Paraphrasing Practice
Project Overview
College freshman composition students can gain practice in correctly
paraphrasing content from an online article and documenting the article using
APA style. This paraphrasing practice can be useful for students incorporating
outside information into a traditional essay or a larger formal research project.
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Student Learning Objectives
For this RWLO, the student will be able to:

Access an online article an correctly paraphrase a passage from that
online source while using proper parenthetical or in-text APA style

Correctly paraphrase and post the paraphrase to the class website
discussion board along with a References page listing for the source.

Include the practiced paraphrase and Reference listing in their actual
essay on the topic of second-hand smoke
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Procedure
Students should have received prior class instruction for the following:
 Distinguishing between paraphrase, summary, and direct quotation of
material
 correctly paraphrasing source content
 parenthetical in-text documentation
 guidelines for proper APA formatting of parenthetical documentation.
Instructors should encourage students to review the attached summary,
paraphrase, and quotation guidelines handout. They can also refer to their
handbook or an APA style manual to review correct APA parenthetical
documentation and References page listing for electronic source articles derived
online. Students can then access and read the following Internet source article
"Secondhand Smoke Fact Sheet" found only on the American Lung Association's
website at http://www.lungusa.org/site/pp.asp?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=35422
Instructors should guide students to read the online “Secondhand Smoke Fact
Sheet” and find some information they plan to incorporate into their essay on this
topic. Students can choose a bulleted item and write a correct paraphrase,
entirely in their own words, with proper APA in-text parenthetical documentation
to end the sentence.
Next students can use the information from the Internet source article to write a
References page listing for that source.
Instructors then direct students to the class Discussion Board to post both their
paraphrase and reference listing from the “Fact Sheet” source. They can also
read, review, and respond to at least three other classmates’ postings to check
for correct paraphrasing and APA style.
Finally, instructors can encourage or require students to incorporate their posted
paraphrase in their actual essay for this learning unit.
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Content Material
Students should review the attached handout for correctly paraphrasing,
summarizing, and quoting material from outside sources. Students should also
have access to and review a class handbook or style manual for correct APA
parenthetical formatting and References page listing for an Internet source
article.
Access and read the following Internet source article "Secondhand Smoke Fact
Sheet" located on the American Lung Association's website at
http://www.lungusa.org/site/pp.asp?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=35422
Locate information to incorporate into your essay for this unit. Then choose one
bulleted item and write a correct paraphrase, entirely in your own words, with
proper APA in-text parenthetical documentation to end the sentence.
Next, use the information from the Internet source article to write a correct
References page listing for that source. Refer to the APA chapter of your class
handbook.
Access the class Discussion Board to post both the paraphrase and reference
listing from the “Fact Sheet” source. Also read, review, and respond to at least
three other classmates’ postings to check for correct paraphrasing and APA
style.
You are encouraged to incorporate this posted paraphrase in your essay for this
writing unit.
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Assessment
Using the guidelines in the class handbook or a current APA style manual,
student postings will be evaluated for correctness on the following grounds:
1. a true paraphrase using entirely the student’s own words and restructured
grammatical pattern from the original
2. APA parenthetical documentation
3. APA references listing
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Links to Course Competencies
For a second-semester freshman composition course, this paraphrase practice
assignment meets the following student outcomes:
 Integrate cited information into an essay
 Use a variety of print and online library resources to locate information on
a topic
 Paraphrase in language that is distinctly the student’s to avoid plagiarism
 Document information from research sources using the proper assigned
format.
It could also be applied to a first-semester composition course involving
incorporation of outside sources into any essay.
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Supplementary Resources
If students do not have a class handbook or APA style manual, they can refer to
APA resources online at www.apa.org and visit their campus library for this
information.
The attached handout on paraphrasing, summarizing, and quoting material
allows students a guide while completing this assignment.
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Recommendations
While this task is recommended for a second-semester freshman composition
class, it can be utilized in any class where outside sources are being
incorporated into writing and where students need a reminder of the grounds for
and practice in correctly paraphrasing and documenting information using the
chosen documentation format.
As a backup, instructors can have copied articles of the online “Fact Sheet” to
distribute to students, and students can write or type the assigned information to
share with other students and/or the instructor in a traditional class setting if
needed.
This practice paraphrase assignment is a great opportunity to distinguish
between intentional and unintentional plagiarism. It serves instructors the
opportunity to check students’ paraphrase competencies before the submission
of a graded essay assignment before unintentional plagiarism can affect their
grade.
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Attachment
Summary, Paraphrase, & Quotation info from Writing Arguments
Summary: An accurate condensation of a text put in your own words.
 First sentence should be the full name of the author, the title of the article, and the
claim of the piece; thereafter, refer to the author by last name only or by 3rd
person pronouns
 Present main points and any description in the same order as the original article
 Do not interpret or add anything of your own opinion; your goal is to present an
orderly, concise distillation of what the author contends
 Avoid quotes; your summary should be entirely your own words
 Avoid translating word by word; instead, gain an understanding of the author’s
meaning and write that in your own words. Put away the original document as
you write each section if necessary
 Use present tense (he writes, she asserts); the written word is ever-living, fresh,
and new and can be brought to the present at any time
 Never use “he says”; the author writes (unless it is a personal interview) the essay
and does not speak it.
Paraphrase: a brief translation of a short passage put in your own words.
 Introduce the author when you refer his/her piece for the first time; thereafter use
his/her last name or 3rd person pronouns
 Use specific information and derive your own wording for it
 Do not interrupt the flow of your own voice
 Avoid the original writer’s grammatical structure; do not just replace his/her
words with synonyms from the thesaurus
 Acknowledge the source using in-text parenthetical documentation
 Use present tense
Quotation: Exact word-for-word account taken from any source. Use direct quotations
only when it strengthens your argument such as the following:
 As expert testimony coming from a respected authority
 When you summarize an opposing view and use the quotation to show you have
understood it carefully and accurately
 When you want to showcase the author’s voice over your own, especially when it
contains striking and memorable language
 To analyze the writer’s word choice or statement.
Wavering from these guidelines of summary, paraphrase, and direct quotation
render plagiarism which, at the very least, is grounds for failure in this course.
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