Paraphrasing sounds easy in theory – just say it in your own words, right? But in practice, it’s where a lot of students get tangled up. Too close to the original, and you’ve basically copied. Too far, and you might accidentally change the meaning.
Let’s break it down and get you paraphrasing with confidence – and without worrying about accidental plagiarism.
First Things First: What Is Paraphrasing?
Paraphrasing is when you take someone else’s idea and restate it in your own words, while keeping the original meaning. Unlike quoting, you’re not using the author’s exact words – you’re translating their idea into your own academic voice.
It’s a writing superpower. It shows you understand the source and can work it into your paper smoothly.
✏️ Example
Original: “APA format was created to standardize scientific writing and improve clarity.”
Paraphrased: The APA style was developed to make scientific writing more consistent and easier to understand.
See? Same meaning. Different words. Your brain did that.👏
But Wait – You Still Have to Cite!
A lot of students think that if they paraphrase, they don’t need to cite. Nope.
If the idea came from someone else – even in your own words – it still needs a citation.
Think of citations like receipts:
Whether you quote or paraphrase, you’re still showing where the idea came from.
Pro Tips for Better Paraphrasing
1. Read, Then Look Away
- Read the original sentence.
- Look away and say it in your own words like you’re explaining it to a friend.
- Then write that version down.
2. Use Your Own Sentence Structure
- Don’t just swap out a few words. Rearrange the sentence.
- Think: new blueprint, not a paint job.
3. Keep the Meaning Intact
- Don’t twist the author’s original point.
- You’re translating – not rewriting history.
4. Compare With the Original
- Double-check that you’ve changed both the words and the structure.
- But the meaning? That should still match up.
Common Paraphrasing Pitfalls
- ❌ Swapping out just a few words (aka a thesaurus remix)
- ❌ Forgetting to cite the paraphrased material
- ❌ Changing the meaning or oversimplifying a complex idea
- ❌ Paraphrasing too much and losing the author’s intent
Bonus: How PERRLA Can Help
When you paraphrase in your paper using PERRLA, our tools make it easy to add the right in-text citation in APA, MLA, & Turabian format. You do the paraphrasing – we make sure the citation is spot-on.
TL;DR – Your Paraphrasing Cheat Sheet
- ✔ Understand the original idea first
- ✔ Restate it in your own words and sentence structure
- ✔ Keep the meaning the same
- ✔ Always, always, always cite it
Paraphrasing isn’t about sounding fancy – it’s about sounding like you while giving credit where it’s due. Now go forth and rewrite with purpose. 🧠💪