- Read the original passage carefully and understand its main points.
- Put the ideas into your own words, using different sentence structures and vocabulary.
- Make sure that your paraphrase is accurate and conveys the same meaning as the original.
Summarizing is condensing a larger piece of text into a shorter version that retains the main ideas. To summarize effectively, you should:
- Read the original passage carefully and identify the main points.
- Write down the main points in your own words, using concise language.
- Make sure that your summary is accurate and captures the essence of the original.
Using paraphrases and summaries in your own writing
Paraphrasing and summarizing can be useful tools when you are writing research papers, essays, or other academic assignments. They can help you to:
- Avoid plagiarism by giving credit to the original authors of ideas.
- Show that you have understood the material you are writing about.
- Support your arguments with evidence from other sources.
- Create a more concise and coherent piece of writing.
Here are some examples of how paraphrases and summaries can be used in academic writing:
- In a research paper on the causes of the Civil War, you might paraphrase a passage from a historian who argues that the war was caused by the growing conflict between the North and South over the issue of slavery.
- In an essay on the poetry of Emily Dickinson, you might summarize a critic's argument that Dickinson's poems are often about her own personal struggles with death and loss.
- In a book review, you might paraphrase the author's main argument and then summarize the author's supporting evidence.
Paraphrasing and summarizing are valuable skills that can help you to write more effective and informative academic papers.