages, customs, experiences and perceptions – as well as an awareness of the way in which other people conduct their business, are now essential ingredients of business communication” (Chase, O’Rourke & Wallace, 2003, p.59).

The importance of understanding the traditions, language, perceptions, and the manner in which people of other cultures conduct their business should not be underestimated, and it is a crucial component of business communication (Chase, O’Rourke & Wallace, 2003, p. 59).

The original’s ideas are summarized and expressed in the writer’s own words with minimal overlap with the original text's language:

The importance of understanding the traditions, language, perceptions, and the manner in which people of other cultures conduct their business should not be underestimated, and it is a crucial component of business communication (Chase, O’Rourke & Wallace, 2003, p. 59).

• Bad Summary
• Good Summary
• Find the main idea: Ask yourself, “What is the main idea that the author is communicating?”
• Avoid copying: Set the original aside, and write one or two sentences with the main point of the original on a note card or in a notes document.
• Connect: Jot down a few words below your summary to remind you later how you envision using this material.

Business communication is worldwide, and it is essential to build awareness of other cultures and the way in which other people conduct their business. (Chase, O’Rourke & Wallace, 2003, p.59). 

Compare the Original and Summary

Too much of the original is quoted directly, with only a few words changed or omitted. The highlighted words are too similar to the original text:

Business communication is worldwide, and it is essential to build awareness of other cultures and the way in which other people conduct their business . (Chase, O’Rourke & Wallace, 2003, p.59). 

In a world that is increasingly connected, effective business communication requires us to learn about other cultures, languages, and business norms (Chase, O’Rourke & Wallace, 2003, p.59). 

The original’s ideas are summarized and expressed in the writer’s own words with minimal overlap:

In a world that is increasingly connected, effective business communication requires us to learn about other cultures , languages , and business norms (Chase, O’Rourke & Wallace, 2003, p.59). 

No matter what the source or style, you need to cite it both in-text and at the end of the paper with a full citation! Write down or record all the needed pieces of information when researching to ensure you avoid plagiarism. 

Cheat Sheet

• Paraphrasing and Summarizing Download this helpful cheat sheet covering "Paraphrasing and Summarizing."
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What is the difference between paraphrasing & summarizing

Differences between paraphrasing & summarizing, definition and purpose.

Paraphrasing involves rewriting someone else's ideas or a specific text in your own words while maintaining the original meaning and often keeping a similar length to the source material. The primary purpose of paraphrasing is to use another person's ideas in your work without resorting to a direct quotation, thereby showing your understanding of the source while integrating it smoothly into your own narrative.

Summarizing , on the other hand, is the process of distilling a longer piece of text down to its essential points, significantly reducing its length. The goal of summarizing is to provide a broad overview of the source material, capturing only the main ideas in a concise manner, which helps in clarifying the overall theme or argument of the text for the reader.

Detail and Length

The level of detail and the length of the text are key differences between paraphrasing and summarizing. Paraphrasing retains a level of detail similar to the original text, and the paraphrased passage is typically about the same length or slightly shorter than the source. This approach is suitable when specific details or points from the source are necessary to understand the reader in the context of your work.

In contrast, summarizing significantly reduces the length of the original text, focusing only on the central themes or main ideas. This makes summaries particularly useful for giving an overview of long texts, such as books, articles, or comprehensive reports, where only the core message is needed.

Usage in Academic Writing

Both paraphrasing and summarizing are crucial skills in academic writing. They help one effectively incorporate the ideas of others into one's work. Paraphrasing is often preferred when specific evidence or a detailed understanding of the source is required to support one's argument without overusing direct quotes, which can clutter the text and disrupt the flow of the narrative.

Summarizing is a time-saving and efficient strategy when referring to broader concepts or discussing a source's general scope. It's particularly useful during literature reviews or when providing background information where detailed support is unnecessary. Allowing you to succinctly conveys the essence of a sourcerelieves you from overwhelming your readers with unnecessary details while still ensuring they grasp the relevance of the referenced works.

In summary, choosing between paraphrasing and summarizing depends mainly on the writer's intent, the importance of the details in the source material, and how they wish to integrate this information into their own writing.

How to paraphrase in a few steps

Paraphrasing refers to rewriting content in our own words while keeping the original meaning. Here are some steps and tips for effective paraphrasing:

Reading & Understanding the content

Ensure you fully understand the meaning of the text while identifying the essential concepts.

Taking Notes

Write the main ideas without looking at the original text.

Using Synonyms

This step involves replacing words with relevant synonyms; keeping some technical words that can't be replaced is essential.

Changing Sentence Structure

Alter the sentence structure, such as changing active to passive voice or shortening long sentences.

Rephrasing Concepts

Explain the concepts differently, using your own words and style.

Comparing with the original content

Ensure your paraphrased version accurately reflects the original meaning and is not too similar.

Cite the Source

It's essential to credit the source even when paraphrased.

• The original text:

Students frequently overuse direct quotations in taking notes, and as a result, they overuse quotations in the final [research] paper. Probably only about 10% of your final manuscript should appear as a directly quoted matter. Therefore, you should strive to limit the exact transcribing of source materials while taking notes. Lester, James D. Writing Research Papers. 2nd ed., 1976, pp. 46-47.

• The paraphrased text:

In research papers, students often quote excessively, failing to keep quoted material down to a desirable level. Since the problem usually originates during note-taking, it is essential to minimize the material recorded verbatim (Lester 46-47).

Here are some tips to paraphrase:

• Avoid Plagiarism: Don’t copy the text verbatim without quotation marks and proper attribution.
• Maintain Original Meaning: Ensure the paraphrased text conveys the same message as the original.
• Use a Different Structure: Change the information order and rephrase sentences.
• Simplify the Language: Use more straightforward language to make the text more understandable, if appropriate.

Common paraphrasing mistakes

• Not changing enough to avoid plagiarism

One of the most complex parts of paraphrasing a sentence is changing enough to avoid copying and not lose the original meaning. This can be a tricky balancing act, especially if you have to keep some of the wording.

• Distorting the meaning

Likewise, changing the words and sentence structure can accidentally change the meaning. That’s fine if you want to write an original sentence, but if you’re trying to convey someone else’s idea, it's best to rewrite and adequately describe it.

Review your paraphrase to confirm that all the words are correctly used and placed in the correct order for your intended meaning. If unsure, you can ask someone to read the passage to see how they interpret it.

• Forgetting the citation

Some people think that if you put an idea into your own words, you don’t need to cite where it came from—but that’s not true. Even if the wording is your own, the ideas are not. That means you need a citation.

If you have many paraphrased sentences from the exact location in a source, you need only one citation at the end of the passage. Otherwise, you need a citation for each paraphrased sentence from another source in your writing, without exception.

How to summarize in a few steps

Focusing on the main ideas.

Read through the entire piece you want to summarize and identify the most important concepts and themes. Ignore minor details and examples. Focus on capturing the essence of the critical ideas.

If it's an article or book, read introductions, headings, and conclusions to understand the central themes. As you read, ask yourself, "What is the author trying to convey here?" to determine what's most significant.

Keeping it short and straightforward

A summary should be considerably shorter than the original work. Aim for about 1/3 of the length or less. Be concise by eliminating unnecessary words and rephrasing ideas efficiently. Use sentence fragments and bulleted lists when possible.

Maintaining objectivity

Summarize the work factually without putting your own personal spin or opinions on the information. Report the key ideas in an impartial, balanced manner. Do not make judgments about the quality or accuracy of the content.

Using a summarizing tool

As AI continues gaining popularity, leveraging dedicated to benefit from their advantage is essential.

Among these tools lies  Wiseone , an innovative AI tool that transforms how we read and search for information online. 

Wiseone's "Summarize" feature allows you to understand the main points of an article or a PDF document efficiently without the need to read the entire piece by generating thorough summaries with key takeaways. 

Don’ts of paragraph summarization

Similarly, keep these in mind as things to avoid:

• Plagiarizing the original paragraph. It’s perfectly fine to include direct quotes, but if you do, cite them properly. However, most of the summary should be in your own words.
• Paraphrasing rather than summarizing. Here’s a way to think of the difference: a summary is a “highlight reel,” and paraphrasing condenses the entire paragraph.
• Omitting key information. When summarizing a paragraph, you might need to mention information from its preceding or following paragraphs, or even other sections from the original work, to give the reader appropriate context for the other information included in the summary.

What is paraphrasing?

What is summarizing.

Summarizing is the process of distilling a longer text down to its essential points, significantly reducing its length. The goal of summarizing is to provide a broad overview of the source material, capturing only the main ideas in a concise manner, which helps in clarifying the overall theme or argument of the text for the reader.

What are the steps to paraphrase?

• Reading & Understanding the content: Ensure you fully understand the meaning of the text while identifying the essential concepts.
• Taking Notes: Write the main ideas without looking at the original text.
• Using Synonyms: This step involves replacing words with relevant synonyms; keeping some technical words that can't be replaced is essential.
• Changing Sentence Structure: Alter the sentence structure, such as changing active to passive voice or shortening long sentences.
• Rephrasing Concepts: Explain the concepts differently, using your own words and style.
• Comparing with the original content: Ensure your paraphrased version accurately reflects the original meaning and is not too similar.
• Cite the Source: It's essential to credit the source even when paraphrased.

What are some tips to paraphrase?

What are the common paraphrasing mistakes.

• Not changing enough to avoid plagiarism: One of the most complex parts of paraphrasing a sentence is changing enough to avoid copying and not lose the original meaning. This can be a tricky balancing act, especially if you have to keep some of the wording.
• Distorting the meaning: Changing the words and sentence structure can accidentally change the meaning. That’s fine if you want to write an original sentence, but if you’re trying to convey someone else’s idea, it's best to rewrite and adequately describe it. Review your paraphrase to confirm that all the words are correctly used and placed in the correct order for your intended meaning. If unsure, you can ask someone to read the passage to see how they interpret it.
• Forgetting the citation: Some people think that if you put an idea into your own words, you don’t need to cite where it came from—but that’s not true. Even if the wording is your own, the ideas are not. That means you need a citation.

What are the steps to summarize content?

• Focusing on the main ideas : Read through the entire piece you want to summarize and identify the most important concepts and themes. Ignore minor details and examples. Focus on capturing the essence of the critical ideas. If it's an article or book, read introductions, headings, and conclusions to understand the central themes. As you read, ask yourself, "What is the author trying to convey here?" to determine what's most significant.
• Keeping it short and straightforward: A summary should be shorter than the original work. Aim for about 1/3 of the length or less. Be concise by eliminating unnecessary words and rephrasing ideas efficiently. Use sentence fragments and bulleted lists when possible.
• Maintaining objectivity: Summarize the work factually without putting your own personal spin or opinions on the information. Report the key ideas in an impartial, balanced manner. Do not make judgments about the quality or accuracy of the content.

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Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing

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This handout is intended to help you become more comfortable with the uses of and distinctions among quotations, paraphrases, and summaries. This handout compares and contrasts the three terms, gives some pointers, and includes a short excerpt that you can use to practice these skills.

What are the differences among quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing?

These three ways of incorporating other writers' work into your own writing differ according to the closeness of your writing to the source writing.

Quotations must be identical to the original, using a narrow segment of the source. They must match the source document word for word and must be attributed to the original author.

Paraphrasing involves putting a passage from source material into your own words. A paraphrase must also be attributed to the original source. Paraphrased material is usually shorter than the original passage, taking a somewhat broader segment of the source and condensing it slightly.

Summarizing involves putting the main idea(s) into your own words, including only the main point(s). Once again, it is necessary to attribute summarized ideas to the original source. Summaries are significantly shorter than the original and take a broad overview of the source material.

Why use quotations, paraphrases, and summaries?

Quotations, paraphrases, and summaries serve many purposes. You might use them to:

• Provide support for claims or add credibility to your writing
• Refer to work that leads up to the work you are now doing
• Give examples of several points of view on a subject
• Call attention to a position that you wish to agree or disagree with
• Highlight a particularly striking phrase, sentence, or passage by quoting the original
• Distance yourself from the original by quoting it in order to cue readers that the words are not your own
• Expand the breadth or depth of your writing

Writers frequently intertwine summaries, paraphrases, and quotations. As part of a summary of an article, a chapter, or a book, a writer might include paraphrases of various key points blended with quotations of striking or suggestive phrases as in the following example:

In his famous and influential work The Interpretation of Dreams , Sigmund Freud argues that dreams are the "royal road to the unconscious" (page #), expressing in coded imagery the dreamer's unfulfilled wishes through a process known as the "dream-work" (page #). According to Freud, actual but unacceptable desires are censored internally and subjected to coding through layers of condensation and displacement before emerging in a kind of rebus puzzle in the dream itself (page #).

How to use quotations, paraphrases, and summaries

Practice summarizing the essay found here , using paraphrases and quotations as you go. It might be helpful to follow these steps:

• Read the entire text, noting the key points and main ideas.
• Summarize in your own words what the single main idea of the essay is.
• Paraphrase important supporting points that come up in the essay.
• Consider any words, phrases, or brief passages that you believe should be quoted directly.

There are several ways to integrate quotations into your text. Often, a short quotation works well when integrated into a sentence. Longer quotations can stand alone. Remember that quoting should be done only sparingly; be sure that you have a good reason to include a direct quotation when you decide to do so. You'll find guidelines for citing sources and punctuating citations at our documentation guide pages.

Microsoft 365 Life Hacks > Writing > The Difference Between Summarizing & Paraphrasing

The Difference Between Summarizing & Paraphrasing

Summarizing and paraphrasing are helpful ways to include source material in your work without piling on direct quotes. Understand the differences between these approaches and when to use each.

Summarizing vs. Paraphrasing: The Biggest Differences

Though summarizing and paraphrasing are both tools for conveying information clearly and concisely, they help you achieve this in different ways. In general, the difference is rooted in the scale of the source material: To share an entire source at once, you summarize; to share a specific portion of a source (without quoting directly, of course), you paraphrase.

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What is Summarizing?

Summarizing is simplifying the content of a source to its main points in your own words. You literally sum up something, distill it down to its most essential parts. Summaries cover whole sources rather than a piece or pieces of a source and don’t include direct quotes or extraneous detail.

How to Summarize

• Understand the original thoroughly. You may start by scanning the original material, paying close attention to headers and any in-text summaries, but once you’re sure that this source is something you’re going to use in your research paper , review it more thoroughly to gain appropriate understanding and comprehension.
• Take notes of the main points. A bulleted list is appropriate here-note the main idea of each portion of the source material. Take note of key words or phrases around which you can build your summary list and deepen your understanding.
• Build your summary. Don’t just use the list you’ve already created—this was a first draft . Craft complete sentences and logical progression from item to item. Double check the source material to ensure you’ve not left out any relevant points and trim anything extraneous. You can use a bulleted or numbered list here or write your summary as a paragraph if that’s more appropriate for your use. Make sure to follow the rules of parallelism if you choose to stay in list form.

What is Paraphrasing?

Paraphrasing is rephrasing something in your own words; the word comes from the Greek para -, meaning “beside” or “closely resembling”, 1 combined with “phrase,” which we know can mean a string of words or sentences. 2 Paraphrasing isn’t practical for entire sources—just for when you want to highlight a portion of a source.

How to Paraphrase

• Read actively . Take notes, highlight or underline passages, or both if you please-whatever makes it easiest for you to organize the sections of the source you want to include in your work.
• Rewrite and revise. For each area you’d like to paraphrase, take the time to rewrite it in your own words. Retain the meaning of the original text, but don’t copy it too closely; take advantage of a thesaurus to ensure you’re not relying too heavily on the source material.
• Check your work and revise again as needed . Did you retain the meaning of the source material? Did you simplify the language of the source material? Did you differentiate your version enough? If not, try again.

Summarizing and paraphrasing are often used in tandem; you’ll likely find it appropriate to summarize an entire source and then paraphrase specific portions to support your summary. Using either approach for including sources requires appropriate citing, though, so ensure that you follow the correct style guide for your project and cite correctly.

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Harvard Guide to Using Sources 

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Summarizing, Paraphrasing, and Quoting

Depending on the conventions of your discipline, you may have to decide whether to summarize a source, paraphrase a source, or quote from a source.

Scholars in the humanities tend to summarize, paraphrase, and quote texts; social scientists and natural scientists rely primarily on summary and paraphrase.

When and how to summarize

When you summarize, you provide your readers with a condensed version of an author's key points. A summary can be as short as a few sentences or much longer, depending on the complexity of the text and the level of detail you wish to provide to your readers. You will need to summarize a source in your paper when you are going to refer to that source and you want your readers to understand the source's argument, main ideas, or plot (if the source is a novel, film, or play) before you lay out your own argument about it, analysis of it, or response to it.

Before you summarize a source in your paper, you should decide what your reader needs to know about that source in order to understand your argument. For example, if you are making an argument about a novel, you should avoid filling pages of your paper with details from the book that will distract or confuse your reader. Instead, you should add details sparingly, going only into the depth that is necessary for your reader to understand and appreciate your argument. Similarly, if you are writing a paper about a journal article, you will need to highlight the most relevant parts of the argument for your reader, but you should not include all of the background information and examples. When you have to decide how much summary to put in a paper, it's a good idea to consult your instructor about whether you are supposed to assume your reader's knowledge of the sources.

Guidelines for summarizing a source in your paper

• Identify the author and the source.
• Represent the original source accurately.
• Present the source’s central claim clearly.
• Don’t summarize each point in the same order as the original source; focus on giving your reader the most important parts of the source
• Use your own words. Don’t provide a long quotation in the summary unless the actual language from the source is going to be important for your reader to see.

Stanley Milgram (1974) reports that ordinarily compassionate people will be cruel to each other if they are commanded to be by an authority figure. In his experiment, a group of participants were asked to administer electric shocks to people who made errors on a simple test. In spite of signs that those receiving shock were experiencing great physical pain, 25 of 40 subjects continued to administer electric shocks. These results held up for each group of people tested, no matter the demographic. The transcripts of conversations from the experiment reveal that although many of the participants felt increasingly uncomfortable, they continued to obey the experimenter, often showing great deference for the experimenter. Milgram suggests that when people feel responsible for carrying out the wishes of an authority figure, they do not feel responsible for the actual actions they are performing. He concludes that the increasing division of labor in society encourages people to focus on a small task and eschew responsibility for anything they do not directly control.

This summary of Stanley Milgram's 1974 essay, "The Perils of Obedience," provides a brief overview of Milgram's 12-page essay, along with an APA style parenthetical citation. You would write this type of summary if you were discussing Milgram's experiment in a paper in which you were not supposed to assume your reader's knowledge of the sources. Depending on your assignment, your summary might be even shorter.

When you include a summary of a paper in your essay, you must cite the source. If you were using APA style in your paper, you would include a parenthetical citation in the summary, and you would also include a full citation in your reference list at the end of your paper. For the essay by Stanley Milgram, your citation in your references list would include the following information:

Milgram, S. (1974). The perils of obedience. In L.G. Kirszner & S.R. Mandell (Eds.), The Blair reader (pp.725-737).

When and how to paraphrase

When you paraphrase from a source, you restate the source's ideas in your own words. Whereas a summary provides your readers with a condensed overview of a source (or part of a source), a paraphrase of a source offers your readers the same level of detail provided in the original source. Therefore, while a summary will be shorter than the original source material, a paraphrase will generally be about the same length as the original source material.

When you use any part of a source in your paper—as background information, as evidence, as a counterargument to which you plan to respond, or in any other form—you will always need to decide whether to quote directly from the source or to paraphrase it. Unless you have a good reason to quote directly from the source , you should paraphrase the source. Any time you paraphrase an author's words and ideas in your paper, you should make it clear to your reader why you are presenting this particular material from a source at this point in your paper. You should also make sure you have represented the author accurately, that you have used your own words consistently, and that you have cited the source.

This paraphrase below restates one of Milgram's points in the author's own words. When you paraphrase, you should always cite the source. This paraphrase uses the APA in-text citation style. Every source you paraphrase should also be included in your list of references at the end of your paper. For citation format information go to the Citing Sources section of this guide.

Source material

The problem of obedience is not wholly psychological. The form and shape of society and the way it is developing have much to do with it. There was a time, perhaps, when people were able to give a fully human response to any situation because they were fully absorbed in it as human beings. But as soon as there was a division of labor things changed.

--Stanley Milgram, "The Perils of Obedience," p.737.

Milgram, S. (1974). The perils of obedience. In L.G. Kirszner & S.R. Mandell (Eds.), The Blair reader (pp.725-737). Prentice Hall.

Milgram (1974) claims that people's willingness to obey authority figures cannot be explained by psychological factors alone. In an earlier era, people may have had the ability to invest in social situations to a greater extent. However, as society has become increasingly structured by a division of labor, people have become more alienated from situations over which they do not have control (p.737).

When and how much to quote

The basic rule in all disciplines is that you should only quote directly from a text when it's important for your reader to see the actual language used by the author of the source. While paraphrase and summary are effective ways to introduce your reader to someone's ideas, quoting directly from a text allows you to introduce your reader to the way those ideas are expressed by showing such details as language, syntax, and cadence.

So, for example, it may be important for a reader to see a passage of text quoted directly from Tim O'Brien's The Things They Carried if you plan to analyze the language of that passage in order to support your thesis about the book. On the other hand, if you're writing a paper in which you're making a claim about the reading habits of American elementary school students or reviewing the current research on Wilson's disease, the information you’re providing from sources will often be more important than the exact words. In those cases, you should paraphrase rather than quoting directly. Whether you quote from your source or paraphrase it, be sure to provide a citation for your source, using the correct format. (see Citing Sources section)

You should use quotations in the following situations:

• When you plan to discuss the actual language of a text.
• When you are discussing an author's position or theory, and you plan to discuss the wording of a core assertion or kernel of the argument in your paper.
• When you risk losing the essence of the author's ideas in the translation from their words to your own.
• When you want to appeal to the authority of the author and using their words will emphasize that authority.

Once you have decided to quote part of a text, you'll need to decide whether you are going to quote a long passage (a block quotation) or a short passage (a sentence or two within the text of your essay). Unless you are planning to do something substantive with a long quotation—to analyze the language in detail or otherwise break it down—you should not use block quotations in your essay. While long quotations will stretch your page limit, they don't add anything to your argument unless you also spend time discussing them in a way that illuminates a point you're making. Unless you are giving your readers something they need to appreciate your argument, you should use quotations sparingly.

When you quote from a source, you should make sure to cite the source either with an in-text citation or a note, depending on which citation style you are using.  The passage below, drawn from O’Brien’s  The Things They Carried , uses an MLA-style citation.

On the morning after Ted Lavender died, First Lieutenant Jimmy Cross crouched at the bottom of his foxhole and burned Martha's letters. Then he burned the two photographs. There was a steady rain falling, which made it difficult, but he used heat tabs and Sterno to build a small fire, screening it with his body holding the photographs over the tight blue flame with the tip of his fingers.

He realized it was only a gesture. Stupid, he thought. Sentimental, too, but mostly just stupid. (23)

O'Brien, Tim. The Things They Carried . New York: Broadway Books, 1990.

Even as Jimmy Cross burns Martha's letters, he realizes that "it was only a gesture. Stupid, he thought. Sentimental too, but mostly just stupid" (23).

If you were writing a paper about O'Brien's The Things They Carried in which you analyzed Cross's decision to burn Martha's letters and stop thinking about her, you might want your reader to see the language O'Brien uses to illustrate Cross's inner conflict. If you were planning to analyze the passage in which O'Brien calls Cross's realization stupid, sentimental, and then stupid again, you would want your reader to see the original language.

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Paraphrasing vs Summarizing

Summaries and paraphrases are some of your most useful tools as a writer. Referencing other people’s writing is often necessary if you want to provide evidence for your claims and imbue your essays with a greater sense of integrity. In other instances, referencing powerful ideas can simply enhance the quality of your writing. For example, using a quote in your introductory paragraph can “hook” the reader and get them interested.

You can reference other people’s writing in a number of different ways. Here are the most common options:

Each of these options has its own set of various pros and cons. If you want to become an accomplished writer, you need to understand when to paraphrase, when to summarize, and when to quote.

Whether you’re paraphrasing, summarizing, or quoting, you need to make sure to properly acknowledge where these ideas are coming from or you risk committing plagiarism. It’s perfectly acceptable to reference other people’s work, as long as you give credit where it’s due.

When you understand the differences among paraphrasing, summarizing, and quoting, it becomes easier to write flowing, informative pieces that are free from plagiarism.

What is paraphrasing?

When you paraphrase someone else’s writing, you are presenting their ideas in your own words. An important part of paraphrasing is acknowledging whose ideas you are presenting and where they come from.

A paraphrased passage cannot be too similar to the source material. You can’t simply change one or two words and claim that you’re paraphrasing. Ideally, you should present these ideas in language that seems natural and easy for you and your readers to understand.

What is summarizing?

When you summarize someone else’s ideas, you are summing up their main points in a smaller piece of writing that the reader can easily understand.

Summaries are much shorter than the original material. For example, the summary of an entire book would not list every event that happens in the book. Rather, a book summary would review the most important moments in the plot and could be two or three pages long.

That being said, summaries can be even shorter than that. It’s possible to summarize an idea or a book in a single sentence.

When you summarize someone else’s work, it’s important to cover only the most important points . Just like paraphrasing or quoting, you must also attribute summarized ideas to the correct source.

What is quoting?

Quoting is when you write down the exact words of a writer and use quotation marks . You must attribute the correct speaker and source when quoting, and you must use the appropriate formatting guidelines laid out by your course or instructor.

Quoting may be preferable to other methods if you need to use clear evidence to back up your claims. By using the author’s exact words, you can show the accuracy of the evidence you’re using.

What is the difference between summarizing and paraphrasing?

The main differences between summarizing and paraphrasing come down to their functions.

A summary retells the main points, condensing an idea so that it is easier for the reader to digest. You can be selective when writing summaries, which means you don’t have to cover everything that the writer said. In addition, summaries are always shorter than the source material.

On the other hand, paraphrases serve to clarify a passage. Paraphrases are specific, which means that you need to cover each piece of information the writer is trying to convey.

In contrast to summaries, paraphrases don’t need to be shorter than the source material. While it’s true that a paraphrase might be condensed compared to the source material, it can also be longer than the source material. Alternatively, paraphrases can be roughly the same length as the source material.

How are summarizing and paraphrasing similar?

There are notable similarities between summaries and paraphrases. They both serve to make concepts easier to understand for the reader through slightly different methods. In addition, you should use both paraphrases and summaries when the core ideas of a passage are more important than the exact wording.

When should you paraphrase?

When you successfully paraphrase someone else’s ideas, you are showing the reader that you understand the key concepts. Unlike quoting, paraphrasing requires you to show what you think or understood about the idea.

You should paraphrase when you want to show that you’re capable of more than just copying and pasting. Only people who truly understand concepts can paraphrase them successfully. In other words, paraphrasing shows that you’re confident about the ideas you’re discussing.

Paraphrasing is also helpful when you’re in the middle of a speech and you can’t remember exactly what someone said. In this situation, you can’t really pause, take out a book, and look up the exact quote. Instead, you can start by saying something like, “Frederick Douglass once said something along the lines of…” and then finish by summing up the quote in your own words.

Finally, paraphrasing is a solid option when you want to reword a broader section of text into a more concise passage . You may choose to paraphrase when you encounter an idea that seems antiquated or inaccessible to the modern reader. By putting these ideas in your own words, you can make them relevant again.

When should you summarize?

Summaries are useful when you need a little more flexibility. You can spend an entire paragraph summarizing a concept or you can sum it up in a few sentences. Other summaries take the form of entire essays.

Summaries also allow you to cut right to the core concepts that the author was trying to convey . When you summarize a piece of writing, you can eliminate all the extra bits and pieces that aren’t really relevant or necessary. At the end of the day, summaries are all about condensing information so that you can refer to key points within the original passage.

Summaries are also handy when you’re providing your reader with background information on a topic. This might be especially helpful when you’re introducing a topic at the beginning of an essay.

Alternatively, you can quickly provide background information at any stage of your essay. For example, you might introduce a new piece of literature halfway through your writing, such as The Trial by Franz Kafka. At this point, you might find it necessary to sum up the plot of The Trial before moving on.

Essentially, you should use summaries when you want to condense information and cover the main points.

Summaries and paraphrases are usually preferable to direct quotes

Both summaries and paraphrases are usually preferable to direct quotes.

It’s all too easy to fill up your entire essay with quote after quote, but what purpose does that serve? Quotes only show that you’re able to copy and paste other people’s ideas, whereas summaries and paraphrases show that you actually understand these ideas enough to restructure them or condense them.

A page filled with direct quotes also becomes tiresome for the reader, especially if you become over-reliant on one source or author. When you use too many quotes, your writing tends to lose its flow, becoming jarring and difficult to follow.

Of course, quotes have their place in your writing. As previously mentioned, they allow you to provide strong evidence for your claims and give your writing a sense of authority. However, most instructors agree that quotes should be used sparingly. Think of quotes as your secret weapon, and only pull them out when you really need them.

Using paraphrases and summaries throughout your writing allows you to make use of various pieces of source material without relying too much on direct quotes. Add a mixture of quotes, paraphrases, and summaries into your writing, and you’ll see a drastic improvement in overall quality.

Remember, there is nothing wrong with borrowing other people’s ideas to strengthen the quality of your own writing. The best writers in the world don’t hesitate to paraphrase or summarize the works of other individuals, as they understand that human literature is a collaborative process.

Each new writer carries the torch a few steps further before passing their accomplishments to the next generation. There is no shame in using powerful ideas as a foundation from which to build upon.

Key takeaways

• Summaries and paraphrases both serve to make source material easier to understand
• You should use both summaries and paraphrases when the core ideas are more important than the exact wording
• A summary is a condensed version of the source material that covers all the main points
• When you paraphrase a passage, you put it in your own words and clarify its meaning
• Direct quotes are useful when the exact wording is important
• You can use direct quotes to provide more accurate evidence for your claims
• Quotes imbue your writing with a sense of authority
• You should paraphrase when you want to show that you understand the key ideas behind a passage
• Paraphrasing allows you to make passages more relevant and accessible to your readers
• The main purpose of a paraphrase is to clarify the text
• Paraphrases can be longer, shorter, or the same length as the source passage
• Summaries are always shorter than the source material
• Summaries are selective whereas paraphrases are specific
• Summaries allow you to eliminate unnecessary information from the source material
• Summaries provide background information on a topic or idea
• Both summaries and paraphrases are usually preferable to direct quotes
• You should use direct quotes sparingly

Published October 29, 2020.

By Andy Block. Block has a B.A. in English and an M.A. in comparative literature. After teaching in Asia, Europe, and New York City, briefly, Andy taught writing at a community college for more than a decade — before transitioning to a new career in EdTech.

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Writing in college often means using ideas from other sources. There are times when it may be best to quote the sources directly, while other times may be better served by paraphrasing or summary. In order to decide which technique to use, it is helpful to think about how you are using the information in your paper.

Definitions

• Quotation reproduces a statement word-for-word as it appears in its original source
• Paraphrase explains a statement by using your own words and sentence structure
• Summary explains a statement using your words, but typically condenses a larger statement into a shorter explanation

How to decide which approach to use

Direct quotations can be useful when the exact wording of a statement is important. The exact wording of a quotation may be significant to your claim. In example 1 below, the contrast between adjectives are important to the claim. Also, direct quotation may be important when you want to make sure you are being precise in representing the author’s position. Finally, you might choose to use a direct quotation when the original statement is particularly well written or structurally persuasive. If a statement uses elements such as parallelism or alliteration, you might not be able to recreate that same effect. An important element of the quotation in example 1 is the parallel structure between "lowest and vilest alleys" and "smiling and beautiful countryside."

When Sherlock tells Watson "the lowest and vilest alleys in London do not present a more dreadful record of sin than does the smiling and beautiful countryside,” he intensifies suspense by equating innocence with evil ("The Adventure of the Copper Beeches" 502).

Paraphrasing is usually expected in research and argumentative essays. These type of papers benefit from paraphrasing because it shows that you understand the source and are therefore a reliable voice on that source. Paraphrasing can make the evidence more straightforward. Another reason to paraphrase is to adjust your tone for your audience. If the assignment asks you to write a presentation for your classmates, you do not want to quote scientific jargon. Your source is only persuasive and supportive if your readers understand it. The paraphrase of the quotation below is shorter, and more direct.

Original quotation:  “In the case of Facebook, it has changed its format multiple times, and merged other literacy practices – email, instant messaging, games – into its structure in an attempt to keep users on the site” (Keller 2014, 74).

Paraphrase: Facebook has tried to hold on to its users by incorporating new functions like games and email (Keller 2014).

Summaries can also be used in reviews, research papers, and argumentative essays. They have a similar purpose as paraphrasing, but they condense a large work (i.e. an entire chapter, article, or book) into a shorter text such as a paragraph or a short essay. Summaries allow you to focus your description on  the parts that are relevant to your discussion. Example 3 briefly summarizes Anne of Green Gables, focusing on Anne as a strong female character and could lead into a discussion of how the series teaches girls self-respect while also cherishing romance.

Anne of Green Gables is a book series that follows the life of an unruly red-headed orphan as she grows from an romantic adolescent into an independent young woman.

What can the Writing Center do to help?

Writing Center consultants can help you if you aren't sure what style of source integration works best for an assignment. Some essays require a mix of methods. Consultants can help you determine if your writing needs a better balance of integration methods. If you are less familiar with one of the three uses of sources, the Writing Center can give you additional pointers.

See our section on how to incorporate sources for more on punctuating and introducing quotations. Also see our section on avoiding plagiarism to learn how to paraphrase and summarize.

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Home / Guides / Citation Guides / Citation Basics / Quoting vs. Paraphrasing vs. Summarizing

Quoting vs. Paraphrasing vs. Summarizing

If you’ve ever written a research essay, you know the struggle is real. Should you use a direct quote? Should you put it in your own words? And how is summarizing different from paraphrasing—aren’t they kind of the same thing?

Knowing how you should include your source takes some finesse, and knowing when to quote directly, paraphrase, or summarize can make or break your argument. Let’s take a look at the nuances among these three ways  of using an outside source in an essay.

What is quoting?

The concept of quoting is pretty straightforward. If you use quotation marks, you must use precisely the same words as the original , even if the language is vulgar or the grammar is incorrect. In fact, when scholars quote writers with bad grammar, they may correct it by using typographical notes [like this] to show readers they have made a change.

“I never like[d] peas as a child.”

Conversely, if a passage with odd or incorrect language is quoted as is, the note [sic] may be used to show that no changes were made to the original language despite any errors.

“I never like [sic] peas as a child.”

The professional world looks very seriously on quotations. You cannot change a single comma or letter without documentation when you quote a source. Not only that, but the quote must be accompanied by an attribution, commonly called a citation. A misquote or failure to cite can be considered plagiarism.

When writing an academic paper, scholars must use in-text citations in parentheses followed by a complete entry on a references page. When you quote someone using MLA format , for example, it might look like this:

“The orphan is above all a character out of place, forced to make his or her own home in the world. The novel itself grew up as a genre representing the efforts of an ordinary individual to navigate his or her way through the trials of life. The orphan is therefore an essentially novelistic character, set loose from established conventions to face a world of endless possibilities (and dangers)” (Mullan).

This quote is from www.bl.uk/romantics-and-victorians/articles/orphans-in-fiction , which discusses the portrayal of orphans in Victorian English literature. The citation as it would look on the references page (called Works Cited in MLA) is available at the end of this guide.

What is paraphrasing?

Paraphrasing means taking a quote and putting it in your own words.

You translate what another writer has said into terms both you and your reader can more easily understand. Unlike summarizing, which focuses on the big picture, paraphrasing is involved with single lines or passages. Paraphrasing means you should focus only on segments of a text.

Paraphrasing is a way for you to start processing the information from your source . When you take a quote and put it into your own words, you are already working to better understand, and better explain, the information.

The more you can change the quote without changing the original meaning , the better. How can you make significant changes to a text without changing the meaning?

Here are a few paraphrasing techniques:

• Use synonyms of words
• Change the order of words
• Change the order of clauses in the sentences
• Move sentences around in a section
• Active – passive
• Positive – negative
• Statement-question

Let’s look at an example. Here is a direct quote from the article on orphans in Victorian literature:

“It is no accident that the most famous character in recent fiction – Harry Potter – is an orphan. The child wizard’s adventures are premised on the death of his parents and the responsibilities that he must therefore assume. If we look to classic children’s fiction we find a host of orphans” (Mullan).

Here is a possible paraphrase:

It’s not a mistake that a well-known protagonist in current fiction is an orphan: Harry Potter. His quests are due to his parents dying and tasks that he is now obligated to complete. You will see that orphans are common protagonists if you look at other classic fiction (Mullan).

What differences do you spot? There are synonyms. A few words were moved around. A few clauses were moved around. But do you see that the basic structure is very similar?

This kind of paraphrase might be flagged by a plagiarism checker. Don’t paraphrase like that.

Here is a better example:

What is the most well-known fact about beloved character, Harry Potter? That he’s an orphan – “the boy who lived”. In fact, it is only because his parents died that he was thrust into his hero’s journey. Throughout classic children’s literature, you’ll find many orphans as protagonists (Mullan).

Do you see that this paraphrase has more differences? The basic information is there, but the structure is quite different.

When you paraphrase, you are making choices: of how to restructure information, of how to organize and prioritize it.  These choices reflect your voice in a way a direct quote cannot, since a direct quote is, by definition, someone else’s voice.

Which is better: Quoting or paraphrasing?

Although the purpose of both quoting and paraphrasing is to introduce the ideas of an external source, they are used for different reasons. It’s not that one is better than the other, but rather that quoting suits some purposes better, while paraphrasing is more suitable for others.

A direct quote is better when you feel the writer made the point perfectly and there is no reason to change a thing. If the writer has a strong voice and you want to preserve that, use a direct quote.

For example, no one should ever try to paraphrase John. F. Kenney’s famous line: “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.”

However, think of direct quotes like a hot pepper: go ahead and sprinkle them around to add some spice to your paper, but… you might not want to overdo it.

Conversely, paraphrasing is useful when you want to bring in a longer section of a source into your piece, but you don’t have room for the full passage . A paraphrase doesn’t simplify the passage to an extreme level, like a summary would. Rather, it condenses the section of text into something more useful for your essay. It’s also appropriate to paraphrase when there are sentences within a passage that you want to leave out.

If you were to paraphrase the section of the article about Victorian orphans mentioned earlier, you might write something like this:

Considering the development of the novel, which portrayed everyday people making their way through life, using an orphan as a protagonist was effective. Orphans are characters that, by definition, need to find their way alone. The author can let the protagonist venture out into the world where the anything, good or bad, might happen (Mullan).

You’ll notice a couple of things here. One, there are no quotation marks, but there is still an in-text citation (the name in parentheses). A paraphrase lacks quotation marks because you aren’t directly quoting, but it still needs a citation because you are using a specific segment of the text. It is still someone else’s original idea and must be cited.

Secondly, if you look at the original quote, you’ll see that five lines of text are condensed into four and a half lines. Everything the author used has been changed.

A single paragraph of text has been explained in different words—which is the heart of paraphrasing.

What is summarizing?

Next, we come to summarizing. Summarizing is on a much larger scale than quoting or paraphrasing. While similar to paraphrasing in that you use your own words, a summary’s primary focus is on translating the main idea of an entire document or long section.

Summaries are useful because they allow you to mention entire chapters or articles—or longer works—in only a few sentences. However, summaries can be longer and more in-depth. They can actually include quotes and paraphrases. Keep in mind, though, that since a summary condenses information, look for the main points. Don’t include a lot of details in a summary.

In literary analysis essays, it is useful to include one body paragraph that summarizes the work you’re writing about. It might be helpful to quote or paraphrase specific lines that contribute to the main themes of such a work. Here is an example summarizing the article on orphans in Victorian literature:

In John Mullan’s article “Orphans in Fiction” on bl.uk.com, he reviews the use of orphans as protagonists in 19 th century Victorian literature. Mullan argues that orphans, without family attachments, are effective characters that can be “unleashed to discover the world.” This discovery process often leads orphans to expose dangerous aspects of society, while maintaining their innocence. As an example, Mullan examines how many female orphans wind up as governesses, demonstrating the usefulness of a main character that is obligated to find their own way.

This summary includes the main ideas of the article, one paraphrase, and one direct quote. A ten-paragraph article is summarized into one single paragraph.

As for giving source credit, since the author’s name and title of the source are stated at the beginning of the summary paragraph, you don’t need an in-text citation.

How do I know which one to use?

The fact is that writers use these three reference types (quoting, paraphrasing, summarizing) interchangeably. The key is to pay attention to your argument development. At some points, you will want concrete, firm evidence. Quotes are perfect for this.

At other times, you will want general support for an argument, but the text that includes such support is long-winded. A paraphrase is appropriate in this case.

Finally, sometimes you may need to mention an entire book or article because it is so full of evidence to support your points. In these cases, it is wise to take a few sentences or even a full paragraph to summarize the source.

No matter which type you use, you always need to cite your source on a References or Works Cited page at the end of the document. The MLA works cited entry for the text we’ve been using today looks like this:

Mullan, John. Orphans in Fiction” www.bl.uk/romantics-and-victorians/articles/orphans-in-fiction.  Accessed 20. Oct. 2020

————–

See our related lesson with video:  How to Quote and Paraphrase Evidence

Citation Guides

• Annotated Bibliography
• Block Quotes
• Citation Examples
• et al Usage
• In-text Citations
• Page Numbers
• Reference Page
• Sample Paper
• APA 7 Updates
• View APA Guide
• Bibliography
• Works Cited
• MLA 8 Updates
• View MLA Guide

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