What Is Paraphrasing and How to Do It: A Step by Step Guide

Have you ever had a school assignment that required you to re-explain what was in a book or film in your own words? That is referred to as paraphrasing. Many people are still perplexed about the distinctions between paraphrasing, summarizing, and quoting, as they all sound similar, but the three are actually distinct.

In this article, we’ll go over what paraphrasing is, how to do it step by step, the different types of paraphrasing, examples of paraphrasing, the simple formula for paraphrasing, and, most importantly, the difference between the three we just mentioned, as well as what sets it apart from plagiarism. 

What Is Paraphrasing?

Paraphrasing is the procedure of reciting someone else’s sentence in your own words while retaining the original message. So, if there’s a long or difficult-to-understand text, we can re-explain it in a simpler way. For example, if there is a scientific article about the weather, we can condense it into a simple explanation that others can understand.

As a verb, “paraphrase” means to express someone else’s ideas in different words to improve clarity. As a noun, “a paraphrase” is the result of that rewrite. So, in its basic form, there are two distinct elements: the act of re-explaining and the eventual outcome of that action.

A simple example: if a character in your favorite movie speaks for an extended period of time, you would not repeat the exact words to a friend. You’d probably give a shorter version, but the content of what you’re saying remains unchanged. That is the definition of paraphrasing.

Paraphrasing also does not imply simply replacing every word with synonyms. Simply replacing words without changing the sentence structure is equivalent to copying and pasting and may be considered plagiarism. Good paraphrasing requires you to use your own unique style.

Types of Paraphrasing

Paraphrasing can be done in different ways depending on the goal. Sometimes it’s to demonstrate understanding, sometimes to organize information, and sometimes to shift the focus to the audience. Knowing these types allows us to choose the best method for assignments, presentations, or everyday explanations.

1. Acknowledging

This type of acknowledgment is used to show that we comprehend the text. A teacher might ask, “What does this text mean?” If we can respond in our own words, we are expressing an acknowledgment. If we can’t yet, it means we need to learn more about the text.

Acknowledgement is commonly used in school or college when completing assignments that require explanations. The goal is not to write beautiful sentences, but to ensure that others understand what we are reading. So it’s a way of demonstrating comprehension.

2. Organizing

This type of paraphrasing is used to re-explain a series of ideas or events in a more structured manner. For example, if you read a lengthy history article, you could rewrite it in bullet points with a specific order: beginning, middle, and end. This lets the reader nicely catch the big picture.

Paraphrasing organization is appropriate for developing a structured summary. This not only makes the summary shorter but also makes the information easier to understand. This is commonly used for study notes and presentations.

3. Changing Focus

The final type is changing focus. This allows us to re-explain in a broader (big picture) or more specific (detailed) context. For example, an article about climate change could be paraphrased to provide a global overview, or we could explain it in greater detail in a specific region.

By shifting our focus, we can tailor the text to the audience. If the story is intended for middle school students, use a simplified version. If it is for a science class presentation, use a detailed version that includes data.

How to Paraphrase 

Paraphrasing is a process that goes beyond simply replacing words with synonyms. If you want to achieve good results, you must take several steps to ensure that your writing is accurate and free of plagiarism. The more you practice paraphrasing, as with any other skill, the better you’ll get.

Every single time you paraphrase, you can practice these five basic steps. If done correctly, your writing will differ from the original text while remaining true to its meaning. Let us go over this list one by one.

1. Understand the Material

The first step is to comprehensively examine the original text. Read it several times to ensure that you understand the author’s message and intent. If you don’t understand something, don’t try to paraphrase it right away because it might be misinterpreted.

Understanding the material first allows you to determine which information is important to retain and which can be conveyed differently.

2. Evaluate Your Understanding

After you’ve finished reading, try writing it from memory without looking at the text. However, be careful not to use the exact words. Only write the gist or main message.

If you can rephrase it fluently, it means you understand it completely. This is a good idea before beginning to paraphrase the original.

3. Rephrase (modify words and sentences)

Now it’s time to experiment with words. To set it apart from the original text, change the wording, sentence structure, or word order. A long sentence can be replaced with a shorter one, and a passive sentence can be converted into an active sentence.

The goal is to create a new version that feels fresh and unique while still conveying the same meaning as the original text.

4. Replace the parts that are too similar

After restructuring, match your pieces to the initial text. If there are any words or phrases that are overly similar, replace them immediately. If they are too similar to the original text, they may be considered plagiarism.

This is an important step to ensure that your paraphrase is truly unique, rather than just a slightly modified copy.

5. Be original

Finally, double-check the original text to ensure that you have not overlooked any important details. If there are any missing, please add them. You can also associate them with your own beliefs to make them feel more unique.

That way, your paraphrasing results will not only be different words, but they will also add value to your writing, making it stronger.

Examples of Paraphrasing

Original quote:

“He decided to pack the appropriate gear because it was raining heavily. He loaded his boots, an umbrella, and a waterproof jacket. Although the sky was overcast, the weather forecast predicted sunshine that afternoon, so he brought sunglasses.”

Paraphrase:

“He planned for a rainy day but also brought sunglasses in case it turned sunny.”

This example demonstrates that paraphrasing is shorter while still conveying the same meaning. This differs from summaries, which are typically even shorter and only cover the main points.

Another example: the original text may be very long, but the paraphrased text may be shorter or equal in length, as long as it is clear and consistent with the content. So, the number of words is less important than the accuracy of the meaning.

While summaries typically omit minor details, paraphrasing preserves important details while conveying them in a new language. Meanwhile, quotations must follow the same sentence structure as the original source.

Paraphrasing Formula

Here’s an easy way to remember paraphrasing:

Brief summary + precise quote = accurate paraphrasing.

This means that paraphrasing combines the clarity of a summary with the precision of a quote. So we keep the original meaning but express it in our own style.

This formula can be used whenever we are unsure. If the summary is too brief and the quote is too formal, paraphrasing offers a middle ground. This keeps the information clear while also preventing our writing from becoming a copy of someone else’s words.

4 Rs in Paraphrasing

There are four ways to effectively rephrase: rewording, rearranging, realizing, and rechecking. We can use these four methods to ensure that the rephrasing is true to the original meaning without plagiarizing the entire word. 

Reword

Rewording means changing the wording. If there is the word “big” in the original text, we can change it to “large” or “huge.” However, it’s not just synonyms; we can also use simpler sentences that are easier to understand.

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We make our writing more personal by changing the words we use. Readers can also see that we understand the content of the text rather than simply copying and pasting.

Rearrange

Rearranging refers to changing the sentence structure. If the subject was at the beginning of the original text, we can move it to the end. Additionally, switch from a passive phrase to an active one.

Even though the meaning remains the same, rearranging the structure changes the style of the writing. This also protects us from allegations of plagiarism.

Realize

Realizing means acknowledging that not all words can be changed. People’s names, ages, and other important information must remain consistent. For example, the phrase “Indonesia gained independence in 1945” cannot be changed to another word.

This way, we ensure that the information is accurate. We only change the way it is presented, not the facts themselves.

Recheck

Rechecking implies re-examining. Following paraphrasing, we should read it again and compare it to the original text. Does the meaning stay the same? Are there any words that are overly similar?

By double-checking, we can ensure that the result is truly different from the original while remaining accurate. This is an important final step in avoiding plagiarism.

Paraphrasing vs. Summarizing vs. Quoting

Since paraphrasing, summarizing, and quoting are identical, they serve distinct functions. Paraphrasing is the procedure of remodeling words while retaining their origins. Summarizing is the process of condensing information into a more concise form while emphasizing only the most important points. Quoting refers to precisely copying the original text.

Example of a quotation:

Original text: “He was very happy because he won the class championship.”

If quoted, we write it exactly the same with the addition of quotation marks: “He was very happy because he won the class championship.”

Example of summarizing:

“He was happy because he won the championship.” → Shorter and more to the point.

Example of paraphrasing:

“He was happy because he won first place in his class.” → Same meaning, but different words.

Paraphrasing is commonly used to demonstrate comprehension and make our writing clearer. Summarization is appropriate for general overviews. Quoting is used when we need the author’s original words as evidence or an official definition.

So, in essence, paraphrasing is somewhere between summarizing and quoting: not as brief as a summary, but also not as rigid as a quotation.

Is Paraphrasing Equal to Plagiarizing?

Many people are concerned that paraphrasing is the same as plagiarism. They are not, however, the same. Paraphrasing is legal as long as we use our own words and properly cite the source.

Plagiarism happens when we use someone else’s words without their permission or without citing the source. Even if we make minor changes but continue to make too similar statements, it can still be considered plagiarism.

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As a result, paraphrasing needs to be done carefully. We must completely change the structure and wording while still giving credit to the original author. This keeps us from facing plagiarism accusations.

Essentially, paraphrasing is a healthy method of learning and writing. However, if done carelessly, it can turn into a plagiarism trap.

Conclusion

Now you understand what paraphrasing is and how to do it properly. Paraphrasing is more than just changing words; it is also about rewriting sentences in your own style while keeping the meaning intact.

So, whether you’re doing an assignment, taking notes, or writing an article, paraphrasing can be a useful tool. It not only improves the clarity of your writing, but it also helps you understand the content more thoroughly. Always double-check your work to ensure that your paraphrasing is correct and reliable.