15 Introduction to Paraphrasing
Paraphrasing is an important skill we use in our daily lives. For example, we might share a story we heard from a friend. When we do this, we use our own way of explaining the story. Learning how to paraphrase effectively will be useful when you write about the ideas you have read in sources.
In academic writing, paraphrases are extremely important. They exist in opposition to plagiarism; i.e., when you paraphrase correctly, you effectively avoid committing plagiarism. If you don’t paraphrase correctly, or you don’t do it at all, you plagiarize information.
Do I have to write paraphrases myself? Can I use AI Tools?
The short answer is that both are helpful. Although there are many AI-based paraphrasing tools, learning how to paraphrase yourself is an important skill in the journey of developing your own writing and critical thinking.
In addition, paraphrasing yourself allows you to practice your English and improve your vocabulary when you compare your results with an AI-generated paraphrase. More details are explained below.
Criteria of a Good Paraphrase
Meaning: Your paraphrase must have the same meaning as the words in the article. If necessary, it should keep the same relationship between the main ideas and relevant supporting details
Structure: The grammatical structure should be changed if this can be done without changing meaning. You can change word order, combine ideas into complex sentences, divide longer sentences into two sentences, and change parts of speech (word forms) appropriately.
Vocabulary: Try to use different, simpler vocabulary than the original whenever possible, which is to say–rewrite the original text in your own words. Obviously, some words have no reasonable, practical synonyms (e.g. calcium, theory, proper names, numbers), and there may also be specialized words related to your topic that you will need to keep the same.
Length: The length of your paraphrase should not vary very much from the original. Typically, a paraphrase should not exceed three full lines in your assignment.
Style: You should put the ideas of the original text into your own language. You should not try to imitate the style of the source, even if your own seems less perfect to you. A paraphrase should seem to the reader like it could be your own idea since the style is consistent with the rest of your text.
Citation: Whenever you paraphrase from another source, you must cite the original source. No exceptions.
Steps to Follow When Paraphrasing
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Appropriate Use of Generative AI Tools to Refine a Paraphrase
When using AI tools, it’d be easy to ask AI to generate paraphrases which you then paste into your assignment without thorough examination or reflection. However, besides being inappropriate and resulting in writing that lacks a consistent “writer’s voice,” you will not take real advantage of AI tools to improve your own paraphrasing skills and English proficiency if you do this.
Simply stated, we want you to use AI-based paraphrasing tools appropriately. We want you to recognize their potential usefulness for improving your writing. Most tools have free and premium versions, which have more features. Examples include:
Benefits of using AI-paraphrasing tools:
- By seeing how the tool rewrites your text, you can learn to identify where your writing could be improved. You can learn to use more effective vocabulary, or how to structure your sentences more effectively.
- You can expand your vocabulary and learn effective collocations.
- You can spot grammar errors you make and learn to avoid and correct them.
Follow these guidelines when using AI tools for writing paraphrases:
- Write the paraphrase on your own first.
- Use the AI tool to find alternative ways to express your paraphrase.
- Compare both versions and reflect upon the best paraphrase that is generated.
- When using AI to support your writing, always review the original text to ensure the AI accurately maintains the meaning of the original passage.
Important
- Many times, AI paraphrasing tools will not do a good job. Some tools only change the words and not the overall structure. If the tool only uses synonyms, you must change the grammar yourself.
- Always check the citation format. Do not assume the tool will use the correct citation.
- Many times ,your own paraphrase will be better than the one generated by AI. Therefore, being able to write a paraphrase on your own will allow you to evaluate the effectiveness of AI-generated paraphrases.
To learn more about how to cite your use of AI Tools see the UW Libraries’ Research Guides on Citing Generative AI.
