How do you paraphrase without plagiarising something?
To paraphrase is to express the meaning of something written or spoken using different words.
Hopefully, it will make something clearer by putting something into your own words. You are using vocabulary that you are comfortable with and that you understand. It’s also important in education for your tutors to be confident that you have understood your research and can use the knowledge you’ve gained from researching. Paraphrasing is even more important than ever these days because of the ethics and legality of using Artificial Intelligence in academic writing.
A.I. can be an incredibly helpful tool to give you some ideas for your written assignment but it doesn’t end there. It can help you to structure your argument but it cannot be considered your work. If you use A.I. generated content, that is plagiarism. More importantly, it will not help improve your skills.
Paraphrasing is important to prevent you from breaking the law!
It is a key skill in both academic and creative writing. It is important as you will be submitting work to your tutor and the work must be considered your own work and not a ‘Copy and Paste’ of someone else’s (or something else’s) work.
There are many ways to effectively paraphrase. You can do this by condensing ideas, synonyms, rephrasing quotes and changing sentence structure and order.
Here are some ideas to help you to paraphrase
Change the Sentence structure
"Reading can build up your vocabulary and it improves your understanding."
Paraphrase- Regular reading can increase your active vocabulary and it can enhance your comprehension skills.
Use simple sentence structure and break down complicated sentences
“The report shed a light on several major issues, including insufficient planning and inadequate funding."
Paraphrase- The report identified key problems such as inadequate planning and insufficient funding.
Use synonyms
"She was very brave, yet kind."
Paraphrase- She was courageous but she was also very gentle.
Incorporate key points from the text
"Rising temperatures from climate change are harming fragile coral in the Great Barrier Reef near Australia’s north-eastern coast”
Paraphrase- Climate change is raising temperatures around the world. This can especially harm fragile things in nature like the coral in the Great Barrier Reef.
Reword direct quotes
"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." (Franklin D. Roosevelt)
Paraphrased -"The most frightening thing we can experience is the emotion of fear itself."
Condense the ideas expressed
"Long-term exposure to loud noises can damage hearing."
Paraphrase- Prolonged loud noise exposure harms hearing.
Add personal insight
“Exercise regularly for better health”
Paraphrase- Personally, I find that the more I exercise, the better I feel. I mean physically as well as mentally.
Rearrange essential elements of the sentence
"Most people believe that hard work is the key to success."
Paraphrase- Hard work is widely considered by many to be the path to a successful career.
Use analogies (similarities)
"The internet can be a vast library of information."
Paraphrase: The internet can serve as a limitless repository of knowledge.
Change word order
"Dogs are loyal and make great companions."
Paraphrase- Known for their loyalty, dogs are excellent companions.
Expand an idea
“He excelled in Mathematics”
Paraphrase- His skills in Mathematics surpassed those of his peers even at an early age.
Use ‘cause and effect’ style
"Global warming causes glaciers to melt."
Paraphrase- Glaciers are melting due to the effects of global warming.
Use concessions and use an opposite example
When you alter the sentence using concessions, give another view or opposite opinion that the sentence is making, followed by your own.
Original- "Many people support stricter gun control laws to reduce violence."
Paraphrase- While many people advocate for stricter gun control laws to curb violence, research suggests that such measures may not be entirely effective in preventing all forms of crime.
These methods bring fresh insights to your work and make it unique to you. Good paraphrasing is a key skill in creating trustworthy and valuable academic work that does not break the law.
Paraphrasing is important because it allows you to use ideas from other sources while avoiding plagiarism. It also helps to show your tutors your understanding of the material that you’ve researched by explaining it in your own words. In other words, you’ve learned something from researching.
