Paraphrasing

Examples of Paraphrasing

Paraphrasing involves taking a set of facts or opinions and rewording them. When paraphrasing, it is important to keep the original meaning and to present it in a new form. Basically, you are simply writing something in your own words that expresses the original idea.    

Paraphrasing Blocks of Text

Paraphrasing can be done with individual sentences or entire paragraphs. There are several examples of paraphrasing listed below for both long and short blocks of text.

Paraphrasing Sentences

Here are some sentences that have been paraphrased:

Original: Her life spanned years of incredible change for women.

Paraphrase: Mary lived through an era of liberating reform for women.

 

Original: Giraffes like Acacia leaves and hay and they can consume 75 pounds of food a day.

Paraphrase: A giraffe can eat up to 75 pounds of Acacia leaves and hay everyday.

 

Original: Any trip to Italy should include a visit to Tuscany to sample their exquisite wines.

Paraphrase: Be sure to include a Tuscan wine-tasting experience when visiting Italy.  

Paraphrasing Paragraphs

Duke's online website provides many examples of paraphrasing in order to help students understand the difference between paraphrasing and plagiarism.

Here is an example of paraphrasing of a longer passage taken from the Duke website.

Original Passage:

In The Sopranos, the mob is besieged as much by inner infidelity as it is by the federal government. Early in the series, the greatest threat to Tony's Family is his own biological family. One of his closest associates turns witness for the FBI, his mother colludes with his uncle to contract a hit on Tony, and his kids click through Web sites that track the federal crackdown in Tony's gangland.

Paraphrased Passage:

In the first season of The Sopranos, Tony Soprano’s mobster activities are more threatened by members of his biological family than by agents of the federal government. This familial betrayal is multi-pronged. Tony’s closest friend and associate is an FBI informant, his mother and uncle are conspiring to have him killed, and his children are surfing the Web for information about his activities.

The main point of this passage is that problems within the family are as bad as or even worse than problems caused by the federal government. Details about this betrayal include one family member turning informant, a hit being put out on Tony by family members, and Tony’s kids tracking his activities.

Here is a summary of some of the changes made during the paraphrasing process:

Early in the series = first season

More threatened = greatest threat

Closest friend and associate = one family member

His mother colludes with his uncle = his mother and uncle are conspiring

His kids click through Web sites = his children are surfing the Web

Avoiding Plagiarism

There is a fine line between plagiarism and paraphrasing. If the wording of the paraphrase is too close to the wording of the original content, then it is plagiarism. The main ideas need to come through, but the wording has to be your own.

To use another person’s writing in your own can be accomplished with quotes and citations. A quote will need to be the exact wording and the author and source will need to be identified.

Paraphrasing usually makes the passage shorter than the original.  Another option is to use a summary that is much shorter than the original and is an overview of the main points.

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You should build your own “communication toolkit” that you always have with you at your workplace. With practice, you can pick the right communication ‘tool’ for the right situation, to achieve the outcome you want to achieve in the most effective way. One of the most effective ways to ensure effective communication is paraphrasing andechoing. Have a look at the conversation below which hopefully explains and demonstrates these techniques in a humorous way. A:  This task is about paraphrasing and also echoing.  B:  About paraphrasing?  A:  Yes, paraphrasing – it’s a bit like rephrasing  B:  You mean like “putting it in other words”?  A:  That’s right. Using different words to summarise and clarify the meaning for the listener.  B:  You also mentioned echoing.  A:  Yes, echoing. Echoing is when you as the listener repeat key words to show you are listening, thinking and to confirm you have understood the right message.  B:  Help me understand the right message. I see.  A:  Echo questions are also useful to help build a conversation.  B:  Are they?  A:  Yes, I like them because they allow the person listening to input some energy and interest into the conversation.  B:  Do they?  A:  Great, isn’t it?  Empathy In order to show empathy it is important to exhibit real understanding of the speaker’s message. It is not enough to say that you understand the other person by saying things like “I know how you must feel.” (This can annoy the listener.) Rather, show your understanding by identifying the emotions behind the words through your facial expressions and body language, and saying things like: “That must have made you very happy.” “Really! Did you laugh when he said that?” “How horrible. What a scary situation to be in.” “You seem excited about something.” “That sounds frustrating.” If you want to give advice wait until the speaker has finished. It is also advisable to hold back on sharing your own experiences. Use the techniques in this article to help you communicate more effectively in your workplace. Paraphrase and echo to check understanding Use empathy to help understand the other point of view Remember that practice makes perfect and don’t assume that the message you think you sent is the one received. Use strategies, build in checks, and facilitate feedback to ensure the right message has been received. Remember again that communication is an exchange. It takes two to communicate. Guy Perring is Director, Professional Development Unit (PDU), at the British Council Malaysia. The PDU offers a wide range of learning opportunities from management and communication skills training to developing English skills. Visit our website at www.britishcouncil.org.my or email me at guy.perring@britishcouncil.org.my