BOOKLET 2 - PARAPHRASING
PARAPHRASING
THIS IS STRICTLY FOR INTERNAL CIRCULATION ONLY
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BOOKLET 2 - PARAPHRASING
Paraphrasing means taking another person's idea and restating it using your own words. The
word paraphrase itself can be split into /par (equal) /a / phrase /, which means a phrase equal
to the original, but written in other words and in a different format.
Paraphrasing can be quite challenging for some of you. Below are some of the common
problematic areas:
1. Students tend to copy important parts of the original text, word for word. Substantial
verbatim replication of the text, often known as "near copy" (Campbell, 1990) or
"patch writing" (Howard, 1996), is not paraphrasing but plagiarism.
2. When attempting to paraphrase, students tend to make superficial changes such as
substituting with words from a thesaurus. However, using synonyms out of context
may distort the original meaning of the text.
3. Students tend to use the same sentence structure as the original, failing to realize that
when they substitute one word for another it may be necessary to change the
sentence structure.
4. Students are sometimes under the impression that when they paraphrase it is not
necessary to cite the original source.
THREE CONDITIONS FOR A GOOD PARAPHRASE
For a paraphrase to be considered acceptable and legitimate, it must fulfill three conditions.
Condition
Dos and Don’ts
•
•
•
Your paraphrase must have the same
meaning as the original.
2
Include all important ideas.
Don't add any new ideas.
Don't alter the tone and original
intention.
BOOKLET 2 - PARAPHRASING
•
You should use your own words.
•
•
•
Change the vocabulary as much as
possible.
Change the sentence structure as
much as possible.
Don't copy more than five words in a
row.
Don't copy distinctive vocabulary;
quote it instead.
You should cite the original source (i.e. Include in-text citations.
telling readers where you got the
(Refer to chapter 3 on documenting
information).
evidence.)
Let us look at some examples.
Original:
Latin language was the principal language of Western Europe for hundreds of years.
It was the language of the Roman Empire and the Roman soldiers and traders took
it wherever they went. Latin, because of its precise expressions, was the perfect
language for law and government.
Source: The World Book Encyclopedia. (2000). Language. Chicago: World Book Inc.
Paraphrase:
According to The World Book Encyclopedia, for centuries the primary language of
Western Europe was Latin. This language of the Roman Empire was spread through
war and trade. Since it had exact terms, Latin was ideal for the use of law and
government.
This is a good paraphrase as it meets all the three conditions: the original meaning is retained
there is rewording, and credit is given to the source. Look at paraphrase A and paraphrase B.
Do the paraphrases meet all three conditions? How can the paraphrases be improved?
Paraphrase A:
Latin language was the primary language of Western Europe for many years. It was
the language of the Roman Empire. The Roman soldiers and traders took it wherever
they went. Latin, because of its concise expressions, was the perfect language for
law and government. (The World Book Encyclopedia, 17, 114.)
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BOOKLET 2 - PARAPHRASING
Paraphrase B:
For centuries the primary language of Western Europe was Latin. This language of
the Roman Empire was spread through war and trade. Due to its exact terms, Latin
was ideal for the use of law and government.
Paraphrase A is unacceptable; it constitutes plagiarism because it is too similar to the original
text. The lack of rewording can be seen in the first sentence, where only two terms have been
changed {primary substitutes principal, and many substitutes hundreds of).
The second sentence in the original is broken up into two shorter sentences showing no major
change to the sentence structure ("It was the language of the Roman Empire and the Roman
soldiers and traders took it wherever they went" substituted with "It was the language of the
Roman Empire. The Roman soldiers and traders took it wherever they went").
In the fourth sentence, the meaning of the original text is distorted by the incorrect use of the
word concise. Concise means short or brief, while the original text uses precise, which means
exact or accurate.
Paraphrase B is also unacceptable; it constitutes plagiarism because the source is not cited.
PARAPHRASING METHODS
There are many methods of paraphrasing. In this chapter, we will discuss three commonly
used methods.
1.
Grammar Help Method
2.
Retelling Method
3.
Chunking Method
Grammar Help Method
A simple way to paraphrase is by changing grammar and vocabulary to form a new sentence,
yet maintaining the meaning of the original sentence. This method is nothing new; you have
been using it all along, perhaps without realising it. We call it the Grammar Help Method. It is
useful when paraphrasing short sentences.
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BOOKLET 2 - PARAPHRASING
This method is often used with other methods simultaneously to form a complete paraphrase.
It can also be used as a pre-paraphrasing activity.
Steps
1. Read the original sentence several times until you truly grasp the meaning of the
sentence.
2. Underline the important words, phrases and ideas that need to be included in the
paraphrase.
3. Change the vocabulary, grammar and sentence structure of the original sentence as
much as possible. (Refer to "Help techniques" below.)
4. Check your paraphrased version against the original for accuracy of meaning.
Help techniques
1.
Substitute some of the words with synonyms.
Original: The teacher sauntered into the canteen.
Revised: The instructor strolled into the cafeteria.
2.
Change the verb to negative.
Original: The nurse remembered to give the patient his medication.
Revised: The nurse did not forget to give the patient his medication.
3.
Change the voice by changing active sentences to passive sentences and passive
sentences to active.
Original: This new drug can prolong human life.
Revised: Human life can be prolonged by this new drug.
4.
Change the parts of speech.
(a) Change nouns to verbs.
Original: The execution of many innocent civilians by terrorists was
denounced by the government.
Revised: The government denounced terrorists who executed many innocent
civilians.
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BOOKLET 2 - PARAPHRASING
(b) Change verbs to nouns.
Original: She advertised her products online.
Revised: She took out an advertisement for her products online.
Original: It is not necessary to introduce a new system as we can
amend the old one.
Revised: It is not necessary to introduce a new system as amendments
to the old one can be made.
c) Change adverbs to adjectives.
Original: He drives the car carefully.
Revised: He is a careful driver.
Original: Politically, it was a smart move.
Revised: From a political point of view, it was a smart move.
d) Change adjectives to adverbs.
Original: He made a quick decision.
Revised: He made the decision quickly.
•
Move the parts of the sentence to change the sentence structure.
Original: The police sprayed tear gas, hoping to disperse the crowd.
Revised: Hoping to disperse the crowd, the police sprayed tear gas.
•
Use sentence linkers to combine phrases and sentences, such as but and however for
contrast, if and unless for conditions, because and as for causes, in order to and
so that for purposes, therefore and hence for consequences, and so on.
Original: My wife loves beach holidays. I like spending my vacations
in the mountains instead.
Revised: Although my wife loves beach holidays, I prefer mountain vacations.
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BOOKLET 2 - PARAPHRASING
Retelling Method
Another way to paraphrase is by retelling. In the retelling method, you concentrate on
understanding what the text means. Then, you put away the original text and explain to
yourself the meaning of the text in your own words. With practice, you will find that you are
able to retell the text in a completely new way.
Steps
1.
Read the original sentence several times until you have fully understood its meaning.
2.
Put away the original text, or minimize the view of the electronic text so that you will
not be tempted to look at it.
3.
Write the paraphrase as you understand it, using your own words.
4.
Check your paraphrase with the original to make sure that your version captures the
original idea.
Let us look at examples using this technique.
Original: Companies today are exploring e-learning by conducting studies in some sectors
to determine its effective use. There is still the perception that it is not as good as classroom
education, but it has unique benefits.
Source: Schooley, C. (2003). The perception of e-learning in the cooperate marketplace. ELearning, 7(3), 20-31.
Paraphrase: Corporations are carrying out research on the efficient use of e-learning in a few
areas. Although e-learning has its special advantages, it is still viewed as inferior to traditional
learning (Schooley, 2003).
Original: The shimmering white glove Michael Jackson wore when he premiered his
trademark moonwalk dance in 1983 was auctioned off for US$350,000.
Source: Dobnik, V. (2009, November 23). Gleaming glove sold. Associated Press.
Paraphrase: The glittering white glove, made famous when Michael Jackson introduced the
world to the moonwalk dance back in 1983, was sold for US$350,000, according to Dobnik
from Associated Press.
** In both examples, the main ideas from the original text have been included in the
paraphrase but reworded, and the sentence structure has been altered.
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BOOKLET 2 - PARAPHRASING
Chunking Method
The chunking method is often used when paraphrasing longer paragraphs. Longer passages
are sometimes difficult to comprehend, so you can break up, or chunk, the original text into
more manageable pieces. Once you have divided the sentence into manageable chunks, work
on explaining the meaning of each chunk using your own words.
Steps
1.
Read the original text several times until you have fully understood its meaning.
2.
Divide the text into chunks. It is better to chunk the text into phrases than into
individual words.
3.
Focus on the meaning of each chunk. Restate the meaning using your own words.
4.
Join your new phrases to form the paraphrase. Check and double-check that the ideas
in each sentence are logically linked.
5.
Include your in-text citation in the paraphrase.
6.
Read the paraphrase carefully; make sure it expresses all the important information
accurately in a new form.
Below is an example of paraphrasing by chunking.
Original:
[The popularity of diamonds has risen since the 19th century] [because of
increased supply], [improved cutting and polishing techniques], [growth in
the world economy] [and successful marketing strategies].
Source: Harlow, G. E. (1998). The nature of diamonds. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press.
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BOOKLET 2 - PARAPHRASING
Chunk
Using your own words
The popularity of diamonds has risen since
the 19th century
since the 1800s diamonds have become
increasingly popular
because of increased supply
due to greater production
improved cutting and polishing techniques
better cutting and polishing methods
growth in the world economy
expansion of the global economy
and successful marketing strategies
as well as effective advertising plans
Note: Cutting and polishing are common terms used in the processing of diamonds. Hence, it
is not necessary to change them.
Paraphrase:
Harlow (1998) writes that ever since the 1800s, diamonds have become increasingly popular.
He explains that this is due to greater production, better cutting and polishing methods,
expansion of the global economy as well as effective advertising plans.
*** When Not to Paraphrase: Specialized Vocabulary ***
Each field of study has its own jargon or specialized vocabulary. These are
terms which are commonly used and understood by the people involved in
that line of work. For example, Internet terminology includes hack, cookie,
spider and cache. Since these words are common terms related to the
particular discipline, you need not attempt to paraphrase them.
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BOOKLET 2 - PARAPHRASING
REPORTING VERBS AND INTRODUCTORY PHRASES
One of the most important conditions for a good and legitimate paraphrase is to cite the
source. In order to do so, you have to use reporting verbs when introducing the author.
It can be quite confusing for you, as there are many different verbs and each verb has
somewhat different meaning. Verbs also differ in terms of their strength. Using the correct
verb depends on how you interpret what the author is saying. Therefore, it is very important
that you read the text carefully and interpret the author's ideas correctly.
Basically, reporting verbs for research can be divided into three categories* neutral,
tentative and strong verbs.
Neutral verbs are used to mainly "say" what the author does or does not do.
When you use neutral verbs, you are not judging the author's ideas or work;
hence the term "neutral".
Introductory phrases using NEUTRAL verbs
(basically meaning "say")
The author says ...
The author states .. .
The author believes . . .
The author acknowledges . . .
The author notes .. .
The author reveals .. .
The author declares .. .
The author thinks .. .
The author comments .. .
The author responds .. .
The author remarks .. .
The author confirms .. .
The author explains .. .
The author describes .. .
The author reports . ..
The author demonstrates . ..
The author mentions . ..
The author indicates .. .
The author suggests .. .
The author expresses .. .
The author points out. ..
The author discusses .. .
The author shows . . .
The author observes .. .
Tentative verbs are used when you are inclined to believe in the author's ideas
or work, but you are still hesitant about it; hence the term "tentative".
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BOOKLET 2 - PARAPHRASING
Exercise 1
Indicate which option expresses the same meaning as the sentence in bold.
1. Politicians should remember that voters expect promises to be carried out.
a. It should be remembered that people look forward to politician pledges.
b. Let politicians not forget that their supporters expect them to keep their word.
c. Politicians know that the people want them to keep their promises.
2. Wait at least half an hour after a meal before exercising.
a. You should only exercise 30 minutes after eating.
b. Eat for 30 minutes after doing exercise.
c. Make sure meals are consumed half an hour after exercising.
3. The students were worried about passing the difficult examination.
a. Getting through the hard test bothered the students.
b. Not failing the hard examination was a constant concern for the students.
c. Obtaining a passing grade on the challenging assessment was what the students hoped for.
4. The survey revealed that most of the respondents made little use of English.
a. A high percentage of the participants in the survey claimed to use much English.
b. There was little reduction in the usage of English among those who were surveyed.
c. The majority of the subjects in the survey did not use much English.
5. The judge gave the verdict without fear or favour.
a. The judgement was enforced equally and fairly.
b. The decision made by the judge was unbiased.
c. Just decision was handed out to the judge.
Exercise 2
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BOOKLET 2 - PARAPHRASING
Paraphrase the following sentences. Use the words in the brackets to help you.
1. The country's meat industry was hardly able to meet local demand. (barely, domestic)
The nation's _______________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
2. The traffic jam this year is considered minimal compared to previous years. (congestion,
reduction)
In comparison______________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
3. "What can I do to get your attention?" (wonder)
I ________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
4. The death toll of China's latest coal mine disaster has reached 100. (died, catastrophe)
One hundred
____________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
5. I am happy that I'm still working while a lot of people I started out with no longer working.
(contemporaries, employed)
I am glad_________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
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BOOKLET 2 - PARAPHRASING
6. UNICEF has pushed for India, home to one-fifth of the world's child population, to stop child
marriages. (urged, halt)
UNICEF___________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
7. What others say or think about you always seems to carry a higher value than what you say
about yourself. (matter more)
Other people's ______________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
8. Malaysian celebrity chef Nabilah Razak demonstrated the preparation of traditional
desserts. (popular, sweets)
Malaysia's__________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
9. Women are selling off their kidneys to pay their bills. (make ends meet)
To ________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
10. Job appraisal can be a nerve-wrecking experience for some people. (find, evaluation)
Some employees _____________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
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BOOKLET 2 - PARAPHRASING
Exercise 3
Paraphrase the following statements using the Grammar Help Method .
1. You may be expelled if you fail to observe the school's strict rules, (result)
Failure ____________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
2. Rumour has it that the Prime Minister is about to announce the date for the 16th general
election (GE16), (verge)
The Prime Minister is said_____________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
3. One seldom gets the chance to meet Prince William in person, (get)
Rarely_____________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
4. Decisions about the entertainment for the conference will be left to the chairman, (up)
It will ______________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
5.
His patients were completely surprised when the surgeon decided to resign from
government service, (took)
The surgeon's _______________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
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BOOKLET 2 - PARAPHRASING
Exercise 4
Paraphrase the following statements using the Grammar Help Method .
1. In Malaysia, certain prices, such as the price of cooking oil, are controlled by the
government.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
2. If a population is to grow, the birth rate must be higher than the death rate.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
3. The candidate submitted his application at the eleventh hour.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
4. The Olympic Games began more than 2,000 years ago in Olympia, Greece; however,
women were forbidden to participate in the events.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
5. Pictures that showed the brutality of war entered the living room of millions of TV watchers
on the nightly news.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
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BOOKLET 2 - PARAPHRASING
6. Institutes of higher education should revise their curricula to reflect contemporary needs.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
7. Mood-influencing drugs may be useful for treating certain illnesses but are dangerous if
used for other purposes.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
8. The "Green Revolution" of the 1960s increased global food production by introducing highyielding varieties of crops.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
9. The Indians who lived in Peru before the discovery of the New World by Europeans
belonged to the Incan culture.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
10. According to research, hypertension is about twice as prevalent in patients with diabetes
as in those without the disease.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
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BOOKLET 2 - PARAPHRASING
Exercise 5
1. Study the list of reporting verbs given below. Circle the reporting verbs that can be used to
introduce an author’s strong claim.
argue
note
assert
claim
remark
mention
2. Study the list of reporting verbs given below. Circle the reporting verbs that can be used to
introduce an author's tentative claim.
confirm
speculate
maintain
suggest
propose
agree
3. Study the list of reporting verbs given below. Circle the reporting verbs that can be used to
introduce an important point the author wishes to make.
contend
emphasize
say
stress
point out
mention
4. Study the list of reporting verbs given below. Circle the reporting verbs that can be used to
introduce a paraphrase in which the author offers advice to readers.
caution
indicate
imply
deny
warn
urge
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BOOKLET 2 - PARAPHRASING
Exercise 6
Use any of the methods suggested in this chapter or use a combination of methods to
paraphrase the following paragraphs.
Q1
Locally produced party drugs are not only cheaper and more easily available but they also
come mixed with a host of other harmful ingredients.
Source: Yip, Y. T. (2019, November 23). Party drugs that kill. The Star, p. N3.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
Q2
Children of tense parents who lived in the polluted areas were far more likely to have asthma
than friends in the same neighbourhood.
Source: Wang, C. (2017, July 21). Stressed parents up asthma risk. BBC News, p. Dl.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
Q3
Men live 8 to 10 years less than women. They have higher rates of stress- related disorders,
alcoholism, car accidents and suicides. In sum, the male role is hazardous to men's health.
Source: Santrock, J. (2021). Adolescence. Teen Issues, p. 33.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
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BOOKLET 2 - PARAPHRASING
Q4
With the rising costs of airfares and the increasing time it takes to get through security at the
airports, more and more families are deciding to travel by car for their vacation. Most of us
with young children are returning to the days we grew up in where we travelled most places
by car with our parents.
Source: Kimbell, J. (2019). 10 tips when travelling by car with children. Travelling Today, 3,
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
Exercise 7
Paraphrase the following paragraph.
Women from North America, Western Europe, and Australia/New Zealand who travel
internationally are likely to be astonished and chagrined by the way they are regarded in some
overseas cultures, where ideas of appropriate feminine behaviour can be quite different. In
some countries, a woman who outranks a man may not be treated that way by hosts; they
may still speak to and prefer to negotiate with the male, assuming he is her superior. In Asian
countries and Muslim countries, women may find they are omitted from substantive
conversation or overlooked in negotiations because of designated gender roles. Sometimes,
a woman can establish greater credibility by clarifying her title, role and responsibilities in
writing before a personal visit, but even this step won't guarantee the desired effect.
Source: Reproduced with permission from McGraw-Hill Companies. From Communicating at
Work: Principles and Practices for Business and the Professions by Adler, R., & Elmhorst, J. M.
Copyright © 2008 McGraw-Hill Companies.
This chapter is adapted from:
Writing with Sources: A guidebook for Academic Writers
K. Karuthan, N.A. Abdullah, A. M. Muhammad
Credit : Aida AR, Aisyah Nurhuda AR & Nur Huda MA
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