DLM 110 - Influencing Policymakers: Use Information

Summarize and Paraphrase

When writing a research paper, you will be asked to include support or evidence for your arguments using sources, such as data, statistics, books or journal articles. In order to refer to information from these sources, you can (1) quote exact words, (2) paraphrase specific ideas, or (3) summarize parts of or the entire work. These three options for referencing a source can be useful in different situations, depending on the information being used, its length and clarity, and your purpose for incorporating it. Below, the differences between quoting, summarizing, and paraphrasing are described.

Quotes

Quoting a source means that you directly use a source’s words to convey their point. The quoted text/wording should appear exactly as it does in the source being used, although you may use ellipsis or brackets to indicate any changes you make in order to make your sentence grammatically correct. Remember that you must put quotation marks around all quoted material.

When would you use a quotation? It is very uncommon to use quotes in college-level academic writing. Here are some reasons to use a quote rather than a paraphrase or summary:    
1. Accuracy: You are unable to paraphrase or summarize the source material without changing the author’s intent.
2. Authority: You may want to use a quote to lend expert authority for your assertion or to provide source material for analysis.
3. Conciseness: Your attempts to paraphrase or summarize are awkward or much longer than the source material.
4. Unforgettable language: You believe that the words of the source are memorable or remarkable because of their effectiveness or historical flavor.  Additionally, the source may have used a unique phrase or sentence, and you want to comment on words or phrases themselves.

In college-level writing, it is much more common for you to summarize or paraphrase a source.

Summarizing

Summarizing a source means that you capture the overall point or main idea of an entire source in 1-2 sentences or even a phrase. For example, you might summarize an entire movie’s plot, a book’s major theme or a journal article's main conclusion. Summarizing is particularly useful for condensing “big picture” ideas into a discussion of the work in general and in its entirety. Remember: when you summarize, you must cite the source you have summarized.

Let's look at an example of how an author writing about computer hacking summarizes several journal articles using only phrases:

Example:

In this example, the author summarizes the overall conclusions of 5 research studies in 3 sentences.

Paraphrasing

Paraphrasing a source means that you use your own words to discuss a specific source’s arguments. This is often useful in situations when you can state the arguments more clearly, concisely or using an organization that is more suitable for integration into your paper. When paraphrasing, strive for brevity while capturing the idea of a sentence or paragraph’s point (think “smaller picture,” local ideas). Remember: when you paraphrase, you must cite the source you have paraphrased.

When would you paraphrase?

1. To change the organization of ideas for emphasis. You may have to change the organization of ideas in source material so that you can emphasize the points that are most related to your paper.  You should remember to be faithful to the meaning of the source.
2. To simplify the material. You may have to simplify complex arguments, sentences, or vocabulary.
3. To clarify the material. You may have to clarify technical passages or specialized information into language that is appropriate for your audience.

6 Steps to Effective Paraphrasing

1. Reread the original passage until you understand its full meaning.

2. Set the original aside, and write your paraphrase on a note card.

3. Jot down a few words below your paraphrase to remind you later how you envision using this material. At the top of the note card, write a key word or phrase to indicate the subject of your paraphrase.

4. Check your rendition with the original to make sure that your version accurately expresses all the essential information in a new form. Do not leave out central ideas if they contradict your arguments. Your paraphrase must remain true to the entire work you're paraphrasing.

5. Use quotation marks to identify any unique term or phraseology you have borrowed exactly from the source.

6. Record the source (including the page) on your note card so that you can credit it easily if you decide to incorporate the material into your paper.

(6 Steps from the Purdue Owl)

Let's look at an example of paraphrasing, still from an article about computer hacking. Here, the author is paraphrasing the specific reasons computer users might accidentally download a virus to their computer originally recorded in a study by Acquisti et al.

Example:

In this example, the author paraphrases the entire literature review of one of his sources. He includes all the major points and subpoints from the literature, restating them in a more concise manner and in the order he intends to include them in his own analysis.

What's the difference between a summary and paraphrase?

Simply put, a summary is is written in your own words and includes only the key points of the writing. A summary is much shorter than the original source. You can summarize an entire article in a single sentence, for example.

A paraphrase is similar to a summary because you are rewriting the source in your own words, but the paraphrase will include both key points and subpoints or details. Because a paraphrase includes detailed information it can sometimes be as long (if not longer) than the original source.

All examples in this section taken from: Jungera, M., Montoyab, L., Overinka, F.J. (2017). Priming and warnings are not effective to prevent social engineering attacks. Computers in Human Behavior, 66, 75-87. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2016.09.012