Paraphrasing

In this video, we will look at how to paraphrase sources. We will talk about

  • what to paraphrase
  • techniques for paraphrasing, and
  • paraphrasing more than one source.

First, you should make sure that you are familiar with the mechanics of referencing by watching the referencing video, where we consider how to properly format a quotation, how to integrate it into your writing and how to add it to your reference list.

Paraphrasing is a restatement of the meaning of a text or passage in your own words. It is important because academic writing is not simply a repetition of other people’s work with a list of quotations. Remember that, as a general rule, quotations should make up a maximumof 10% of your writing.

Like a quotation, a paraphrase is referenced in the text using an appropriate style such as APA or Harvard. But, unlike a quotation, a paraphrase uses your own words, so do not use quotation marks.

What to paraphrase

Let’s look again at the quotation from the referencing video. (Pause 4 seconds)

In this quotation the author is talking about computer assisted language learning (otherwise known as CALL). He says that CALL as a discipline has existed for more than 25 years, as we can see from the research in the field, but the actual use of CALL in the language classes started before that.

Now that we understand this quote, we must decide how much of it to paraphrase. Only use what is relevant. If, for example, your paper is about the early use of CALL, you might only paraphrase the first part of the quotation. If your paper is about the research in CALL you would only use the middle part. And if your paper is about the history of CALL, you might paraphrase the entire sentence.

Techniques

Now that you have decided what to use, you need to consider how to change the vocabulary and the sentence structure of the original quotation. In other words, how to rephrase the idea but keep the same meaning.

Let’s first look at the vocabulary used in the quotation. Consider other words with the same meaning for these words and then choose the ones that you think will work best. Start with synonyms of nouns and noun phrases. Then look at verbs and other words.

Next change the sentence structure. There are several techniques you can consider for this. You can:

  • reorder some of the clauses and phrases
  • change the word forms of some of the key words
  • rewrite the sentence in a different voice, either passive or active
  • ...and you can add some clarifying information if necessary

However, you should be aware that not all of these techniques work in every situation. Here is a possible paraphrase of the quotation:

  • Dating from the establishment of major journals such as CALICO, Stockwell (2013) claims that CALL has been a focus of study for over 25 years.

If you compare this paraphrase to the original quotation you can see how the vocabulary has been changed, the sentence restructured, and extra clarifying information has been added but the essential meaning of the original idea is still present.

More than one source

Sometimes, you may have two or more quotations that you want to combine into a single paraphrase. This process is called synthesis and it is especially common in a literature review.

Here are three quotations: the same one as before and two more on the same topic. How would you combine - or synthesise - the ideas into a single sentence? Consider what similar point they are making.

Here is a possible answer:

  • CALL has been a focus of study for over twenty-five years (Stockwell, 2013), and the literature generally views CALL’s role in language learning and teaching favourably (Felix, 2008; O’Connor, Mortimore, & Bond, 2011).

Note how this paraphrase summarises both the history of CALL and how it is viewed by researchers. Also note that it is much shorter than the original three texts.

Summary

So remember, when paraphrasing a quotation, first consider how to change the vocabulary and then look at how to change the sentence structure. Remember that you can add clarifying information or delete parts of the original quotation that you don’t need. You can also use paraphrasing to combine more than one quotation into a single sentence, which is an effective and efficient way to integrate multiple sources into your writing. Paraphrasing is easier if you approach it systematically using the techniques demonstrated in this video. Now try the exercises below.

References

Felix, U. (2008). The unreasonable effectiveness of CALL: What have we learned in two decades of research? ReCALL, 20(2), 141-161.

O’Connor, C., Mortimer, D., & Bond, S. (2011). Blended learning: issues, benefits and challenges. IJES, 19(2), 63-83.

Stockwell, G. (2013). Exploring Theory in Computer-Assisted Language Learning. Paper presented at CELC Symposium, National University of Singapore, Singapore. Retrieved from