apa paraphrasing tool

Paraphrasing Tool

Paraphrasing Tool in partnership with QuillBot. Paraphrase everywhere with the free Chrome Extension .

Try our other writing services

Avoid plagiarism in your paraphrased text

What's a paraphrasing tool?

This AI-powered paraphraser lets you rewrite text in your own words. Use it to  paraphrase articles, essays, and other pieces of text. You can also use it to rephrase sentences and find synonyms for individual words. And the best part? It’s all 100% free!

What's paraphrasing?

Paraphrasing involves expressing someone else’s ideas or thoughts in your own words while maintaining the original meaning. Paraphrasing tools can help you quickly reword text by replacing certain words with synonyms or restructuring sentences. They can also make your text more concise, clear, and suitable for a specific audience. Paraphrasing is an essential skill in academic writing and professional communication.

Why use this paraphrasing tool?

• Save time: Gone are the days when you had to reword sentences yourself; now you can rewrite an individual sentence or a complete text with one click.
• Improve your writing: Your writing will always be clear and easy to understand. Automatically ensure consistent language throughout. 
• Preserve original meaning: Paraphrase without fear of losing the point of your text.
• No annoying ads: We care about the user experience, so we don’t run any ads.
• Accurate: Reliable and grammatically correct paraphrasing.
• No sign-up required: We don’t need your data for you to use our paraphrasing tool.
• Super simple to use: A simple interface even your grandma could use.
• It’s 100% free: No hidden costs, just unlimited use of a free paraphrasing tool.

People are in love with our paraphrasing tool

Features of the paraphrasing tool

Rephrase individual sentences

With the Scribbr Paraphrasing Tool, you can easily reformulate individual sentences.

• Write varied headlines
• Rephrase the subject line of an email
• Create unique image captions

Paraphrase a whole text

Our paraphraser can also help with longer passages (up to 125 words per input). Upload your document or copy your text into the input field.

With one click, you can reformulate the entire text.

Find synonyms with ease

Simply click on any word to open the interactive thesaurus.

• Choose from a list of suggested synonyms
• Find the synonym with the most appropriate meaning
• Replace the word with a single click

Paraphrase in two ways

• Standard: Offers a compromise between modifying and preserving the meaning of the original text
• Fluency: Improves language and corrects grammatical mistakes

Upload different types of documents

Upload any Microsoft Word document, Google Doc, or PDF into the paraphrasing tool.

Download or copy your results

After you’re done, you can easily download or copy your text to use somewhere else.

Powered by AI

The paraphrasing tool uses natural language processing to rewrite any text you give it. This way, you can paraphrase any text within seconds.

How does this paraphrasing tool work?

1. put your text into the paraphraser, 2. select your method of paraphrasing, 3. select the quantity of synonyms you want, 4. edit your text where needed, who can use this paraphrasing tool.

Paraphrasing tools can help students to understand texts and improve the quality of their writing. 

Create original lesson plans, presentations, or other educational materials.

Researchers

Explain complex concepts or ideas to a wider audience. 

Journalists

Quickly and easily rephrase text to avoid repetitive language.

Copywriters

By using a paraphrasing tool, you can quickly and easily rework existing content to create something new and unique.

Bloggers can rewrite existing content to make it their own.

Writers who need to rewrite content, such as adapting an article for a different context or writing content for a different audience.

A paraphrasing tool lets you quickly rewrite your original content for each medium, ensuring you reach the right audience on each platform.

The all-purpose paraphrasing tool

The Scribbr Paraphrasing Tool is the perfect assistant in a variety of contexts.

Brainstorming

Writer’s block? Use our paraphraser to get some inspiration.

Professional communication

Produce creative headings for your blog posts or PowerPoint slides.

Academic writing

Paraphrase sources smoothly in your thesis or research paper.

Social media

Craft memorable captions and content for your social media posts.

Paraphrase text online, for free

The Scribbr Paraphrasing Tool lets you rewrite as many sentences as you want—for free.

Write with 100% confidence 👉

Ask our team.

Want to contact us directly? No problem. We are always here for you.

• Chat with us
• Email [email protected]
• Call +44 (0)20 3917 4242
• WhatsApp +31 20 261 6040

Frequently asked questions

The act of putting someone else’s ideas or words into your own words is called paraphrasing, rephrasing, or rewording. Even though they are often used interchangeably, the terms can mean slightly different things:

Paraphrasing   is restating someone else’s ideas or words in your own words while retaining their meaning. Paraphrasing changes sentence structure, word choice, and sentence length to convey the same meaning.

Rephrasing   may involve more substantial changes to the original text, including changing the order of sentences or the overall structure of the text.

Rewording   is changing individual words in a text without changing its meaning or structure, often using synonyms.

It can. One of the two methods of paraphrasing is called “Fluency.” This will improve the language and fix grammatical errors in the text you’re paraphrasing.

Paraphrasing and using a paraphrasing tool aren’t cheating. It’s a great tool for saving time and coming up with new ways to express yourself in writing.  However, always be sure to credit your sources.  Avoid plagiarism.  

If you don’t properly reference text paraphrased from another source, you’re plagiarising. If you use someone else’s text and paraphrase it, you need to credit the original source. You can do that by using citations. There are different styles, like APA, MLA, Harvard, and Chicago. Find more information about referencing sources  here.

Paraphrasing   without crediting the original author   is a   form of plagiarism , because you’re presenting someone else’s ideas as if they were your own.

However, paraphrasing is not plagiarism if you correctly referencing the source . This means including an   in-text citation   and a full reference, formatted according to your required   citation style.

As well as citing, make sure that any paraphrased text is completely rewritten in your own words.

Plagiarism   means using someone else’s words or ideas and passing them off as your own.   Paraphrasing   means putting someone else’s ideas in your own words.

So when does paraphrasing count as plagiarism?

• Paraphrasing   is   plagiarism if you don’t properly credit the original author.
• Paraphrasing   is   plagiarism if your text is too close to the original wording (even if you cite the source). If you directly copy a sentence or phrase, you should   quote   it instead.
• Paraphrasing  is not   plagiarism if you put the author’s ideas completely in your own words   and   properly referencing the source .

Best Paraphrasing Tool: Online & Free

Try our professional paraphrase generator that can quickly reword any text. On this page, you will find the reviews of top online rephrasers: QuillBot Chimpwriter, and others

Here at IvyPanda , we have a solution for you that will save a lot of time and help you avoid plagiarism when gathering information from various sources.

⚙️ Top 12 Best Paraphrasing Tools Online Free

⭐ best paraphrasing tool: the benefits.

• ☝️ All You Need to Know About Plagiarism
• 📝 How to Avoid All Types of Plagiarism: Examples

The best way to avoid plagiarism in your writing is to paraphrase the text. Even five words in a row can constitute plagiarism. To help you prevent accusation in stealing someone’s ideas, we gathered twelve online paraphrasing tools, tested them, and ranked.

Check the IvyPanda ranking and detailed descriptions for each tool below and choose the best software for your needs!

1. QuillBot Paraphrasing Tool

IvyPanda’s #1 award goes to QuillBot’s online paraphrasing tool. The app is ad-free and has many features that can be useful for students, bloggers, and professional writers. For example, you can choose one of nine paraphrasing modes: Standard, Fluency, Formal, Academic, Simple, Creative, Expand, Shorten, and Custom. The first two modes are available for all users. QuillBot supports text import from clipboard and DOC, DOCX, TXT, and PDF files. The results can be copied to a clipboard or exported to DOCX format.

You can paraphrase up to 125 words for free. With a premium plan, you can rephrase an unlimited number of words. The paid version also allows you to use additional features, such as all rewriting modes and the Paraphraser History. The premium subscription plan is $8.33/month (billed yearly) or $19.95/month (billed monthly).

2. Jasper AI

Jasper AI is an AI-based writing tool for paraphrasing, summarizing, and plagiarism checking. It uses an advanced GPT-4 language model to produce unique content.

To paraphrase a text using Jasper AI, paste your text into the field and tell the bot in plain language what you need it to do. If you don’t like the result, you can ask the tool to rewrite your content again. You can also choose your desired tone of voice, which makes it a suitable tool for marketers and bloggers.

Although Jasper AI doesn’t offer a free plan, it provides its users with a 7-day free trial. Premium plans start from $39/month and give you access to AI writing in 30+ languages, 50+ templates, browser extensions, and many more.

3. Writesonic

Writesonic is another AI-powered tool for paraphrasing. It is available in 24+ languages, including Japanese, Chinese, and many European languages. Apart from the paraphrasing software, Writesonic offers many other writing tools, like grammar checker, AI content detector, and plagiarism checker.

You can use Writesonic for free, but you need to register first. The free plan is limited to 10,000 words per month. It is quite a generous amount for students, while marketers and bloggers may choose to go premium to extend this limit. Premium plans start from $19 per month.

WordAi is a feature-rich AI paraphrasing tool. It uses advanced language models to generate content indistinguishable from human writing.

One prominent feature of this tool is that it can produce up to 1,000 rewrites of an original piece of content. So, you’ll definitely get an option that will suit you. Another feature is that you can choose how creative your paraphrase should be, thus gaining full control of the content creation.

One main drawback we found is that WordAi doesn’t offer a free plan. Premium starts from $17 per month and allows you to paraphrase 50,000 words per month. Another drawback is that WordAi supports only the English language.

5. Hypotenuse AI

Hypotenuse AI is an online rewriting tool that produces accurate and creative texts quickly. It has a tone selection feature that allows you to choose whether your paraphrase should sound authoritative, conversational, humorous, or otherwise.

The tool has 5 main functions: Improve, Simplify, Shorten, Expand, and Rephrase. Therefore, it covers virtually all use cases in which you might want to paraphrase. Moreover, Hypotenuse AI supports over 30 languages, which makes it suitable for content creators across the globe.

The main drawback is that Hypotenuse AI doesn’t offer a free plan. Yet, you can try any premium option for free for 7 days. Premium plans start from $29/month.

Copy AI is an AI-powered writing tool that can paraphrase content in a few seconds. Just paste your text, click the button, and check the result. You can use this tool for free, but the free plan is limited to 2,000 words per month.

Copy AI supports over 95 languages, which makes it a good option for content creators working with diverse audiences. It also offers 90+ prompt templates to facilitate the work with the tool.

One drawback we’ve discovered is that Copy AI can sometimes repeat the original content it was meant to paraphrase. So, we recommend you carefully check the result before using it in your papers to avoid plagiarism.

7. Wordtune

Wordtune is one more AI writing tool used for rewriting. Although it can translate texts from several languages into English, its paraphrasing feature works only with English.

You can use Wordtune without charge, but the free plan allows you to rewrite only 10 texts of up to 280 characters per day. Moreover, you don’t have to register to use the free version. If you wish to extend the limit and get access to advanced features, like text recommendations for clarity and fluency, you have to go premium. Paid plans start from $24.99/month.

Rytr is another paraphrasing tool based on an AI language model. It supports over 30 languages and can write texts in more than 20 tones of voice, including appreciative, formal, and inspirational. It also has a built-in plagiarism checker, so it’s convenient to check paraphrased content for plagiarism.

The tool offers a free plan, which allows you to paraphrase up to 10,000 characters per month. This is about 1,500-2,500 words, which can be enough for students but insufficient for writers who need to paraphrase a lot. Premium plans start at $9/month, and Rytr offers 2 months for free if you subscribe to a premium annual plan.

9. PrePostSEO Paraphrasing Tool

The Paraphrasing Tool by PrePostSEO is another good option for quick rephrasing. This website would come in handy for students, writers, and SEO experts. To get a paraphrased text, you can either copy and paste the article or upload a DOC, DOCX, PPT, or TXT file.

The tool works with 18 languages, including French, German, Turkish, and Japanese. It also has a Chrome extension and mobile apps for Android and iOS. Moreover, you may edit the output before saving it.

One drawback we found is ads. However, you can use ad-blocking software to avoid unwanted advertisements. Another drawback is that the free plan is limited to paraphrasing 500 words at a time. Yet, you can expand it to 2,500 words per submission with a premium plan, which is $19/month.

10. ChimpRewriter

ChimpRewriter is ad-free, paid rephrasing software. The tool uses smart cross-checking and artificial intelligence to make your paraphrased text readable for real people. ChimpRewriter works with multiple languages and can easily rewrite any text.

To use it, you need to register and download a free version with a 14-day trial period, after which you can upgrade to the Pro version. The Pro version costs $15/month or $99/year.

11. Dupli Checker

The next tool in our ranking is Dupli Checker. It has limitations of 2,000 words for input text, which can be extended to 25,000 words with a premium plan. Dupli Checker supports file import. The app also allows users to check the result for grammar errors and plagiarism before exporting it to a DOCX file.

The website is free and has plenty of other useful tools for students, bloggers, and SEO experts. The main drawback of Dupli Checker is the abundance of ads.

12. Paraphrase-Online

The last tool in our paraphrasing tool ranking is Paraphrase-Online. The best part of this website is that it’s free, simple, and fast. It also provides a file import option, allowing you to upload .doc, .docx, .pdf, and .txt files.

The website works pretty fast and doesn’t require solving CAPTCHA or registration. However, the app contains some ads, so don’t forget to activate an ad-blocker.

☝️ Paraphrasing as the Best Tool against Plagiarism

As you know, plagiarism is a form of academic dishonesty. You can’t take someone’s ideas and pass them off as your own.

Plagiarism can have severe consequences. If you run a website or a blog and copy and paste articles from other sources without changes, search engines will lower your website’s score. This means that you will have fewer visitors and, as a result, fewer earnings (if you run an online store, provide services, or monetize your website in other ways).

In the business world, plagiarism can also have negative consequences. Copyright violations, for example, can result in million-dollar lawsuits, or in a loss of trust among customers, etc.

Below, you will find the most common types of plagiarism. Familiarize yourself so you can avoid them.

8 Types of Plagiarism

These are eight types of plagiarism that are often seen in academic writing:

• Cloning or identical copying. This occurs when someone copies another’s text word for word and claims it as their own.
• Mixture. This type of plagiarism occurs when you gather information from different sources and put it together, claiming it as your own paper.
• Copy-Paste. This type of plagiarism is seen in papers where the author has copied and pasted significant parts of their paper from one source without changes.
• Misleading attribution. This occurs when someone uses a citation without giving credit to a primary source.
• Self-plagiarism. This happens when you decide to reuse your old papers without proper citation and credits. Yes, you have to cite your own writing if you use it again!
• Mosaic. Mosaic plagiarism involves copying information from a range of sources and compiling it without citations.
• when you use citations that lead to non-existing sources;
• when you use a secondary source, but refer to the primary source;
• when you change information from a primary source, so it gives a false impression to the reader.
• Paraphrasing plagiarism. This kind of plagiarism occurs when someone changes only certain phrases in an original text without proper citation.

Plagiarism can be intentional, if the author knowingly passes someone else’s work off as their own, or unintentional, if it occurs because the writer has neglected to include citations or abide by paraphrasing rules.

Regardless of its type, plagiarism has serious consequences. A student who is caught plagiarizing can be expelled from college or university.

📝 Anti-plagiarism Tools & Techniques

Avoiding plagiarism is easy. Keep reading to find out more:

Quoting and Quotes

A quote is a copy of an original source that is properly credited. Depending on the formatting style, there are different style rules.

Here are three of the most popular formatting style requirements:

The first thing that you need to determine when quoting in APA is the length of the quote. If it is less than 40 words, you need to add a phrase that contains the author’s name and the publication date in parentheses:

Darwin (1857) stated, “A scientific man ought to have no wishes, no affections, - a mere heart of stone.”

If you don’t name the author before the quote, you must put their name, publication date and page number (if applicable) in parenthesis after the quote:

He said, “A scientific man ought to have no wishes, no affections, - a mere heart of stone” (Darwin, 1857).

If the quote exceeds 40 words, the quote must be placed in a separate block within the text and put in quotation marks.

Rules for quoting in MLA are similar to APA. If the quote is fewer than four lines, you must denote it with double quotation marks. You should provide information about the author and page number in your in-text citation and provide complete information on the reference page.

If you want to use a quote in the Chicago style, you must use footnotes and endnotes to provide information about the source. A superscript number should be placed after the quote:

Darwin stated that “A scientific man ought to have no wishes, no affections, - a mere heart of stone”. 1

If you’re going to quote 100 words, or more than five lines of a text, you need to write it as a separate block without quotation marks.

Paraphrasing

Another way to avoid plagiarism in your writing is to paraphrase the source. When paraphrasing, you must avoid copying more than two words in a row. In other cases, you should use quotation marks.

Check out how to paraphrase in APA, MLA, and Chicago styles below:

When you paraphrase in APA, you must provide the author’s last name and the date of publication in your paper. It is not necessary to include the page number in the citation.

(Darwin, 1857)

In MLA, you need to include the page number after the author’s last name. You should avoid using a comma between them. You should also paraphrase, but not misconstrue the author’s meaning.

(Darwin 191)

Similar to quotes, when you paraphrase in Chicago style, you should use a superscript number after the in-text citation:

Darwin stated that scientists should be stone-like and avoid desires or feelings. 1

Now you know how to avoid plagiarism and how to paraphrase your texts in only a few seconds. Check out the tools listed above and boost your content writing skills. You should also check out our Text Summarizer , Plagiarism Checker , and Random Word Generator .

Updated: Jun 28th, 2024

• Free Essays
• Writing Tools
• Lit. Guides
• Donate a Paper
• Q&A by Experts
• Referencing Guides
• Free Textbooks
• Tongue Twisters
• Editorial Policy
• Job Openings
• Video Contest
• Writing Scholarship
• Discount Codes
• Brand Guidelines
• IvyPanda Shop
• Online Courses
• Terms and Conditions
• Privacy Policy
• Cookies Policy
• Copyright Principles
• DMCA Request
• Service Notice

IvyPanda's free online paraphraser can quickly reword any text and help you avoid plagiarism in your writing. All you need to do is simply input your text. Once you do that, our tool will provide you with a fresh and unique rewritten version.

Home / Guides / Citation Guides / APA Format / Paraphrasing in APA

Paraphrasing in APA

Paraphrasing is the art of putting information into your own words while writing a research paper, in order to maintain the academic integrity of your project. This is important because you need to use solid evidence as a researcher, but you need to put information into the proper format to avoid plagiarism. The American Psychological Association (APA) created a writing style in 1929 that calls for uniformity and consistency in giving credit to sources in your research.

How to properly paraphrase

If you do not properly paraphrase your source material following the APA style, you are at the risk of losing credibility as a writer and possibly plagiarizing. Although paraphrasing is not difficult, it does take time and a little forethought to do it correctly. There are several steps you should follow in order to achieve success.

1. Read the original source

The first step in creating an effective paraphrase is to carefully read the original source. Read it the first time to get the overall understanding, and then do a second closer reading in order to gather details and material that will help you formulate your argument.

2. Take notes in your own words

After reading the original source and determining what details can help you formulate your argument, take a minute to jot down some notes. Be careful to put everything into your own words. Change the structure of the sentence as well as the vocabulary.

Also, take a moment to take notes on the context of the source. Why was it written? Who wrote it? When was it written?

3. Construct a paraphrase

In order to construct a paraphrase, you need to include the same information, but with different sentence structure and different vocabulary. APA rules say that a paraphrase should be approximately the same length as the original.

You also need to add contextual text around the paraphrase so it fits within your paper.

4. Double check the original source to avoid duplication

Although an extra step, it is always a good idea to read through the original source one more time to make sure that you have chosen different words and varied the sentence structure. This is a good time to add the APA requirements of author and year of the source so that you have it handy.

5. Include an APA in-text citation

Even though you are putting a paraphrase into your own words, APA requires an in-text citation for paraphrasing. You can create a parenthetical citation or a narrative citation to accomplish this.

Remember: All in-text citations will also need a corresponding APA reference in the APA reference page . For this article, we’re just focusing on in-text citations in paraphrases.

For both types of in-text citation, you will need the following source information:

• Author’s last name
• Year published
• single page: p. #
• page range: pp. #-#

Parenthetical citation

For an APA parenthetical citation , write your paraphrase and then add the author and year in parenthesis at the end. Use a comma between the author and the year inside the parenthesis, and put the period for the end of the sentence outside the parenthesis.

Oh, say can you see by the dawn’s early light What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming? (Key, 1814).

My parents traveled from Italy to Germany and then France. As the oldest child, I traveled with them after being born in Naples. They were very close, and shared that love they had for each other with me (Shelley, 1818, p. 78).

Narrative citation

In a narrative citation, you introduce the author’s name as part of the sentence, and put the year in parenthesis.

Francis Scott Key (1814) wrote very special words while overlooking a battle: Oh, say can you see by the dawn’s early light, what so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming?

For further details, visit this guide on APA in-text citations.

Paraphrasing example

Franklin Delano Roosevelt gave an inaugural address in January 1933 during the Great Depression. This is an excerpt taken from an online source :

This is preeminently the time to speak the truth, the whole truth, frankly and boldly. Nor need we shrink from honestly facing conditions in our country today. This great Nation will endure as it has endured, will revive and will prosper….

1. Read original source text

In order to paraphrase, read through the text once to get the gist of it, and then again for deeper understanding. The context of this passage is also significant. It was given by a U.S. president during the Great Depression. What do you think he was trying to achieve?

Next take notes in your own words. Without immediately looking at the text, jot down what you think is the main point or concept of it. Next, take notes on the context of the source (you can look at the source for this).

For this passage, a few example notes could be:

• Facing truth
• Harsh current reality
• Believing that this great nation will endure and eventually prosper again
• Speech by President Roosevelt in 1933
• Given during the Great Depression
• He was addressing his citizens

Now’s the time to construct the paraphrase. Based on the notes above, a paraphrase would look something like this:

With his inaugural speech, Roosevelt was carefully trying to prepare citizens of the Nation to face the harsh reality that the Great Depression had caused, while also reassuring them that the country would endure and eventually prosper again.

4. Double check with the original source

The paraphrase above doesn’t not look too similar to the original, but we could still change a few words that were also in the original phrase (like “Nation,” “endure,” and “prosper). Revised, it looks like this:

With his inaugural speech, Roosevelt was carefully trying to prepare citizens of the United States to face the harsh reality that the Great Depression had caused, while also reassuring them that the country would eventually bounce back .

5. Add an APA in-text citation

An APA in-text citation means including the source’s author, year published, and page numbers (if available). The paraphrase already has the author’s name, but the year published needs to be added in parentheses. This is from an online source so no page number is needed.

With his inaugural speech, Roosevelt (1933) was carefully trying to prepare citizens of the United States to face the harsh reality that the Great Depression had caused, while also reassuring them that the country would eventually bounce back.

Examples of poor paraphrasing

Most people who fail at paraphrasing use the same sentence as the original source, and just change a word or two. If this is the case, the paraphrase would look something like this:

This great country will endure as it has endured, will come back to life and will prosper. So, first of all, let me show my strong belief that the only thing we have to worry about is fear itself…”

Another problem with paraphrasing occurs when you do half the job. Although the first and third sentences change the sentence structure and vocabulary in the sample below, there are some sections that are taken word-for-word from the original.

“From Italy they visited Germany and France. I, their eldest child, was born at Naples, and as an infant accompanied them in their rambles. I remained for several years their only child. Much as they were attached to each other, they seemed to draw inexhaustible stores of affection from a very mine of love to bestow them upon me.

Paraphrase:

My parents visited Italy and then Germany and France. I, their eldest child, was born at Naples. I traveled with them and was their only child for a few years. They loved each other and they seemed to draw inexhaustible stores of affection from a very mine of love.

In addition to the word-for-word similarities, this paraphrase doesn’t mention the original source’s author, year published, or page number (Shelley, 1818, p. 78).

Key takeaways

• In order to avoid plagiarism, APA delineates the way to give credit to sources when you are paraphrasing.
• In APA style, parenthetical citations demand the author and year of source.
• In order to create a stellar paraphrase, you need to change the structure and the words, but keep the main idea intact.

Published October 28, 2020.

How useful was this post?

Click on a star to rate it!

We are sorry that this post was not useful for you!

Let us improve this post!

Tell us how we can improve this post?

APA Citation Examples

APA Formatting

Writing Tools

Citation Generators

Other Citation Styles

Plagiarism Checker

Upload a paper to check for plagiarism against billions of sources and get advanced writing suggestions for clarity and style.

Get Started

Find and fix writing mistakes instantly

• Check for unintentional plagiarism
• Get instant grammar and style suggestions

Paraphrasing in APA

If you’re taking a class in the social sciences, such as psychology, sociology, or political science, you’re probably using APA (American Psychological Association) format. One important use of formatting guidelines is to standardize the way you incorporate and cite sources in your papers.

Sources are incorporated into papers as quotations, summaries, or paraphrases. Paraphrasing is also called “indirect discourse” because instead of directly writing what the source says, you’re putting it in your own words. The source is represented indirectly, but still with proper citation.

Some people have the misconception that if they change the wording of a source, as we do in a paraphrase, they no longer must cite the source. This isn’t true; it’s always important to let readers know when you’re using ideas from a source. This lets readers see the depth of your research.

Let’s look at how to properly incorporate paraphrases using APA format.

Letting the reader know when a paraphrase starts

In a quotation, it is easy for a reader to tell when the quote begins and ends because the quote is enclosed in quotation marks. Paraphrases lack quotation marks, but it’s still important to show the readers when you’re shifting into material from a source. You don’t want readers to be confused about whether they’re reading your idea or an idea from a source.

Narrative citation

It’s important to organize your paraphrase so it’s clear where it begins and ends, so it’s not abruptly dropped in. Narrative citation involves working some amount of the citation information into the sentence that transitions into the paraphrase.  This information is part of the signal phrase that lets the reader know that a source is coming. A narrative citations usually includes the following information:

• Last Name of the Author
• Year of Publication
• Single page — p. 1
• Page range — pp. 1-5

The first time you use the source, include the author’s full name. You may also want to include something about his or her credentials so it’s clear to the readers why this person is a relevant authority.

Narrative format:

Last Name of the Author (Year of Publication) other paraphrase text (Page number).

Narrative example:

Bryan Stevenson, author of Just Mercy (2014), explained how the traditional agriculture base of the Alabaman economy had to change as a result of several factors, including the migration of African Americans to other areas of the country in the 1940s (p. 24).

After the first mention of an author, you can switch to using just their last name. You can also  use an appropriate pronoun if it would be clear to readers whom the pronoun refers to, such as if there are several paraphrases from the same author in one paragraph.

An appropriate verb is also part of the signal phrase. In the example above, that verb is “explained.” In APA format, these verbs are in simple past tense or past perfect tense.

Letting the reader know when a paraphrase ends

Just like with the beginning of a paraphrase, the end needs to be signaled to the reader in some way.

Parenthetical citation

Parenthetical citations go at the end of a quote or paraphrase. In APA format, the information in a parenthetical citation is the author’s last name, a comma, and the year of publication. If the author’s last name and the date were given at the beginning of the paraphrase, they do not have to be repeated at the end. A page number is optional for a paraphrase, but it is a good idea. Part of the reason for citations is to allow a reader to follow your research. If the source you are paraphrasing is long or complex, a page number would help the reader find the original material. Place a lowercase ‘p’ followed by a period and a space before the page number. If you’re paraphrasing material over more than one page, use two lowercase p’s followed by a period.

Parenthetical format:

Paraphrase text (Last Name of the Author, Year of Publication, Page number).

Stevenson (2014) explains that proximity allows us to see that people can’t be reduced to their worst actions (pp. 17-18).

Parenthetical example:

Proximity allows us to see that people can’t be reduced to their worst actions (Stevenson, 2014, pp. 17-18).

When there are no page numbers or listed authors

Of course, some sources, such as web pages, do not have page numbers. Sometimes a writer will cite the paragraph number. In this case, write ‘para’ followed by a period, a space and the paragraph number. If the paraphrase is over more than one paragraph, add an ‘s’. If the text is long enough that counting out the paragraphs would be unreasonable, you can include another identifying feature, like the chapter name or number.

Despite fanciful theories rarely based in fact, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (2019) has maintained that the natural environment is the main cause of vessel disappearances in the Bermuda Triangle (para. 3).

The parenthetical citation goes within the sentence, so the period is to the right of the parenthesis.

The information comes from an unpaginated source, so the paragraph number was used instead.

Notice also that in this example there is no person given as the author. Rather, the information is credited to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Likewise, on the website where this information is found, no person is given as the author. The organization is considered the author. On the references page, the name of the organization will be in the author position.

Some organizations have well-known abbreviations. If that is the case, the first time you refer to an organization, use the full name in the citation but include the abbreviation immediately after in square brackets. For all further citations, you can just use the abbreviation. If you’re unsure whether an organization’s abbreviation is well-known, err on the side of clarity for the reader and use the full name.

Connection to the references page

A reader can take the information in an in-text citation and find the source on the references page. The references page provides the full citation. With this, a reader can easily find the text herself if she wants to read further. An in-text citation includes the author’s last name. This is the first piece of information on a references page citation, which makes it easy to match up the in-text citation to the right source.

Published October 29, 2020.

How useful was this post?

Click on a star to rate it!

We are sorry that this post was not useful for you!

Let us improve this post!

Tell us how we can improve this post?

Paraphrases

A paraphrase restates another’s idea (or your own previously published idea) in your own words. Paraphrasing allows you to summarize and synthesize information from one or more sources, focus on significant information, and compare and contrast relevant details.

Published authors paraphrase their sources most of the time, rather than directly quoting the sources; student authors should emulate this practice by paraphrasing more than directly quoting.

When you paraphrase, cite the original work using either the narrative or parenthetical citation format .

Although it is not required to provide a page or paragraph number in the citation, you may include one (in addition to the author and year) when it would help interested readers locate the relevant passage within a long or complex work (e.g., a book).

Webster-Stratton (2016) described a case example of a 4-year-old girl who showed an insecure attachment to her mother; in working with the family dyad, the therapist focused on increasing the mother’s empathy for her child (pp. 152–153).

These guidelines pertain to when you read a primary source and paraphrase it yourself. If you read a paraphrase of a primary source in a published work and want to cite that source, it is best to read and cite the primary source directly if possible; if not, use a secondary source citation .

Paraphrases are covered in the seventh edition APA Style manuals in the Publication Manual Sections 8.23 and 8.24 and the Concise Guide Sections 8.23 and 8.24

Related handout

• Paraphrasing and Citation Activities (PDF, 357KB)

Long paraphrases

A paraphrase may continue for several sentences. In such cases, cite the work being paraphrased on first mention. Once the work has been cited, it is not necessary to repeat the citation as long as the context of the writing makes it clear that the same work continues to be paraphrased.

Velez et al. (2018) found that for women of color, sexism and racism in the workplace were associated with poor work and mental health outcomes, including job-related burnout, turnover intentions, and psychological distress. However, self-esteem, person–organization fit, and perceived organizational support mediated these effects. Additionally, stronger womanist attitudes—which acknowledge the unique challenges faced by women of color in a sexist and racist society—weakened the association of workplace discrimination with psychological distress. These findings underscore the importance of considering multiple forms of workplace discrimination in clinical practice and research with women of color, along with efforts to challenge and reduce such discrimination.

If the paraphrase continues into a new paragraph, reintroduce the citation. If the paraphrase incorporates multiple sources or switches among sources, repeat the citation so the source is clear. Read your sentences carefully to ensure you have cited sources appropriately.

Play therapists can experience many symptoms of impaired wellness, including emotional exhaustion or reduced ability to empathize with others (Elwood et al., 2011; Figley, 2002), disruption in personal relationships (Elwood et al., 2011; Robinson-Keilig, 2014), decreased satisfaction with work (Elwood et al., 2011), avoidance of particular situations (Figley, 2002; O’Halloran & Linton, 2000), and feelings or thoughts of helplessness (Elwood et al., 2011; Figley, 2002; O’Halloran & Linton, 2000).

Scribbr APA Citation Generator

Accurate APA citations, verified by experts, trusted by millions.

Scribbr for Chrome: Your shortcut to APA citations

Cite any page or article with a single click right from your browser. The extension does the hard work for you by automatically grabbing the title, author(s), publication date, and everything else needed to whip up the perfect APA citation.

Add to Chrome. It's free!

Rely on accurate APA citations, verified by experts.

You don’t want points taken off for incorrect citations. That’s why our APA citation experts have invested countless hours perfecting our algorithms. As a result, we’re proud to be recommended by teachers worldwide.

Enjoy the APA Citation Generator with minimal distraction.

Staying focused is already challenging enough. You don’t need video pop-ups and flickering banner ads slowing you down. At Scribbr, we keep distractions to a minimum while also keeping the APA Citation Generator free for everyone.

Citation Generator features you'll love

Search for your source by title, URL, DOI, ISBN, and more to retrieve the relevant information automatically.

APA 6th & 7th edition

Scribbr's Citation Generator supports both APA 6 and APA 7 (as well as MLA and Harvard ). No matter what edition you're using, we’ve got you covered!

Export to Bib(La)TeX

Easily export in BibTeX format and continue working in your favorite LaTeX editor.

Export to Word

Reference list finished? Export to Word with perfect indentation and spacing set up for you.

Sorting, grouping, and filtering

Organize the reference list the way you want: from A to Z, new to old, or grouped by source type.

Save multiple lists

Stay organized by creating a separate reference list for each of your assignments.

Choose between Times New Roman, Arial, Calibri, and more options to match your style.

Industry-standard technology

The Scribbr Citation Generator is built using the same citation software (CSL) as Mendeley and Zotero, but with an added layer for improved accuracy.

Annotations

Create perfectly formatted annotated bibliographies with just a few clicks.

Explanatory tips help you get the details right to ensure accurate citations.

Citation guides

Getting to grips with citation is simple with the help of our highly rated APA citation guides and videos .

Secure backup

Your work is saved automatically after every change and stored securely in your Scribbr account.

• Introduction
• Parenthetical vs. narrative
• Multiple authors

Missing information

• Sources to include

Tools and resources

• Scroll to top

How to create APA citations

APA Style is widely used by students, researchers, and professionals in the social and behavioral sciences. Scribbr’s free citation generator automatically generates accurate references and in-text citations.

This citation guide outlines the most important citation guidelines from the 7th edition APA Publication Manual (2020).

• Cite a webpage
• Cite a book
• Cite a journal article
• Cite a YouTube video

APA in-text citations

APA in-text citations include the author’s last name, publication date, and, if relevant, a locator such as a page number or timestamp. For example, (Smith, 2021, p. 170) . See it as a shorter version of the entry in the reference list .

You should include in-text citations every time you’re quoting or paraphrasing someone else’s ideas or words. In doing so, you give credit to the original author and avoid plagiarism .

Parenthetical vs. narrative citation

The in-text citation can take two forms: parenthetical and narrative. Both types are generated automatically when citing a source with Scribbr’s APA Citation Generator.

• Parenthetical citation: According to new research … (Smith, 2020) .
• Narrative citation: Smith (2020) notes that …

Multiple authors and corporate authors

The in-text citation changes slightly when a source has multiple authors or an organization as an author. Pay attention to punctuation and the use of the ampersand (&) symbol.

When the author, publication date or locator is unknown, take the steps outlined below.

APA Citation Generator

Generate accurate APA citations in seconds

Get started

APA references

APA references generally include information about the author , publication date , title , and source . Depending on the type of source, you may have to include extra information that helps your reader locate the source.

It is not uncommon for certain information to be unknown or missing, especially with sources found online. In these cases, the reference is slightly adjusted.

Formatting the APA reference page

On the first line of the page, write the section label “References” (in bold and centered). On the second line, start listing your references in alphabetical order .

Apply these formatting guidelines to the APA reference page:

• Double spacing (within and between references)
• Hanging indent of ½ inch
• Legible font (e.g. Times New Roman 12 or Arial 11)
• Page number in the top right header

Which sources to include

On the reference page, you only include sources that you have cited in the text (with an in-text citation ). You should not include references to personal communications that your reader can’t access (e.g. emails, phone conversations or private online material).

In addition to the APA Citation Generator, Scribbr provides many more tools and resources that help millions of students and academics every month.

• Citation Generator : Generate flawless citations in APA, MLA , and Harvard style .
• Citation Checker : Upload your paper and have artificial intelligence check your citations for errors and inconsistencies.
• Free plagiarism checker : Detect plagiarism with unparalleled accuracy with Scribbr’s free plagiarism checker.
• AI Proofreader : Upload and improve unlimited documents and earn higher grades on your assignments. Try it for free!
• Paraphrasing tool: Avoid accidental plagiarism and make your text sound better.
• Grammar checker : Eliminate pesky spelling and grammar mistakes.
• Summarizer: Read more in less time. Distill lengthy and complex texts down to their key points.
• AI detector: Find out if your text was written with ChatGPT or any other AI writing tool. ChatGPT 2 & ChatGPT 3 supported.
• Proofreading services : Have a professional editor (or team of editors) improve your writing so you can submit your paper with pride and confidence. Scribbr offers admission essay editing , paper editing , and academic editing .
• Guides and videos : Explore hundreds of articles, bite-sized videos, time-saving templates, and handy checklists that guide you through the process of research, writing, and citation.

• AI Content Shield
• AI KW Research
• AI Assistant
• SEO Optimizer
• AI KW Clustering
• Customer reviews
• The NLO Revolution
• Press Center
• Help Center
• Content Resources
• Facebook Group

Paraphrasing APA Tool: APA Style Guide

Table of Contents

Paraphrasing APA tool is a must-learn for students who want to ace their papers. If you’re taking a social sciences course like psychology, sociology, or political science, you’re probably using APA style.

Standardizing the incorporation and citation of sources is essential for formatting guideline.

In papers, sources are incorporated as direct quotes, summaries, or paraphrases. Instead of expressing exactly what the source says, you rewrite it in your own words. This is known as “indirect discourse.” The source is represented indirectly while yet being appropriately cited.

Some individuals mistakenly believe that if they change the phrasing of a source, as we do in a paraphrase, they no longer need to cite it. This is False. It is always vital to acknowledge sources when borrowing someone else’s ideas. This demonstrates the breadth of your research to the reader.

Let’s examine how to incorporate paraphrasing APA tool correctly for our papers.

How to Properly Incorporate the Paraphrasing APA Tool

Notifying the reader when a paraphrase begins.

The use of quotation marks within a quotation makes it easier for a reader to identify the beginning and finish of a quote. 

Even though paraphrases lack quotation marks, it is nevertheless necessary to indicate to the reader when you are incorporating material from another source . 

You do not want readers to be uncertain about whether they are reading your thought or an idea from another source.

Narrative Citation Format

It is essential to order your paraphrase so that it begins and ends clearly. The narrative citation requires incorporating a portion of the citation into the transitional sentence of the paraphrase. 

This information is included in the phrase that alerts the reader that a source is forthcoming. The following information is typically included in narrative citations:

• Author’s Surname, Year of Publication
• Page number (if the source includes pages) or citation format Position within the source

Include the author’s complete name the first time you utilize a source. You may also want to describe their credentials, so the reader knows why they’re an authority.

Narrative Structure

• Author’s Surname 
• Year of Publication 
• Page number

Narrative Example

Allison Pegworth, author of  Keeping Peace  (2018), described how men, women, and children were smuggled into other regions and captured into slavery in the 1930s (p. 50).

After the initial mention of an author, just their last name should be used. You may also use a pronoun if the reader knows to whom it refers, such as when many paraphrases of the same author appear in the same paragraph.

A suitable verb is also included in the signal sentence. The verb in the above example is “described.” In APA style, these verbs are in the simple past or past perfect tense.

Notifying the Reader When a Paraphrase Concludes

Similar to the beginning, the conclusion of a paraphrase must be conveyed to the reader .

Bibliographical Citation

Citations are at the end of a quote or paraphrase. A parenthetical citation includes the author’s last name, a comma, and the publication year in APA format. 

If the author’s last name and date were mentioned at the beginning, they’re not needed at the end. A page number is not required to paraphrase, but it is recommended. 

The purpose of citations is to let the reader follow your research. If the source you paraphrase is lengthy or complex, using the page number will assist the reader in locating the original text. 

Before the page number, use a lowercase ‘p’ followed by a period and a space. Use two lowercase p’s followed by a period when paraphrasing information that spans more than one page.

Format: Parenthetical Citations

Paraphrase text indicating 

• Last Name of the Author
• Year of Publication

Example of a Narrative Citation

Jameson (2018) states that tall people have an economic advantage over short people in places where height isn’t supposed to matter (pp. 20-22).

Example of a Parenthetical Citation

Tall people have an economic advantage over short people in places where height isn’t supposed to matter (Jameson, 2018, pp. 20-22).

Parenthetical Citation

Parenthetical citations go at the end of a quote or paraphrase. In APA format, the information in a parenthetical citation is the author’s last name, a comma, and the year of publication. 

If the author’s last name and the date are at the beginning of the paraphrase, do not repeat them at the end. A page number is optional for paraphrasing, but it is a good idea. Part of the reason for citations is to allow a reader to follow your research. 

If the source you paraphrase is long or complex, a page number will help the reader find the original material. Place a lowercase ‘p’ followed by a period and a space before the page number. If you’re paraphrasing material over more than one page, use two lowercase p’s followed by a period.

When Neither Page Numbers nor Authors Are Given

Certain materials, including web pages, lack page numbers. Occasionally, a writer will reference the paragraph number. Write ‘para’ followed by a period, a space, and the paragraph number in this instance. 

If the paraphrase spans many paragraphs, add an ‘s.’ If the content is too long to count paragraphs, use the chapter name or number instead.

The Food and Drug Agency (2015) regulates the export, import, manufacture, advertisement, distribution, sale, and use of chemicals in the US. despite reports stating otherwise. (para. 2)

The citation in parentheses is part of the sentence, so the period is to the right of the parenthetical quotation.

The information comes from a source without page numbers. Thus, paragraph numbers have been utilized instead.

Also, observe that there is no author listed in this instance. Instead, credit is given to the FDA. Likewise, no author is listed on the webpage where this material is located. The authorship is attributed to the organization. The organization’s name will be listed in the author position on the references page.

Specific organizations have widely recognized abbreviations. If so, use the organization’s full name the first time, then the abbreviation in square brackets.

For all subsequent citations, only the abbreviation should be used. If you are uncertain whether an organization’s abbreviation is widely recognized, err on the side of reader clarity and use the full name.

Connecting the Reference Page

A reader can use an in-text citation to locate the source on the references page. The complete citation is provided on the references page. A reader can readily find the text if they wish to continue reading. 

A citation within the text (in-text citation) includes the author’s surname. This is the initial information on the references page, making it simple to link the in-text citation with the correct source.

Pam is an expert grammarian with years of experience teaching English, writing and ESL Grammar courses at the university level. She is enamored with all things language and fascinated with how we use words to shape our world.

Explore All Paraphrasing Tool Articles

Advanced & effective paraphrase simplify tool.

The paraphrase simplify tool is designed to paraphrase and simplify your text effectively. This tool can be used for in-depth…

• Paraphrasing Tool

What Is a Paraphrase Citation?

When you paraphrase, many people think you don’t have to give a citation. Understand that because you have used someone’s…

Paraphrasing Vs Summarizing: What’s the Difference?

Paraphrasing and summarizing are two similar activities, but they are not the same. To understand the difference between paraphrasing vs…

The Best Paraphrase Tools: A Review

When it comes to paraphrase tools, there are so many to choose. This is why we decided some paraphrase tool…

The Best Paraphrasing Hacks From Students Themselves

Did you have a tough concept that you had a lot of trouble understanding? Paraphrasing helps with that. But it…

What are the Best Paraphrasing Tool to Download

Paraphrasing is the process of rewriting or rephrase a sentence without changing its meaning. A paraphrasing tool allows you to…