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

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A three step flow chart.

Step 1. Read your source. Put your source to one side.

Step 2. Write a summary of what you have just read.

Step 3. Summarise your Step 2 summary.

Figure 10 Paraphrasing