Paraphrasing means restating a sentence or passage in the reader's own words. The first step in paraphrasing is understanding the meaning of the text. The paraphrase should maintain the original meaning, but most of the wording should change. The paraphrase can retain proper names for people and places along with other specific terms that can't be easily replaced with a synonym, like tennis racket or catcher's mitt. Students should translate figurative language and sophisticated vocabulary into simpler language. Instead of describing Juliet on the balcony as “what light through yonder window breaks?” a paraphrase of Romeo might read, "Juliet looked as pretty as the sunshine at dawn." Readers can use paraphrasing as a way to monitor their comprehension as they read. If students seem confused by the text, restating the passage can provide clarity for better comprehension.
In writing assignments, students often use paraphrasing to restate ideas found in research without directly quoting the source. Paraphrased information becomes credible support for the main idea in student papers. Students restate the information from the source, using new words and simplifying complex language. To avoid plagiarism, students attribute the source the information came from and provide proper citations. For example, in “John Adams,” David McCullough writes, “He wished he talked less, and he had particular regard for those like George Washington who had great reserve under almost any circumstance.” In the paraphrase, the middle school student might write, “Biographer David McCullough says Adams often regretted talking too much and admired the way George Washington could reserve his comments.”
Summarizing teaches students to concentrate on finding the important ideas and details in the passage. Students begin by deciding what they need to learn from reading. Summarizing fiction, for example, requires identifying characters, setting and plot elements including the conflict, climax and resolution. In nonfiction, students should read to find the piece’s central focus and the supporting evidence. After reading, students should reflect on what they thought was the most important information in the text. They don’t dwell on every detail, however. In summarizing a selection on Civil War battles, students may focus on identifying the battles that represent turning points in the war without mentioning other less-important battles the chapter may mention.
Kissner points out the textbook requirements for written summaries can vary, but most have some features in common. A summary should identify the author, title and genre of the piece. Summaries are shorter than the texts on which they are based, so the writer must concisely choose the most important information from the original. For fiction, the summary should include the major characters, the setting, the conflict and plot points leading to the climax and resolution. Nonfiction summaries focus on the main idea and essential details. The summary also needs to reflect the genre and text structure of the original, Kissner says. For example, a narrative written in chronological order should be summarized that way. If the original is organized in a cause and effect structure, the summary should state causes and effects.