Pare a Phrase to Paraphrase: Correctly Use Paraphrases In Your Writing

Photo by SantaRosa OLD SKOOL.

“Drat!” echoes in your mind. You’ve found superb sources for what you’re writing, chock-
full of information you would absolutely love to use. How do you paraphrase the
information?

First, why should you paraphrase? If you use someone’s information and its wording as if
it is your own, it is plagiarism. If you use someone else’s unique information and do not
credit it, it is plagiarism. Plagiarism is illegal. It also tends to have nasty side effects on your
reputation, be it for work or school.

A paraphrase pulls another person’s information into the writer’s own words. For unique
information (like, for example, a survey), a source should still be named, but much writing
involves research for facts the writer didn’t already know, and those facts must be presented
in a different way than the writer found them. As a common rule of thumb, four uncredited
words in a row from someone else are too many.

Paraphrases can also clarify something. For example, someone who understands medical
jargon might paraphrase the results of a medical study so the average non-technical person
can understand it. A paraphrase doesn’t necessarily simplify language, but it often can.
To paraphrase, take a source’s information and express the core concepts you want to use in
your own way. Just think of what you do when you’re telling someone you know about
something you’ve read or heard — that’s often a paraphrase.

Sometimes, particularly on a bit of information that is difficult to find, paraphrasing can be
difficult. The precise words we’ve read impress themselves on our retinas, and our minds
get stuck thinking along those lines. There are a few ways to pull out of this rut, and there’s
one technique to help avoid it entirely.

Skimming helps the most to avoid plagiarism. Keep track of which sources have the best
information for you, but make sure you only skim them. Skim at least four sources,
including some that are shallow on the information.

If you’re a visual learner from words and remember what you just read a bit overwell, wait
a few minutes before trying to write. Listening to a song with attention to the lyrics might
help at this point, to make the information a bit foggy in your mind.

Now, write! You won’t remember the little details of information, true, but don’t worry
about it. That’s why you previously kept track of your good sources. Write what you can
without going back for the details, and if necessary add notes to yourself to go back and
add in certain details. Once you have the basic thing written, go back to your sources and
fill in what was lacking.

All right, that might work if you haven’t researched already, but what if you’re already
stuck? Several techniques can be used to help unstick you. You might find one works best,
or perhaps you may sometimes find that you need them all.

Stop reading the sources your mind’s trying to plagiarize. It’s already stuck in your brain —
don’t add any more glue to the binding. Also, have a new computer document or a pen and
paper handy, whatever works best for you for note taking.

Consider the information you’re using. What are the most important details that you want to
include? Jot those down in as few keywords as possible. Read over the list, then rewrite it
to cut more words.

Is there a way to reorder or restructure the information? Try to find your own method of
organizing the data, even if it’s not as good as the sources. You can restructure it later after
you’re out of the plagiarism rut. Pick some detail near the end of the information you want
to use; is there a way to incorporate it into the beginning? That might spur you into
reorganization — and the rewording.

If your mind is still quoting those precise phrases, take the first active verb involved in your
mental quote and find a synonym. Where you get it doesn’t matter. Tweak the sentence to
add that synonym. If you don’t need to adjust anything when you add the synonym, find
another one for that verb or a nearby important word until you do have to tweak the
sentence. Start tweaking, and you might find yourself suddenly free to redo the entire thing.

There’s always the possibility that you’ll still be stuck at this point. Go and find other
sources that are even partially pertinent. If you can’t find any other pertinent sources, read
some of the same type, preferably by a different author. Read other sources until the
original ones become a bit foggy in your memory. (You may also find listening to a
favorite song’s lyrics helpful in producing that fog.)

Now, you should be able to write. Some details will be forgotten, but resist the temptation
to fill them in as you go. Finish the writing, then go back and fill in the details. If you must
review something, look at your previously-made keyword list.

Congratulations! You’ve pared the phrases down to a paraphrase.