{"id":8844,"date":"2019-10-21T17:00:54","date_gmt":"2019-10-22T00:00:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/?p=8844"},"modified":"2022-12-13T09:39:17","modified_gmt":"2022-12-13T17:39:17","slug":"how-to-paraphrase-anything","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/how-to-paraphrase-anything\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Paraphrase Anything (The Right Way)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Ever see those pictures of two <i>almost <\/i>identical images (like the one below) where your only task is to spot the differences between them?<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_8919\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-8919\" style=\"width: 500px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-8919\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Globe_and_high_court_Spot_the_difference-300x113.jpg\" alt=\"two images of captain james cook memorial globe with minor changes\" width=\"500\" height=\"188\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Globe_and_high_court_Spot_the_difference-300x113.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Globe_and_high_court_Spot_the_difference.jpg 512w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-8919 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20500%20188%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"two images of captain james cook memorial globe with minor changes\" width=\"500\" height=\"188\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20500%20188%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Globe_and_high_court_Spot_the_difference-300x113.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Globe_and_high_court_Spot_the_difference.jpg 512w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Globe_and_high_court_Spot_the_difference-300x113.jpg\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-8919\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">&#8220;Captain James Cook Memorial Globe and High Court, Canberra&#8221; by <a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Globe_and_high_court_(Spot_the_difference).jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">jjron<\/a>, Wikimedia Commons (<a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/3.0\/deed.en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">CC BY-SA 3.0<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The images are so similar that it\u2019s nearly impossible to find even the most <i>minute <\/i>change.<\/p>\n<p>If you paraphrase <b>incorrectly<\/b>, you\u2019ll end up with the written version of these images, and your paraphrase could very well end up looking indistinguishable from the original text&#8211;a near-quotation, but without quotation marks.<\/p>\n<p>This is definitely <b><i>not<\/i><\/b> the result you want.<\/p>\n<p>You know you need to put your research in your own words. But which words? And how, exactly?<\/p>\n<p>We know you have questions. So without further ado, here\u2019s how to paraphrase the <b>right <\/b>way.<\/p>\n<h2>A Brief Definition of Paraphrasing<\/h2>\n<p>Put simply, paraphrasing means that you\u2019ll express the meaning of a given text by rewriting it with your own <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/improve-sentence-variety-essays\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">sentence structure<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/ultimate-guide-perfect-word-choice-essay\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">word choices<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-8918\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/dictionary-698538_640-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"black and white image of hand flipping through dictionary pages\" width=\"500\" height=\"333\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/dictionary-698538_640-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/dictionary-698538_640.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-8918 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20500%20333%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"black and white image of hand flipping through dictionary pages\" width=\"500\" height=\"333\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20500%20333%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/dictionary-698538_640-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/dictionary-698538_640.jpg 640w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/dictionary-698538_640-300x200.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p>You might believe that you should <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/put-quote-essay-like-pro\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">quote<\/a> everything when writing a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/how-to-write-a-research-paper\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">research paper<\/a>, but paraphrases should actually be used more frequently.<\/p>\n<p>By explaining and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/how-to-write-a-good-essay-commentary\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">analyzing<\/a> the research and putting the information into your own words (as opposed to directly restating the words of a source), you\u2019re demonstrating that you understand what you\u2019ve read and what you\u2019re writing about.<\/p>\n<p>Remember, when you\u2019re restating the words and\/or ideas of someone else, you <b>still <\/b>need to give credit to the source through citation. (Read <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/apa-essay-format\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The Stress Free-Guide to APA Essay Format<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/stress-free-mla-essay-format-8th-edition\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The Stress-Free Guide to MLA Format (8th Edition)<\/a> to learn more about proper citation.)<\/p>\n<h2>How <b><i>Not <\/i><\/b>to Paraphrase<\/h2>\n<p>Do not, I repeat, <b><i>DO NOT <\/i><\/b>simply change a few words and call it a paraphrase.<\/p>\n<p>Changing a few words is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/avoiding-plagiarism\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">plagiarism<\/a>, not paraphrasing.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s a quick example of paraphrasing gone wrong.<\/p>\n<p><b>Take a look at the following original quote about spotting the differences in images: <\/b><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cDan Simons, a psychologist at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, says that\u2019s because if we spotted everything, we\u2019d be unable to focus our attention. So our brain fails to log details it deems \u00adunimportant. When we flip back and forth trying to find them, we can\u2019t because we never noticed them in the first place\u201d (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.popsci.com\/spot-difference-between-similar-pictures\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Airhart<\/a>).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><strong>Here\u2019s an example of a <i>plagiarized <\/i>paraphrase:<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Dan Simons, a University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign psychologist, <b>states <\/b>that\u2019s because, if <b>people noticed most things<\/b>, <b>they couldn\u2019t <\/b>focus <b>their <\/b>attention. <b>People\u2019s <\/b>brains <b>don\u2019t remember details they think are<\/b> \u00adunimportant. <b>Thus, <\/b>when <b>they <\/b>flip back and forth <b>between pictures<\/b>, <b>they <\/b>can\u2019t <b>find them<\/b> because <b>they <\/b>never noticed them in the first place (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.popsci.com\/spot-difference-between-similar-pictures\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Airhart<\/a>).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>This is an example of plagiarism because the writer simply changed or omitted a few words and changed the instances of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/use-first-person-writing-essays\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">first person<\/a> to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/third-person-writing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">third person<\/a>. The ideas aren\u2019t expressed in a different style or sentence structure. (I\u2019ve placed the new wording in bold to help you identify the changes.)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Here\u2019s an example of a <i>correct <\/i>paraphrase:<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Psychologist Dan Simon asserts that people cannot spot the differences between images because their brains simply do not notice every detail. People look at the big picture in order to focus their attention. Thus, when they try to spot the differences in images, they cannot because they did not originally see them (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.popsci.com\/spot-difference-between-similar-pictures\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Airhart<\/a>).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Notice that this example correctly paraphrases the original quote. It expresses the same meaning as the original but does so by using the writer\u2019s own wording and style.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re looking for a few more samples to help you see what correct paraphrasing looks like, check out these <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/examples-of-paraphrasing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">examples of paraphrasing<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re thinking that this is all well and good but you need a few tips on how you can paraphrase anything for your <i>own <\/i>paper, keep reading.<\/p>\n<h2>How to Paraphrase The <b><i>Right <\/i><\/b>Way<\/h2>\n<p><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-8917\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/thumbs-up-2056022_640-300x188.jpg\" alt=\"man giving a thumb's up for proper paraphrasing\" width=\"500\" height=\"313\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/thumbs-up-2056022_640-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/thumbs-up-2056022_640.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-8917 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20500%20313%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"man giving a thumb's up for proper paraphrasing\" width=\"500\" height=\"313\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20500%20313%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/thumbs-up-2056022_640-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/thumbs-up-2056022_640.jpg 640w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/thumbs-up-2056022_640-300x188.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p>Now you know that you shouldn\u2019t just change a few words and call it a paraphrase. So what exactly <i>can <\/i>you do to avoid plagiarism and paraphrase the <i>right <\/i>way?<\/p>\n<p>Here are three proven strategies.<\/p>\n<h3>Strategy #1: Consider how you would explain the text to someone who hasn\u2019t read it<\/h3>\n<p>Let\u2019s say you\u2019re writing a paper about how your brain processes images.<\/p>\n<p>Now let\u2019s say that your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/writing-for-an-audience\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">audience<\/a> (which might be a general reader, your teacher, or even your mom) hasn\u2019t read the article you\u2019re citing in your paper. How would you explain the information to that person? What core ideas would you need to include in order to paraphrase the ideas expressed in the article?<\/p>\n<p>In order to paraphrase the article (or its key ideas), you need to read the article thoroughly to understand the big picture and to understand the writer\u2019s focus. (<b>Don\u2019t<\/b> skim to pick out a phrase or sentence that you can paraphrase just to paraphrase <i>something <\/i>and prove to your prof that you used sources when writing your paper.)<\/p>\n<p>Once you have a clear understanding of the article, you can restate the information in your own words.<\/p>\n<p>Keep in mind that it\u2019s okay to use <i>some <\/i>of the same terminology. For instance, say you\u2019re writing about the brain and processing images. You\u2019ll need to use words like \u201cretina,\u201d \u201ccornea,\u201d and \u201clens,\u201d even if the original author used them too.<\/p>\n<p>Using these types of words is acceptable (and not plagiarism). Why? It&#8217;s wording that&#8217;s specific to the discussion of the eyes and brain and how people process images.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\t<\/span><\/p><div class=\"blog-cta-simple\">\n\t\t<div class=\"blog-cta-simple-cont\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"blog-cta-simple-header\">Don\u2019t let typos become \u201cOh no\u201ds.<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"blog-cta-simple-desc\">Get professional proofreading help, 24\/7.<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"blog-cta-simple-input\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"blog-cta-simple-cont-btn\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"btn btn-warning\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/editing-proofreading-services\" target=\"_blank\">Yes! Edit my work.<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n<h3>Strategy #2: Take notes, set them aside, then write the paraphrase based on your notes<\/h3>\n<p>Taking notes is an excellent strategy. It will not only help you remember information but also help you understand it more completely. After all, if you have to write it in your own words, you <i>have <\/i>to understand what you\u2019re writing about.<\/p>\n<p>Keep in mind that the purpose of this type of note-taking is to be able to paraphrase information. This doesn\u2019t necessarily mean that you\u2019ll <i>never<\/i> need to refer back to the original piece for clarification.<\/p>\n<p>Thus, while you take notes, it\u2019s always a good idea to include page numbers (or time stamps if you\u2019re paraphrasing a video). Those notes will help you find the information again if you need it.<\/p>\n<h4>If you\u2019re paraphrasing a professional journal article:<\/h4>\n<p>If you\u2019re writing a research paper, chances are you\u2019re using lots of lengthy articles. You know the type: professional journal <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/how-to-analyze-an-article\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">articles<\/a> with 15 (or more) pages, 12-word titles, and lots of scholarly, 10-letter words.<\/p>\n<p>It can be hard (even impossible) to remember everything in such a detailed and complex article, so as you read, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/how-to-annotate-a-text\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">annotate<\/a> the article or take notes on a separate page.<\/p>\n<p>This process will enable you to remember the main points and identify the sections you want to incorporate into your paper. That will then allow you to paraphrase using your own sentence structure and vocabulary. Without the article right in front of you, you won\u2019t be tempted to use the writer\u2019s language or style.<\/p>\n<p><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-8916\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/workshop-1746275_640-300x194.jpg\" alt=\"pile of pens and notecards for annotating articles\" width=\"500\" height=\"323\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/workshop-1746275_640-300x194.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/workshop-1746275_640.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-8916 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20500%20323%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"pile of pens and notecards for annotating articles\" width=\"500\" height=\"323\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20500%20323%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/workshop-1746275_640-300x194.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/workshop-1746275_640.jpg 640w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/workshop-1746275_640-300x194.jpg\"><\/p>\n<h4>If you\u2019re paraphrasing literature:<\/h4>\n<p>If you\u2019re assigned to read a piece of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/8-components-smart-literary-analysis\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">literature<\/a> for a class but you don\u2019t yet know what you\u2019ll be writing about in your analysis, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/10-note-taking-strategies-to-write-a-better-essay\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">take notes<\/a> on significant components of the story. (Literary elements, such as character development, theme, symbolism, and imagery are usually good choices.)<\/p>\n<p>If you already know what you\u2019ll be writing about <i>before <\/i>you start reading, keep in mind the purpose of your essay as you read.<\/p>\n<p>If your goal is to write about the theme(s) or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/spot-motif-in-literature\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">motif<\/a> of a novel or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/write-short-story-analysis-smart-way\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">short story<\/a>, your notes should, of course, focus on points that reflect the theme or motif. The same is true if you\u2019re writing about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/character-analysis-that-works\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">character<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/identify-write-about-literary-symbols\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">symbolism<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/analyze-imagery-literature\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">imagery<\/a>, or any other <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/literary-terms\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">literary element<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>You might also want to use this strategy to take notes on long passages of dialogue. This will help you capture the conversation (or monologue) without needing to refer back to the text.<\/p>\n<h4>If you\u2019re paraphrasing a video:<\/h4>\n<p>If you\u2019re watching a video in class, you may have no choice but to take a ton of notes. You likely won\u2019t be able to watch the video again. But if you\u2019re watching it outside of class, you can stop the video to take notes as needed.<\/p>\n<p>Watching a documentary or educational video is much like reading a professional journal article. These videos are often packed with facts, figures, and technical terms. When taking notes, look for key points and arguments, just as you would when writing about an article.<\/p>\n<p>Watching a movie is essentially watching a story or novel. So take notes on the same types of things (plot, character, imagery, theme, etc.) that you would when reading literature. Your notes will make it much easier to later write about or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/how-to-analyze-a-movie-for-dramatic-effect\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">analyze the movie<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3>Strategy #3: Read the original, set it aside, then write the paraphrase<\/h3>\n<p><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-8915\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/book-841171_640-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"woman with glasses reading book before paraphrasing\" width=\"500\" height=\"333\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/book-841171_640-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/book-841171_640.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-8915 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20500%20333%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"woman with glasses reading book before paraphrasing\" width=\"500\" height=\"333\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20500%20333%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/book-841171_640-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/book-841171_640.jpg 640w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/book-841171_640-300x200.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p>Should you need to paraphrase something shorter\u2014such as a brief article, conversation, or advertisement\u2014first read it a few times. Then set it aside to paraphrase the content.<\/p>\n<p>This strategy also works well if you want to paraphrase a shorter section of a longer piece.<\/p>\n<p><b>Don\u2019t <\/b>cheat and actually look at the original as you write the paraphrase, though.<\/p>\n<p>The whole point is to write the paraphrase <i>without<\/i> the temptation of the original staring back at you. If the original is out of sight, you\u2019ll be forced to use your own wording and style to express the ideas (and that\u2019s the whole point of a paraphrase, right?).<\/p>\n<h2>Paraphrasing Practice Makes Perfect<\/h2>\n<p>If paraphrasing isn\u2019t your thing and you\u2019re struggling to effectively incorporate paraphrases into your writing, try a few practice runs before actually doing it in a graded assignment.<\/p>\n<p>You might try picking random passages from articles or books, or try paraphrasing another essay (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-examples\/research-essay\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">like these in our essay library<\/a>). You can also review these essays as examples of how to paraphrase. (Have some extra time on your hands? You could even look up the sources cited in the example papers. Then you could compare the original quotes to the paraphrased text.)<\/p>\n<p>When you\u2019re putting something in your own words, there\u2019s always the risk of introducing unintended grammar or punctuation errors. And sometimes the transitions into and out of paraphrasing are a little bumpy at first\u2014that\u2019s okay, and we can help.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/editing-proofreading-services\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Kibin editors are available 24\/7<\/a> to help you polish your paraphrasing <em><strong>and<\/strong> <\/em>any other concerns in your writing.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ever see those pictures of two almost identical images (like the one below) where your only task is to spot the differences between them? The images are so similar that it\u2019s nearly impossible to find even the most minute change. If you paraphrase incorrectly, you\u2019ll end up with the written version of these images, and &hellip; <\/p>\n<div class=\"blog-read-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/how-to-paraphrase-anything\/\" class=\"more-link btn btn-primary\"><b>Read more<\/b><span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;How to Paraphrase Anything (The Right Way)&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":17,"featured_media":9931,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[79,129],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v20.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>How to Paraphrase Anything (The Right Way)<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Not sure how to paraphrase? 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