# 6 Paraphrasing

Paraphrasing means reading a source, setting it aside, and then rewriting the idea entirely in your own words and structure to show understanding, followed by an appropriate citation.

Good academic writing with accurate citations and referencing takes practice. The better you understand what you are reading, the better you will be at writing about it. It can sometimes help to speak to friends and family who might not know about the subject matter you are learning about because when you try and explain the subject and the content you will be naturally paraphrasing and taking mental notes.

Figure 10 shows the three steps to take for better paraphrasing.

Figure 10 Paraphrasing

## Activity 2 Rewrite challenge

Allow approximately 5 minutes

Read the sentence below and then rewrite it using your own words.

> Original text: ‘Turnitin is widely used by universities to promote academic integrity.’

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### Discussion

For example: ‘Turnitin is software that many universities use to help students learn about academic integrity’.

OpenLearn - Using Turnitin effectively: building integrity into your writing
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