summarizing and paraphrasing difference

Paraphrasing vs. Summarizing (Differences, Examples, How To)

It can be confusing to know when to paraphrase and when to summarize. Many people use the terms interchangeably even though the two have different meanings and uses.

Today, let’s understand the basic differences between paraphrasing vs. summarizing and when to use which . We’ll also look at types and examples of paraphrasing and summarizing, as well as how to do both effectively.

Let’s look at paraphrasing first.

What is paraphrasing?

It refers to rewriting someone else’s ideas in your own words. 

It’s important to rewrite the whole idea in your words rather than just replacing a few words with their synonyms. That way, you present an idea in a way that your audience will understand easily and also avoid plagiarism. 

It’s also important to cite your sources when paraphrasing so that the original author of the work gets due credit.

When should you paraphrase?

The main purpose of paraphrasing is often to clarify an existing passage. You should use paraphrasing when you want to show that you understand the concept, like while writing an essay about a specific topic. 

You may also use it when you’re quoting someone but can’t remember their exact words. 

Finally, paraphrasing is a very effective way to rewrite outdated content in a way that’s relevant to your current audience.

How to paraphrase effectively

Follow these steps to paraphrase any piece of text effectively:

• Read the full text and ensure that you understand it completely. It helps to look up words you don’t fully understand in an online or offline dictionary.
• Once you understand the text, rewrite it in your own words. Remember to rewrite it instead of just substituting words with their synonyms.
• Edit the text to ensure it’s easy to understand for your audience.
• Mix in your own insights while rewriting the text to make it more relevant.
• Run the text through a plagiarism checker to ensure that it does not have any of the original content.

Example of paraphrasing

Here’s an example of paraphrasing:

• Original:  The national park is full of trees, water bodies, and various species of flora and fauna.
• Paraphrased:  Many animal species thrive in the verdant national park that is served by lakes and rivers flowing through it.

What is summarizing?

Summarizing is also based on someone else’s text but rather than presenting their ideas in your words, you only sum up their main ideas in a smaller piece of text.

It’s important to not use their exact words or phrases when summarizing to avoid plagiarism. It’s best to make your own notes while reading through the text and writing a summary based on your notes.

You must only summarize the most important ideas from a piece of text as summaries are essentially very short compared to the original work. And just like paraphrasing, you should cite the original text as a reference.

When should you summarize?

The main purpose of summarizing is to reduce a passage or other text to fewer words while ensuring that everything important is covered.

Summaries are useful when you want to cut to the chase and lay down the most important points from a piece of text or convey the entire message in fewer words. You should summarize when you have to write a short essay about a larger piece of text, such as writing a book review.

You can also summarize when you want to provide background information about something without taking up too much space.

How to summarize effectively

Follow these steps to summarize any prose effectively:

• Read the text to fully understand it. It helps to read it a few times instead of just going through it once.
• Pay attention to the larger theme of the text rather than trying to rewrite it sentence for sentence.
• Understand how all the main ideas are linked and piece them together to form an overview.
• Remove all the information that’s not crucial to the main ideas or theme. Remember, summaries must only include the most essential points and information.
• Edit your overview to ensure that the information is organized logically and follows the correct chronology where applicable.
• Review and edit the summary again to make it clearer, ensure that it’s accurate, and make it even more concise where you can.
• Ensure that you cite the original text.

Example of summarization

You can summarize any text into a shorter version. For example, this entire article can be summarized in just a few sentences as follows:

• Summary:  The article discusses paraphrasing vs. summarizing by explaining the two concepts. It specifies when you should use paraphrasing and when you should summarize a piece of text and describes the process of each. It ends with examples of both paraphrasing and summarizing to provide a better understanding to the reader.

Paraphrasing vs. summarizing has been a long-standing point of confusion for writers of all levels, whether you’re writing a college essay or reviewing a research paper or book. The above tips and examples can help you identify when to use paraphrasing or summarizing and how to go about them effectively.

Inside this article

Fact checked: Content is rigorously reviewed by a team of qualified and experienced fact checkers. Fact checkers review articles for factual accuracy, relevance, and timeliness. Learn more.

About the author

Dalia Y.: Dalia is an English Major and linguistics expert with an additional degree in Psychology. Dalia has featured articles on Forbes, Inc, Fast Company, Grammarly, and many more. She covers English, ESL, and all things grammar on GrammarBrain.

Core lessons

• Abstract Noun
• Accusative Case
• Active Sentence
• Alliteration
• Adjective Clause
• Adjective Phrase
• Adverbial Clause
• Appositive Phrase
• Body Paragraph
• Compound Adjective
• Complex Sentence
• Compound Words
• Compound Predicate
• Common Noun
• Comparative Adjective
• Comparative and Superlative
• Compound Noun
• Compound Subject
• Compound Sentence
• Copular Verb
• Collective Noun
• Colloquialism
• Conciseness
• Conditional
• Concrete Noun
• Conjunction
• Conjugation
• Conditional Sentence
• Comma Splice
• Correlative Conjunction
• Coordinating Conjunction
• Coordinate Adjective
• Cumulative Adjective
• Dative Case
• Declarative Statement
• Direct Object Pronoun
• Direct Object
• Dangling Modifier
• Demonstrative Pronoun
• Demonstrative Adjective
• Direct Characterization
• Definite Article
• Doublespeak
• Equivocation Fallacy
• Future Perfect Progressive
• Future Simple
• Future Perfect Continuous
• Future Perfect
• First Conditional
• Gerund Phrase
• Genitive Case
• Helping Verb
• Irregular Adjective
• Irregular Verb
• Imperative Sentence
• Indefinite Article
• Intransitive Verb
• Introductory Phrase
• Indefinite Pronoun
• Indirect Characterization
• Interrogative Sentence
• Intensive Pronoun
• Inanimate Object
• Indefinite Tense
• Infinitive Phrase
• Interjection
• Intensifier
• Indicative Mood
• Juxtaposition
• Linking Verb
• Misplaced Modifier
• Nominative Case
• Noun Adjective
• Object Pronoun
• Object Complement
• Order of Adjectives
• Parallelism
• Prepositional Phrase
• Past Simple Tense
• Past Continuous Tense
• Past Perfect Tense
• Past Progressive Tense
• Present Simple Tense
• Present Perfect Tense
• Personal Pronoun
• Personification
• Persuasive Writing
• Parallel Structure
• Phrasal Verb
• Predicate Adjective
• Predicate Nominative
• Phonetic Language
• Plural Noun
• Punctuation
• Punctuation Marks
• Preposition
• Preposition of Place
• Parts of Speech
• Possessive Adjective
• Possessive Determiner
• Possessive Case
• Possessive Noun
• Proper Adjective
• Proper Noun
• Present Participle
• Quotation Marks
• Relative Pronoun
• Reflexive Pronoun
• Reciprocal Pronoun
• Subordinating Conjunction
• Simple Future Tense
• Stative Verb
• Subjunctive
• Subject Complement
• Subject of a Sentence
• Sentence Variety
• Second Conditional
• Superlative Adjective
• Slash Symbol
• Topic Sentence
• Types of Nouns
• Types of Sentences
• Uncountable Noun
• Vowels and Consonants

Popular lessons

Stay awhile. Your weekly dose of grammar and English fun.

The world's best online resource for learning English. Understand words, phrases, slang terms, and all other variations of the English language.

• Abbreviations
• Editorial Policy

Microsoft 365 Life Hacks > Writing > The Difference Between Summarizing & Paraphrasing

The Difference Between Summarizing & Paraphrasing

Summarizing and paraphrasing are helpful ways to include source material in your work without piling on direct quotes. Understand the differences between these approaches and when to use each.

Summarizing vs. Paraphrasing: The Biggest Differences

Though summarizing and paraphrasing are both tools for conveying information clearly and concisely, they help you achieve this in different ways. In general, the difference is rooted in the scale of the source material: To share an entire source at once, you summarize; to share a specific portion of a source (without quoting directly, of course), you paraphrase.

Write with Confidence using Editor

Elevate your writing with real-time, intelligent assistance

What is Summarizing?

Summarizing is simplifying the content of a source to its main points in your own words. You literally sum up something, distill it down to its most essential parts. Summaries cover whole sources rather than a piece or pieces of a source and don’t include direct quotes or extraneous detail.

How to Summarize

• Understand the original thoroughly. You may start by scanning the original material, paying close attention to headers and any in-text summaries, but once you’re sure that this source is something you’re going to use in your research paper , review it more thoroughly to gain appropriate understanding and comprehension.
• Take notes of the main points. A bulleted list is appropriate here-note the main idea of each portion of the source material. Take note of key words or phrases around which you can build your summary list and deepen your understanding.
• Build your summary. Don’t just use the list you’ve already created—this was a first draft . Craft complete sentences and logical progression from item to item. Double check the source material to ensure you’ve not left out any relevant points and trim anything extraneous. You can use a bulleted or numbered list here or write your summary as a paragraph if that’s more appropriate for your use. Make sure to follow the rules of parallelism if you choose to stay in list form.

What is Paraphrasing?

Paraphrasing is rephrasing something in your own words; the word comes from the Greek para -, meaning “beside” or “closely resembling”, 1 combined with “phrase,” which we know can mean a string of words or sentences. 2 Paraphrasing isn’t practical for entire sources—just for when you want to highlight a portion of a source.

How to Paraphrase

• Read actively . Take notes, highlight or underline passages, or both if you please-whatever makes it easiest for you to organize the sections of the source you want to include in your work.
• Rewrite and revise. For each area you’d like to paraphrase, take the time to rewrite it in your own words. Retain the meaning of the original text, but don’t copy it too closely; take advantage of a thesaurus to ensure you’re not relying too heavily on the source material.
• Check your work and revise again as needed . Did you retain the meaning of the source material? Did you simplify the language of the source material? Did you differentiate your version enough? If not, try again.

Summarizing and paraphrasing are often used in tandem; you’ll likely find it appropriate to summarize an entire source and then paraphrase specific portions to support your summary. Using either approach for including sources requires appropriate citing, though, so ensure that you follow the correct style guide for your project and cite correctly.

Get started with Microsoft 365

It’s the Office you know, plus the tools to help you work better together, so you can get more done—anytime, anywhere.

Topics in this article

More articles like this one.

What is independent publishing?

Avoid the hassle of shopping your book around to publishing houses. Publish your book independently and understand the benefits it provides for your as an author.

What are literary tropes?

Engage your audience with literary tropes. Learn about different types of literary tropes, like metaphors and oxymorons, to elevate your writing.

What are genre tropes?

Your favorite genres are filled with unifying tropes that can define them or are meant to be subverted.

What is literary fiction?

Define literary fiction and learn what sets it apart from genre fiction.

Everything you need to achieve more in less time

Get powerful productivity and security apps with Microsoft 365

Explore Other Categories

Paraphrasing vs Summarizing: A Comparative Analysis

Are you feeling overwhelmed with the complexities of academic writing, particularly when it comes to paraphrasing and summarizing? You're not alone. Many students and researchers struggle with these essential skills which are crucial for weaving in authoritative voices and perspectives into your papers without falling into the plagiarism trap.

Unfortunately, the line between paraphrasing and summarizing can often seem blurred, leading to confusion and potential academic missteps. But don't worry, the solution lies in gaining a clear understanding of both techniques, enabling you to confidently engage with source material. By mastering these skills, you will enhance your academic writing, ensuring that it is rich in content, plagiarism-free, captivating and reflective of a well-rounded understanding of the subject matter.

This article provides a comparative analysis of paraphrasing vs summarizing, exploring key differences and when to use each technique. By delving into the nuances of paraphrase vs summary, readers will gain insight into the common challenges of summarizing and paraphrasing and discover solutions to integrate these skills seamlessly into their writing.

What is Summarizing?

Summarizing is the skill of distilling the most significant elements of a text or content into a concise and clear form. This process involves identifying and extracting the main ideas or facts, and presenting them in a shortened version without losing the essence of the original content. Here's a breakdown of what summarizing entails:

• The essence of Summarizing : It's about conveying the core information or arguments from a larger piece of work in a brief format. This includes understanding and articulating the main points in your own words.
• Highlighting key points in the text.
• Creating mind maps to visualize main ideas.
• Developing flashcards for quick reference.
• Useful in academic writing, research, and communication for providing a succinct overview without extensive detail.
• An in-text citation is necessary to credit the original source, although page numbers are not required.
• Tips for effective summarizing include reading the text multiple times, focusing on main concepts, and ensuring the summary is accurate, brief, and clear.

Summarizing serves as a fundamental tool in various contexts, especially when the goal is to give readers a quick understanding of a complex subject without delving into exhaustive details.

Read our complete guide on Summarizing to know more in depth about it.

What is Paraphrasing?

Paraphrasing, a critical skill in academic writing and communication, involves rewording text while preserving its original meaning and message. This technique is not merely about changing a few words here and there; it's about understanding the source material deeply, then expressing it in your own unique voice. 

Here are some key insights into mastering the art of paraphrasing:

• Purpose : To rewrite text in your own words while maintaining the original intent. Useful for citing details from another source, clarifying complex passages, and enhancing content quality.
• Benefit : Enhances comprehension of the material, facilitates explanation to others, fosters creativity, develops writing style, and helps avoid plagiarism.
• Read the original material thoroughly to grasp its full meaning.
• Write the paraphrased content in your own words, incorporating your interpretation and thoughts.
• Utilize synonyms and alter sentence structures but keep the core message intact.
• Employ plagiarism detection tools to ensure originality.
• Always attribute the paraphrase to the original source to avoid plagiarism.
• Too similar wording or sentence structure to the original, altering the meaning, producing nonsensical text, and failing to cite sources.

Paraphrasing is more than a mechanical task; it's an opportunity to engage deeply with the text, presenting it through the lens of your understanding and style.

Key Differences 

These distinctions highlight the importance of selecting the appropriate technique based on the writing's purpose and the desired depth of engagement with the source material.

Here's a breakdown of their key differences:

• Content Length and Detail :

Summarizing is typically shorter, condensing the original text to its key concepts. Paraphrasing can be similar in length, slightly shorter, or longer, providing original content that conveys the main ideas.

• Purpose and Requirement :

Summarizing aims to convey the main idea efficiently, ideal for giving a quick overview.

Paraphrasing focuses on demonstrating a deeper comprehension of the subject by conveying the meaning of the original message in one's own words.

Both require using your own words to rephrase the original content.

• Choosing Between Summarizing and Paraphrasing : 

Depends on the required detail level from the source. Summarizing is best when only the main ideas are needed, whereas paraphrasing is suitable for detailed exploration or explanation of the source material.

We will talk about this more in detail below

When to Summarize vs. When to Paraphrase

Deciding when to utilize paraphrasing versus summarizing is crucial for effective communication and writing. These techniques serve different purposes and are selected based on the specific needs of the writer and the audience. Below are guidelines to help determine the most appropriate method to use:

• When the Idea Matters, Not the Wording : Opt for paraphrasing when the concept or idea from the source is crucial to your argument or content, but the original wording is not essential. The goal is to convey the same idea in your own words, providing clarity or a different perspective.
• Application : This technique is particularly useful in academic writing, research papers, or detailed analysis where understanding and personal interpretation of the source material are required.
• When Only the Main Points Are Needed : Summarizing is the best choice when the details in the source are not all relevant to your argument, and the audience needs only a concise overview of the original content. It distills the source down to its most crucial points.
• Application : Ideal for providing a quick synopsis, background information, or an overview of a large work in presentations, reports, or when introducing a topic to readers unfamiliar with the subject.

Common Challenges and Solutions

Navigating the intricacies of paraphrasing and summarizing can be fraught with challenges. Here's a breakdown of common hurdles and practical solutions:

• Challenge : Grasping the main idea and supporting points.
• Solution : Engage in multiple readings and discussions to deepen comprehension. Utilize mind mapping to visually organize thoughts.
• Challenge : Striking a balance between original expression and fidelity to the source.
• Solution : Practice rephrasing with a focus on using synonyms and altering sentence structures without distorting the original meaning.
• Challenge : Ensuring the rephrased or summarized content is accurate and coherent.
• Solution : After writing, compare your version with the original to check for completeness and correctness. Peer review can offer additional insights.
• Challenge : Fear of unintentionally plagiarizing.
• Solution : Use plagiarism detection tools judiciously and always attribute the source correctly. When in doubt, quote directly but sparingly.
• Challenge : Language proficiency, such as limited vocabulary and grammatical issues.
• Solution : Leverage dictionaries, thesauruses, and online resources to enhance language skills. Engage in regular writing practice and seek feedback from knowledgeable peers or mentors.

By addressing these challenges with targeted strategies, individuals can enhance their ability to paraphrase and summarize effectively, thereby enriching their writing and academic work.

Understanding when and how to use each method can transform the way ideas are conveyed, ensuring clarity, originality, and depth in writing. The nuanced exploration of both processes, including the challenges and solutions associated with them, underscores their value in fostering a deeper comprehension of the material and enhancing the writer's ability to present ideas effectively.

For those looking to refine their summarization skills further, exploring tools designed to assist in this area can be invaluable. Try TLDRThis for summarizing ; it simplifies converting lengthy texts into concise summaries. Ultimately, embracing these techniques not only bolsters academic and professional writing but also enriches the writer's engagement with the material, paving the way for more nuanced and compelling discourse.

What distinguishes paraphrasing from summarizing?

Paraphrasing involves rewording someone else's ideas in your own language while maintaining the original level of detail. Summarizing, in contrast, condenses the most crucial points of someone else's work into a more concise format.

How does paraphrasing differ from analyzing?

While paraphrasing entails rewording a source's content or presenting certain data, analysis goes further by examining the facts and formulating personal conclusions about the topic.

Does paraphrasing include more detail than summarizing?

Yes, paraphrasing includes more detail. Although both paraphrasing and summarizing require using your own words and writing style, a paraphrase includes important details, whereas a summary distills the text down to its most essential ideas.

Sign up for more like this.

September 6

0  comments

Summarizing vs. Paraphrasing: What’s the Real Difference?

By   Joshua Turner

September 6, 2023

Summarizing and paraphrasing are two essential skills in writing. They are often used interchangeably, but they have distinct differences. Summarizing is the process of condensing a text into a shorter version, highlighting the main points, and leaving out the details.

On the other hand, paraphrasing is rewording a text in your own words, retaining the original meaning and message.

Understanding summarizing involves identifying the key ideas and concepts in a text and presenting them in a concise and clear manner. It requires a good understanding of the text and the ability to distinguish between essential and non-essential information.

Summarizing is useful when you want to provide a brief overview of a longer text or when you want to highlight the main ideas.

Understanding paraphrasing involves rewording a text in a way that retains the original meaning but uses different words and sentence structures.

It requires a good understanding of the text and the ability to express the ideas in your own words. Paraphrasing is useful when you want to avoid plagiarism or when you want to clarify the meaning of a text.

Key Takeaways

• Summarizing involves condensing a text into a shorter version, highlighting the main points and leaving out the details.
• Paraphrasing involves rewording a text in a way that retains the original meaning but uses different words and sentence structures.
• Summarizing is useful when you want to provide a brief overview of a longer text, while paraphrasing is useful when you want to avoid plagiarism or clarify the meaning of a text.

Definition of Summarizing

Summarizing  is the process of condensing a longer piece of text into a shorter, more concise version while retaining the main points and key concepts. It involves creating an overview of the text that captures the gist of the original content.

Purpose of Summaries

The purpose of summaries is to provide readers with a condensed version of a longer text that highlights the main points and key concepts. Summaries are useful for quickly understanding the content of a longer piece of writing, such as an article or book, without having to read the entire text.

Main Points in Summarizing

The main points in summarizing include identifying the key concepts and ideas in the original text, condensing the information into a shorter version, and ensuring that the summary accurately represents the main points of the original text.

Steps in Summarizing

The steps in summarizing include reading the original text carefully, identifying the main points and key concepts, condensing the information into a shorter version, and reviewing the summary to ensure that it accurately represents the main points of the original text. It is important to use your own words when creating a summary and to avoid copying phrases or sentences directly from the original text.

In summary, summarizing is the process of condensing a longer piece of text into a shorter, more concise version while retaining the main points and key concepts. It involves creating an overview of the text that captures the gist of the original content. The purpose of summaries is to provide readers with a condensed version of a longer text that highlights the main points and key concepts.

The steps in summarizing include reading the original text carefully, identifying the main points and key concepts, condensing the information into a shorter version, and reviewing the summary to ensure that it accurately represents the main points of the original text.

Understanding Paraphrasing

Paraphrasing  is the act of rephrasing a text in your own words while maintaining the original meaning. It is an essential skill in academic writing , as it allows you to incorporate information from other sources while avoiding plagiarism. Paraphrasing involves interpreting the main ideas in the original text and presenting them in your own voice.

Purpose of Paraphrases

The purpose of paraphrasing is to present information from other sources in a way that is more accessible or relevant to your intended audience. It also allows you to integrate information from multiple sources into a cohesive argument. Paraphrasing can also help you to clarify complex ideas and concepts.

Main Ideas in Paraphrasing

The main ideas in paraphrasing are to understand the original text, interpret the main ideas, and rephrase them in your own words. It is important to maintain the original meaning and avoid changing the author’s intended message. Paraphrasing should also be done in your own voice to avoid plagiarism.

Steps in Paraphrasing

The steps in paraphrasing include reading and understanding the original text, identifying the main ideas, and rephrasing them in your own words. You should also check your paraphrase against the original text to ensure that you have maintained the original meaning. It is also important to cite the original source to avoid plagiarism.

Comparison of Summarizing and Paraphrasing

Summarizing and paraphrasing  are two different techniques used to convey information from one source to another.

Length and Detail

Summarizing involves condensing a large amount of information into a concise version while maintaining the main points. On the other hand, paraphrasing involves rephrasing the text in your own words while retaining the original meaning. Summaries are shorter than the original text and omit details, while paraphrases are usually the same length as the original text and include more details.

Quoting and Citation

When summarizing, you don’t need to use direct quotes or citations because you are putting the information into your own words. However, when paraphrasing, you still need to give credit to the original source by using citations and quotation marks when necessary.

Structure and Concepts

Summarizing involves restructuring the original text to make it more concise, while paraphrasing involves rewording the original text. Summarizing focuses on the main points while paraphrasing focuses on the details.

When summarizing, you may need to rearrange the concepts to make them more understandable, while paraphrasing may require you to explain the concepts more clearly.

The audience and purpose of the text can influence whether summarizing or paraphrasing is appropriate. Summarizing is useful when the audience needs a quick overview of the main points, while paraphrasing is useful when the audience needs a more detailed understanding of the text. The purpose of the text can also determine whether summarizing or paraphrasing is appropriate. Summarizing is useful when the purpose is to provide a brief overview, while paraphrasing is useful when the purpose is to explain the details.

Avoiding Plagiarism

Using someone else’s work without proper credit is not only unethical, but it can also have serious consequences. By understanding plagiarism, citing your source material, and using a plagiarism checker, you can ensure that your work is original and free of plagiarism.

Understanding Plagiarism

Plagiarism is the act of using someone else’s work without giving them proper credit. It can be intentional or unintentional, and it can have serious consequences. To avoid plagiarism, understand what it is and how to avoid it.

Citing Source Material

Citing your source material is an essential part of avoiding plagiarism. When you use someone else’s work, you must give them credit by citing the original source. There are different citation styles, such as APA, MLA, and Chicago, so make sure to use the appropriate one for your work.

Using a Plagiarism Checker

Using a plagiarism checker is a great way to ensure that your work is original and free of plagiarism. There are many free and paid tools available online that can help you check your work for plagiarism. These tools compare your work to other sources on the internet and highlight any similarities.

In summary, while summarizing and paraphrasing are similar in that they both involve condensing or rewording information, there are some key differences between them. Summarizing involves reducing a text to its essential points, while paraphrasing involves restating the central idea in your own words.

Accuracy is crucial in both cases, but it is especially important when paraphrasing since it involves conveying information in a new way. Paraphrasing is useful when you want to highlight specific insights or takeaways from a text while summarizing is better suited for providing an overview of the essential information.

When deciding whether to summarize or paraphrase, it’s important to consider the function of the text and the audience you are writing for. Summarizing is useful when you want to provide a quick overview of a text’s most relevant information, while paraphrasing is better suited for conveying the central idea in a new way.

Overall, whether you choose to summarize or paraphrase, the goal is to convey relevant information in a clear and concise manner that helps the reader gain insights and takeaways from the text.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some common questions about this topic.

What are some examples of paraphrasing and summarizing, and how do they differ?

Paraphrasing involves restating a passage in your own words while summarizing involves condensing a larger text into a shorter version. For example, paraphrasing a quote in an essay would involve rephrasing it in a way that still conveys the original meaning, while summarizing a news article would involve highlighting the main points in a few sentences.

What are the similarities and differences between summarizing and paraphrasing?

Both summarizing and paraphrasing involve rephrasing information in your own words. However, summarizing involves condensing a larger text into a shorter version, while paraphrasing involves restating a passage in your own words. Both techniques are useful for avoiding plagiarism and presenting information in a clear and concise way.

How do you paraphrase a quote in an essay?

To paraphrase a quote in an essay, you should rephrase the quote in your own words while still maintaining its original meaning. This involves understanding the main idea of the quote and expressing it in a way that fits with the rest of your essay. It is important to properly cite the original source of the quote to avoid plagiarism.

When using a source, should you quote, paraphrase, or summarize it?

The choice between quoting, paraphrasing, or summarizing a source depends on the purpose of your writing. If you want to include a specific passage word-for-word, you should quote it. If you want to restate a passage in your own words, you should paraphrase it. If you want to condense a larger text into a shorter version, you should summarize it.

What is the definition of summarizing?

Summarizing is the act of condensing a larger text into a shorter version that highlights the main points of the original. This technique is useful for presenting information in a clear and concise way and can be applied to a variety of texts, such as news articles, research papers, and books.

You might also like

The Ultimate Guide: What Is the Best Definition of Sobriety?

Psychoanalysis vs. behavior therapy: what’s the difference, unlocking the power of music: how it shapes your behavior, stop guessing here’s which phase of strategic conflict management you can ignore.

• Key Differences

Know the Differences & Comparisons

Difference Between Summary and Paraphrase

On the other hand, paraphrase means the restatement of the passage, in explicit language, so as to clarify its hidden meaning, without condensing it. In paraphrasing, the written material, idea or statement of some other person is presented in your own words, which is easy to understand.

These two are used in an excerpt to include the ideas of other author’s but without the use of quotations. Let us talk about the difference between summary and paraphrase.

Content: Summary Vs Paraphrase

Comparison chart, definition of summary.

A summary is an abridged form of a passage, which incorporates all the main or say relevant points of the original text while keeping the meaning and essence intact. It is used to give an overview of the excerpt in brief, to the reader. In summary, the author’s ideas are presented in your own words and sentences, in a succinct manner.

A summary encapsulates the gist and the entire concept of the author’s material in a shorter fashion. It also indicates the source of the information, using citation. Basically the length of the summary depends on the material being condensed.

It encompasses the main idea of every paragraph and the facts supporting that idea. It does not end with a conclusion, however, if there is a message in the conclusion, it is included in the summary. It also uses the keywords from the original material, but it does not use the same phrases or sentences.

Summaries save a lot of time of the reader, as the reader need not go through the entire work to filter the most important information contained in it, rather the reader gets the most relevant information in hand.

Definition of Paraphrase

Paraphrasing is not a reproduction of a similar copy of another author’s work, rather it means to rewrite the excerpt in your own language, using comprehensible words and restructuring the sentences, but without changing the context. Hence, in paraphrasing, the original idea and meaning of the text are maintained, but the sentence structure and the words used to deliver the message would be different.

The paraphrased version of the text is simple and easily understandable. The length is almost similar to the original text, as it only translates the original text into simplest form. It is not about the conversion of the text in a detailed manner, rather it is presented in such a way that goes well with your expression.

In paraphrasing, someone else’s written material is restated or rephrased in your own language, containing the same degree of detail. It is the retelling of the concept, using a different tone to address a different audience.

Key Differences Between Summary and Paraphrase

The points discussed below, explains the difference between summary and paraphrase

• To summarize means to put down the main ideas of the essential points of the excerpt, in your own words, while keeping its essence intact. On the contrary, to paraphrase means to decode the original text in your own words without distorting its meaning or essence.
• A summary is all about emphasizing the central idea (essence) and the main points of the text. In contrast, paraphrasing is done to simplify and clarify the meaning of the given excerpt, so as to enhance its comprehension.
• If we talk about the length of the summary in comparison to the original text, it is shorter, because summary tends to highlight the main points only and excludes the irrelevant material of the text. As against, in case of paraphrasing, the length is almost equal to the original text, because its aim is to decipher, i.e. to convert the complex text in a language which is easily understandable without excluding any material from the text.
• The main objective of summarizing is to compile and present the gist of the author’s idea or concept in a few sentences or points. Conversely, the primary objective of paraphrasing is to clarify the meaning of author’s work in a clear and effective manner when the words used by him/her are not important or the words are too complex to understand.
• A summary is used when you want to give a quick overview of the main ideas to the reader about the topic. On the contrary, Paraphrase is used when the idea or main point is more significant than the actual words used in the material and also when you want to use your own voice to explain the concept or idea.
• A summary does not include lengthy explanations, examples and what the reader has understood. In contrast, a paraphrase does not include the exact same wordings or paragraphs used in the original source, so as to avoid plagiarism.

Steps for Summarizing

• First of all, you need to read the entire passage twice or thrice to grasp the meaning and essence of the material.
• Identify and underline all the important points, ideas and supporting facts which you have read.
• Now, explain the material to yourself, for better understanding.
• Rewrite in your own words, the salient points and central idea from the original text, in a few sentences.
• Omit unnecessary detailing and examples.
• Make a comparison of the original text and the summary which you’ve created.

Steps for Paraphrasing

• Read the entire text carefully, twice or thrice, to absorb the meaning and essence.
• Rewrite the author’s ideas in a unique language, i.e. in your own voice. Make sure that the sentences and words used are your own and it should not be a mere substitution or swapping of words and phrases.
• Further, the sequence in which idea is presented, need not be different from the original source.
• Compare the paraphrased version with the main text, and ensure that the essence clearly presented, as well as make sure that it is free from plagiarism.
• Check that the words and phrases which are directly taken from the text are within quotation marks.
• Provide references.

In a nutshell, a summary is nothing but a shorter version of an excerpt or passage. On the contrary, a paraphrase is the restatement of the original text or excerpt. One can use any of the two sources, as per the requirement, when the idea of any of the sources is relevant to your material, but the wording is not that important.

You Might Also Like:

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

The Sheridan Libraries

• Avoiding Plagiarism
• Sheridan Libraries

Paraphrasing & Summarizing

• What is Plagiarism?
• School Plagiarism Policies
• Common Knowledge
• Minimizing Your Plagiarism Risk
• Student Help
• Helping Prevent Plagiarism in Your Classroom
• Avoiding Plagiarism Course
• Course FAQs

To help the flow of your writing, it is beneficial to not always quote but instead put the information in your own words. You can paraphrase or summarize the author’s words to better match your tone and desired length. Even if you write the ideas in your own words, it is important to cite them with in-text citations or footnotes (depending on your discipline’s citation style ). 

Definitions

• Paraphrasing allows you to use your own words to restate an author's ideas.
• Summarizing allows you to create a succinct, concise statement of an author’s main points without copying and pasting a lot of text from the original source.

What’s the difference: Paraphrasing v. Summarizing

Explore the rest of the page to see how the same material could be quoted, paraphrased, or summarized. Depending on the length, tone, and argument of your work, you might choose one over the other. 

• Bad Paraphrase
• Good Paraphrase
• Reread: Reread the original passage until you understand its full meaning.
• Write on your own: Set the original aside, and write your paraphrase on a note card.
• Connect: Jot down a few words below your paraphrase to remind you later how you envision using this material.
• Check: Check your rendition with the original to make sure that your version accurately expresses all the essential information in a new form.
• Quote: Use quotation marks to identify any unique term or phraseology you have borrowed exactly from the source.
• Cite: Record the source (including the page) on your note card or notes document so that you can credit it easily if you decide to incorporate the material into your paper.

Explore the tabs to see the difference between an acceptable and unacceptable paraphrase based on the original text in each example.

Original Text

“Business communication is increasingly taking place internationally – in all countries, among all peoples, and across all cultures. An awareness of other cultures – of their languages, customs, experiences and perceptions – as well as an awareness of the way in which other people conduct their business, are now essential ingredients of business communication” (Chase, O’Rourke & Wallace, 2003, p.59). 

More and more business communication is taking place internationally—across all countries, peoples, and cultures.  Awareness of other cultures and the way in which people do business are essential parts of business communication (Chase, O’Rourke & Wallace, 2003, p.59)

Compare the Original and Paraphrase

Too much of the original is quoted directly, with only a few words changed or omitted. The highlighted words are too similar to the original quote: 

More and more business communication is taking place internationally —across all countries, peoples, and cultures .  Awareness of other cultures and the way in which people do business are essential parts of business communication (Chase, O’Rourke & Wallace, 2003, p.59)

Original Text 

“Business communication is increasingly taking place internationally – in all countries, among all peoples, and across all cultures. An awareness of other cultures – of their languages, customs, experiences and perceptions – as well as an awareness of the way in which other people conduct their business, are now essential ingredients of business communication” (Chase, O’Rourke & Wallace, 2003, p.59).

The importance of understanding the traditions, language, perceptions, and the manner in which people of other cultures conduct their business should not be underestimated, and it is a crucial component of business communication (Chase, O’Rourke & Wallace, 2003, p. 59).

The original’s ideas are summarized and expressed in the writer’s own words with minimal overlap with the original text's language:

The importance of understanding the traditions, language, perceptions, and the manner in which people of other cultures conduct their business should not be underestimated, and it is a crucial component of business communication (Chase, O’Rourke & Wallace, 2003, p. 59).

• Bad Summary
• Good Summary
• Find the main idea: Ask yourself, “What is the main idea that the author is communicating?”
• Avoid copying: Set the original aside, and write one or two sentences with the main point of the original on a note card or in a notes document.
• Connect: Jot down a few words below your summary to remind you later how you envision using this material.

Business communication is worldwide, and it is essential to build awareness of other cultures and the way in which other people conduct their business. (Chase, O’Rourke & Wallace, 2003, p.59). 

Compare the Original and Summary

Too much of the original is quoted directly, with only a few words changed or omitted. The highlighted words are too similar to the original text:

Business communication is worldwide, and it is essential to build awareness of other cultures and the way in which other people conduct their business . (Chase, O’Rourke & Wallace, 2003, p.59). 

In a world that is increasingly connected, effective business communication requires us to learn about other cultures, languages, and business norms (Chase, O’Rourke & Wallace, 2003, p.59). 

The original’s ideas are summarized and expressed in the writer’s own words with minimal overlap:

In a world that is increasingly connected, effective business communication requires us to learn about other cultures , languages , and business norms (Chase, O’Rourke & Wallace, 2003, p.59). 

No matter what the source or style, you need to cite it both in-text and at the end of the paper with a full citation! Write down or record all the needed pieces of information when researching to ensure you avoid plagiarism. 

Cheat Sheet

• Paraphrasing and Summarizing Download this helpful cheat sheet covering "Paraphrasing and Summarizing."
• << Previous: Quoting
• Next: Minimizing Your Plagiarism Risk >>
• Last Updated: Aug 7, 2023 2:00 PM
• URL: https://guides.library.jhu.edu/avoidingplagiarism

Paraphrasing vs. Summarizing: What’s the Difference?

The etymology of a word reveals surprising insights into how language and meaning evolve. 

And the history behind the words ‘paraphrase’ and ‘summary’ weave a tale of these words and the key difference between them. 

The term ‘paraphrase’ has its roots in the Greek paraphrazein , which means ‘to tell in other words’, while ‘summary’ comes from the Latin summa , meaning ‘gist’. 

So, what’s the difference between paraphrasing and summarizing?

Paraphrasing involves uniquely rewording text (but keeping the original meaning intact), while summarizing provides a brief overview of any written work by condensing the information down to the main points. 

Paraphrasing

What is paraphrasing?

Paraphrasing is rewriting or rephrasing a piece of text in your own words while maintaining the original meaning and message.

The goal of paraphrasing is to create unique content that communicates the overall essence of the source material.

When should you paraphrase?

Paraphrasing is a useful technique when you need to:

• Refer to and draw upon information from another source
• Clarify a long, complex, or difficult-to-understand piece
• Add flair to your content or present it in a more engaging way
• Uniquely express or provide a different perspective to an already-said idea 
• Improve the readability of content
• Avoid plagiarism

What are the benefits of paraphrasing?

Paraphrasing can help you better understand the source material, effectively communicate the meaning behind the original text to others, find new ways to approach the topic, improve your writing style, and prevent plagiarism. 

Top Paraphrasing Tips to Keep in Mind 

It’s essential to paraphrase in a way that is unique yet representative and accurate to the source text.

Here are some tips to get you started with paraphrasing effectively:

• Read and properly comprehend the source material 
• Write in your own words, then edit for your audience
• Bring your own spin and insights to the content
• Use a plagiarism checker 

We’ve created a blog focused solely on paraphrasing tips, so check it out if you’d like to delve deeper into this topic. 

Summarizing

What is summarizing?

Summarizing is creating a condensed version of a text by identifying key points and presenting them in an organized fashion.

The goal is to distill information (from an article, essay, book, or any other text) into a concise and clear summary that will be easy for readers to understand.

When should you summarize?

Summarizing can help you when you need to:

• Highlight the main points from any piece of text, presentation, or speech
• Provide a brief overview of a topic
• Convey the core meaning of a complex or extensive source in a short, easy-to-digest, and efficient way
• Reduce the amount of time needed to read something
• Create a handy reference for later use

What are the benefits of summarizing? 

A summary allows you to easily grab the gist of a text without losing context, identify key concepts, find relevant information quickly, visualize the structure of the original content, and locate gaps in your understanding of the topic. 

Top Summarizing Tips to Keep in Mind

 When you’re ready to summarise, here are a few tips to help you get the most out of the process:

• Read the text multiple times to ensure you fully understand it
• Focus on the big picture
• Look for connections between the central ideas and group them together
• Eliminate unnecessary information 
• Create an outline and organize the information in a logical order
• Summarize only what you need to convey to save time
• Review and edit the summary for accuracy, clarity, and brevity

Another reminder: The summary should only contain key points and essential information. 

Paraphrasing vs. Summarizing: A Deep Dive into the Key Differences

Though often used interchangeably, paraphrasing and summarizing are different writing processes with distinct functions. 

Let’s take a look at the main differences between them:

Definition and Meaning

In simple terms, paraphrasing means ‘rewriting’ while summarizing means ‘condensing’. 

Paraphrasing is a technique to reword the original text in a unique way without losing the meaning behind the source material. By contrast, summarizing presents the main ideas from a piece of written work in a short and succinct manner. 

Additional Information

While paraphrasing, it is encouraged to add your insights, examples, observations, perspectives, and takeaways to the final piece of content.

When summarizing, the writer should only include the key points with minimal interpretation or opinion. 

There is no set length for a paraphrase. It can be longer than the original material (if you include insights and examples), similar in size, or slightly shorter. 

On the other hand, a summary is a concise version of the source text, so it’s much shorter in length than the original piece.

Paraphrasing helps encourage critical thinking, a more profound understanding of a topic, and perspective development. 

Summarizing is seen as a more efficient way of getting the content’s core message straight into the audience’s mind. 

Content Creation Time

While paraphrasing takes more time to write, summarizing can be quicker as the writer only needs to focus on the crucial information. 

While paraphrasing and summarizing are two very different writing techniques, they are both useful in their own right and provide unique benefits for the reader.

Paraphrasing is excellent for reworking the original text in a fresh, new way that keeps the meaning and spirit of the source material intact. Summarizing enables readers to grasp the key takeaways and crucial information by condensing the source material into a concise and easy-to-follow piece. 

And if you’re looking for a quality tool to speed up both processes, try ContentBot . Our AI-powered application makes it possible to effectively rewrite and summarize text with the click of a button. 

Check out more on Content and AI!

• Latest Posts

• 7 Inspirational Writing Quotes (And What Writers Can Learn From Them) - September 1, 2022
• 5 Effective Ways For Marketing Your Small Business On A Budget - August 24, 2022
• The Importance of Branding for a Small Business (Plus Tips To Get Started) - August 24, 2022

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

This handout is intended to help you become more comfortable with the uses of and distinctions among quotations, paraphrases, and summaries. This handout compares and contrasts the three terms, gives some pointers, and includes a short excerpt that you can use to practice these skills.

What are the differences among quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing?

These three ways of incorporating other writers' work into your own writing differ according to the closeness of your writing to the source writing.

Quotations must be identical to the original, using a narrow segment of the source. They must match the source document word for word and must be attributed to the original author.

Paraphrasing involves putting a passage from source material into your own words. A paraphrase must also be attributed to the original source. Paraphrased material is usually shorter than the original passage, taking a somewhat broader segment of the source and condensing it slightly.

Summarizing involves putting the main idea(s) into your own words, including only the main point(s). Once again, it is necessary to attribute summarized ideas to the original source. Summaries are significantly shorter than the original and take a broad overview of the source material.

Why use quotations, paraphrases, and summaries?

Quotations, paraphrases, and summaries serve many purposes. You might use them to:

• Provide support for claims or add credibility to your writing
• Refer to work that leads up to the work you are now doing
• Give examples of several points of view on a subject
• Call attention to a position that you wish to agree or disagree with
• Highlight a particularly striking phrase, sentence, or passage by quoting the original
• Distance yourself from the original by quoting it in order to cue readers that the words are not your own
• Expand the breadth or depth of your writing

Writers frequently intertwine summaries, paraphrases, and quotations. As part of a summary of an article, a chapter, or a book, a writer might include paraphrases of various key points blended with quotations of striking or suggestive phrases as in the following example:

In his famous and influential work The Interpretation of Dreams , Sigmund Freud argues that dreams are the "royal road to the unconscious" (page #), expressing in coded imagery the dreamer's unfulfilled wishes through a process known as the "dream-work" (page #). According to Freud, actual but unacceptable desires are censored internally and subjected to coding through layers of condensation and displacement before emerging in a kind of rebus puzzle in the dream itself (page #).

How to use quotations, paraphrases, and summaries

Practice summarizing the essay found here , using paraphrases and quotations as you go. It might be helpful to follow these steps:

• Read the entire text, noting the key points and main ideas.
• Summarize in your own words what the single main idea of the essay is.
• Paraphrase important supporting points that come up in the essay.
• Consider any words, phrases, or brief passages that you believe should be quoted directly.

There are several ways to integrate quotations into your text. Often, a short quotation works well when integrated into a sentence. Longer quotations can stand alone. Remember that quoting should be done only sparingly; be sure that you have a good reason to include a direct quotation when you decide to do so. You'll find guidelines for citing sources and punctuating citations at our documentation guide pages.

What's The Difference Between Paraphrasing and Summarizing?

Have you ever read an article and struggled to understand the key ideas? Or maybe you've tried explaining a complex topic to someone else and realized you weren't quite sure of the main points yourself. Paraphrasing and summarizing are useful skills that can help. In this article, we'll explore some strategies and examples to help strengthen your paraphrasing and summarizing skills. Read on to become an expert at restating ideas in your own words.

Defining Paraphrasing and Summarizing

Paraphrasing and summarizing are two useful skills, but what exactly do they mean? Let's break it down:

What is Paraphrasing?

Paraphrasing involves restating something in your own words while keeping the original meaning intact. When you paraphrase, you rephrase the way ideas or information are expressed, using synonyms and rearranging the structure of sentences and paragraphs. The key is to not copy word-for-word.

Some tips for effective paraphrasing:

• Read the original text multiple times to fully understand the meaning
• Identify the main ideas and arguments
• Restate those ideas and arguments in your own words using synonyms and restructuring sentences
• Double check that the paraphrased version accurately captures the meaning of the original
• Cite or reference the original source to avoid plagiarism

Paraphrasing allows you to explain concepts and share information in a personalized, easy to understand way. It demonstrates your understanding and ability to communicate ideas.

To enhance your content creation process, you can explore the use of tools like the Hypotenuse AI paraphrasing tool , which provides assistance in generating paraphrased content effortlessly.

What is Summarizing?

Summarizing involves briefly restating the main ideas, themes, or plot points of something in a concise way. The key is to condense longer pieces of information into a high-level overview by extracting only the most important elements.

Some tips for effective summarizing:

• Focus on the overall meaning and key takeaways, not specific details
• Identify the main subject, topic, setting, characters, events, etc. depending on what you're summarizing
• Keep summaries under 10% of the original length
• Use your own words and sentence structure
• Omit unnecessary examples, anecdotes, descriptions, and repetitions

Summarizing allows you to quickly share the essence of complex information in a simplified way. It shows you can synthesize and evaluate information to determine what's most significant. To summarize content effortlessly, one can try the Hypotenuse AI tool for summarization .

How To Paraphrase?

When paraphrasing, you convey the same ideas as the original text but in your own words and sentence structure. Here are some helpful tips to successfully paraphrase:

1. Read the original text thoroughly

Make sure you understand the full meaning and context of the original text. Read it more than once if needed. Look up any unfamiliar words or terms so you have a solid grasp of the ideas and details.

2. Identify the key ideas

Determine the central theme or message, as well as any important supporting ideas. These are what you will restate in your own words. Leave out insignificant details and examples.

3. Put the text aside and write in your own words

Do not look at the original text while you are writing your paraphrase. This will allow you to articulate the ideas in the way that feels most natural to you. Refer to your notes about the key ideas to make sure your restatement is accurate.

4. Use synonyms and reorganize

Replace words and phrases from the original text with synonyms and synonymous expressions. Also, reorganize or restructure sentences and paragraphs. For example, you can combine some sentences or split long sentences into shorter ones. Change the order of ideas or examples.

5. Vary your sentence structure

Avoid simply rearranging the words in the original sentences. Instead, create entirely new sentences in your own unique style. To maintain a smooth flow, use a mixture of simple and complex sentence structures. Remember to keep your language concise, but don't make it sound choppy.

6. Compare with the original

Once you have completed your paraphrase, review the original text again. Make sure that your version conveys all of the same key ideas, examples, and details. Look for any passages that seem too similar to the original—if there are any sentences or phrases that are verbatim or nearly verbatim, rephrase them in your own words.

Paraphrasing Examples

Here's an example of paraphrasing using AI:

Paraphrasing Example #1

The increased use of technology in the classroom continues to be a controversial issue in education. While some studies have found that technology can be distracting and negatively impact learning, other research has found that technology, when used appropriately, can enhance learning and engage students.

Paraphrase:

The use of technology in classrooms is a topic that sparks debate in education. Some studies suggest that technology can be a distraction and hinder learning, while others argue that when used properly, it can actually improve learning and capture students' attention.

Paraphrasing Example #2

The ability to paraphrase demonstrates several higher-order thinking skills including comprehension, abstraction, and reorganization of ideas. Paraphrasing requires understanding the essence and meaning behind a message, relating new ideas to familiar ones, and reconstructing the message in a new yet faithful way.

Paraphrasing is a skill that shows advanced thinking abilities like understanding, abstract thinking, and rearranging ideas. When you paraphrase, you need to grasp the main point and significance of a message, connect new ideas to ones you already know, and reconstruct the message in a fresh but accurate way.

Paraphrasing Example #3

Understanding the difference between paraphrasing and summarizing is crucial in academic writing. While both involve restating information in one's own words, they serve different purposes. Paraphrasing focuses on expressing the original text in a new way, maintaining the same level of detail and length. Summarizing, on the other hand, aims to condense the main ideas and key points of the text into a shorter version.

In academic writing, it's important to grasp the distinction between paraphrasing and summarizing. Although both involve rephrasing information using your own words, they serve different purposes. Paraphrasing is all about expressing the original text in a fresh manner while keeping the same level of detail and length. On the other hand, summarizing aims to condense the primary ideas and key points of the text into a shorter version.

How To Summarize?

Summarizing information effectively is a useful skill that can help in many areas of life. Here are some tips to keep in mind when summarizing:

1. Focus on the main ideas

Read through the entire piece you want to summarize and identify the most important concepts and themes. Ignore minor details and examples. Focus on capturing the essence of the key ideas.

If it's an article or book, read introductions, headings, and conclusions to get a sense of the central themes. As you read, ask yourself "What is the author trying to convey here?" to determine what's most significant.

2. Keep it short

A summary should be considerably shorter than the original work. Aim for about 1/3 of the length or less. Be concise by eliminating unnecessary words and rephrasing ideas efficiently. Use sentence fragments and bulleted lists when possible.

3. Maintain objectivity

Summarize the work factually without putting your own personal spin or opinions on the information. Report the key ideas in an impartial, balanced manner. Do not make judgments about the quality or accuracy of the content.

4. Check your work

Review and edit your summary to ensure it's clear, coherent, and captures the essence of the most significant themes and concepts in the source material—all in your own words. Get feedback from others if possible. Revise as needed to improve the summary.

Summarizing Examples

Here are some summarizing examples:

Summary Example #1

Regular exercise has been shown to have numerous positive effects on mental health. It can reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression, improve mood, boost self-esteem, and enhance cognitive function. Exercise also promotes better sleep and stress management, contributing to overall well-being.

Regular exercise has many mental health benefits. It reduces anxiety and depression, improves mood, boosts self-esteem, and enhances cognitive function. Exercise also helps with sleep and stress management, promoting overall well-being.

Summary Example #2

Effective communication is essential in the workplace. It builds strong relationships among team members, enhances productivity, and promotes a positive work environment. Good communication involves active listening, clear and concise expression of ideas, and providing constructive feedback. It also involves understanding non-verbal cues and adapting communication styles to different individuals and situations. By fostering effective communication, organizations can minimize misunderstandings, resolve conflicts, and achieve their goals efficiently.

Effective workplace communication is vital. It builds relationships, increases productivity, and fosters a positive environment. It involves active listening, clear expression of ideas, and constructive feedback. Understanding non-verbal cues and adapting to others is important. It minimizes misunderstandings, resolves conflicts, and helps achieve goals efficiently.

Summary Example #3

Social media has become a pervasive part of modern society. It allows people to connect, share information, and engage with others across the globe. With platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, individuals can stay updated on current events, follow their favorite celebrities, and express their opinions freely. Social media has also revolutionized the way businesses operate by providing a platform for advertising, customer engagement, and brand building.

Social media is now an integral part of society, enabling people to connect, share information, and engage globally. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter offer updates, celebrity updates, and the freedom to express opinions. It has also transformed businesses, offering advertising, customer engagement, and brand building opportunities.

Summarize and Paraphrase with Hypotenuse AI

Now you know the difference between paraphrasing and summarizing and how to apply these skills in your own writing. Being able to restate ideas in your own words is such an important ability, and these techniques will make you a stronger writer and communicator. Next time you read an article or have a conversation, challenge yourself to paraphrase the main points to reinforce your understanding. And when you want to distill lots of information into a compact message, work on crafting a high-level summary.

Give Hypotenuse AI a try and witness the positive impact it can have on your writing journey. Happy writing!

Join 100,000+ marketers writing with Hypotenuse AI

Paraphrasing VS Summarizing: Differences and Examples

• Smodin Editorial Team
• Updated: September 13, 2022

Composing a piece of text for an assignment or a blog can require you to perform thorough research, compose content, and ensure its uniqueness. That brings the need for paraphrasing the content and summarizing. However, the terms paraphrasing and summarizing are mistaken as synonyms. They are both related, but they are not the same. To clarify the concepts in this blog, we will focus on paraphrasing vs summarizing and their differences.

What is paraphrasing?

Paraphrasing refers to writing a piece of content again without changing its actual meaning. It would require you to read the text and present that in your own words. A paraphrased text can take the major part of the original text and can be generally shorter.

The need to paraphrase

From blogs to assignments, paraphrasing can be the call for creating content in different situations. For a broader picture, here is the set of reasons why you need to paraphrase:

• To refine the specific text from a short passage.
• To save from the overuse of quotations.
• To explain the word without focusing on wordings.
• To report statistics and numerical data.
• To share the crucial part of a passage.
• To avoid plagiarism.

How to paraphrase without the occurrence of any plagiarism issue?

Plagiarism refers to presenting the work of some other author as one’s. With many benefits and usage of paraphrasing, using content without plagiarism is another. Either through adding synonyms or changing the speech, there are different ways to paraphrase without plagiarizing. To facilitate it for you, here are the steps you can proceed with:

• Understand the meaning

Before you begin to compose the content in your own words, it is necessary for you to understand it properly. For this, you can read the resource several times, and you can even look for multiple references. It can allow you to have several sources and a lot of information.

• Note down the major points

  Whether you consider single or multiple references, you should note down the important points. With this, you can take the information and still not copy the same notion of the writer. You can use the material and phrase it in your words.

• Write your content

  Once you understand the meaning and take the major points, you can compose fresh content. While doing so, you must make sure that you do not have to look at the original passage and prepare for what you have understood.

• Compare the content

After writing your content, the next step should be comparing it with the original passage. It can allow you to evaluate the authenticity of the facts and check if you have missed any crucial information.

• Cite the Source

  Even if you write the content in your own words, citation helps track the original idea. It also gives the credit to the original source.

What does paraphrased content look like?

To get a clearer idea of paraphrased content, you can take a look at these examples of paraphrasing:

Original Content

Digital marketing has been a growing field in the past decades. It includes using different platforms to promote businesses. Its purpose is to connect to its target audience present in digital mediums.

Paraphrased Content

Over the past decades, digital marketing has become a booming field. It consists of promoting a brand while availing of the different digital platforms. It paves the way for businesses to reach their potential customers on various platforms.

Both of these passages have the same meaning but are written differently. The choices of the words are not the same, and in the first sentence only, there is a change in the sentence structure. That is how you can paraphrase the content.

What Is Summarizing?

Summary refers to a short review, a restatement of the major points, which is a conclusion of the work in most cases. With this, summarizing refers to composing a summary of the content or other resources. It has to communicate the most crucial part for the writer. You have to prepare it in your own words, and it has to state the information you want to emphasize.

When to Summarize?

Several benefits come with the need to summarize. First of all, it allows you to understand the structure in which the content has been organized and then combine them into the major parts. With this, you can focus on putting lights in the most crucial part of the text. Here are the conditions that require summarizing:

• To reduce the source material and bring out the major and relatable points.
• To remove extra information from the crucial source material.
• To make the material simple and easy to understand.

How to Summarize?

Summarizing involves taking the ideas from a text, which can be some other author. You must also add the citation information for sharing the source of the concept. You can use Smodin Summarizer to summarize all the texts you want. Like we did for paraphrasing, here is the step-by-step explanation of summarizing:

Find and Read

The first step you need to do is select the text. It can be four to five lines and can support the idea. After that, you have to thoroughly read it to get a detailed idea and understanding of the topic. You must prepare notes, and add the keywords, terms, and keywords you can use to understand it better.

Filter the Content

Once done with this, you have to filter the content you will compose into the summary. For this, you have to select the text you want to keep and eliminate the unnecessary. After sorting the material you have to include, you can write the summary in your own words.

Revise and Edit

After completing your summary, you have to read it and correct any mistakes. You also have to verify the facts presented over there. To attain that, you can compare it with the text and make sure that there are no aspects left for you to make changes.

Before submitting your summary, you must check if it can identify the writer of the actual text. It has to consist and combine the ideas initially written and present unbiased information.

What does summarizing look like?

To get a clear picture of what summarization can look like, let us present an example of the summary.

Here are a few paragraphs on the importance of language:

Language plays a crucial role in communication among people. After becoming a master in it, you can become well-versed with its grammar, the system of words, and structure to facilitate the exchange of thoughts and emotions. It is also essential to express the ideas and customs in societies and cultures. When you choose to learn the concepts of a new language, you can connect with new thoughts and ideas. You can also make yourself familiar with customs and the manner in which people greet each other.

The role of learning a language also encompasses professional growth as a person with a command of the global language can find more career possibilities. Several sectors and industries need professionals well-versed in common languages.

(Anonymous)

This is an anonymous paragraph, but it is necessary to identify the writer. So, let us assume that Dr. A has written it for a paper presented at University Y in 2020. The title is The influence of language on an individual . In that case, here is how you will present the summary of the paragraph:

In the paper on The influence of language on an Individual at Y University, Z, Dr. A presented his thoughts on language. It allows people to exchange their thoughts and ideas. Learning a new language can allow people to connect to new thoughts and ideas and learn about new customs. It can also pave the way for your growth at a professional level. This is because industries often look for professionals who master a commonly-spoken language.

About the Summary

This summary has the source, time, and writer while expressing the essential points. It also states the perception presented by the author but in a different and neutral manner.

Final Thoughts

Paraphrasing and summarizing are somehow different from each other. This blog has focused on putting some light on paraphrasing vs summarizing . Where paraphrasing is about conveying the same messages without shortening the length, summarizing explains the crucial points more succinctly. However, the need is to create plagiarism-free content through both the methods you prefer to go ahead with. Talking of composing unique content, Smodin.io can provide you with the tools to prepare an assignment/blog for you. All you need to do is copy your content, use it, and wait for fresh and distinct content.

Paraphrasing vs. Summarizing: Knowing the Difference

Writers who write informative or academic papers will need to understand the difference between paraphrasing vs. summarizing. Learn more in this article.

Paraphrasing and summarizing are similar writing techniques where an author takes an original passage and puts it into their own words without using the author’s exact words. Yet the goal of these two techniques is different. With one, you rephrase the content in your own words, but you pull out the main ideas and shorten the work with the other.

With both paraphrasing and summarizing, you can use someone else’s ideas in your writing to give it meaning and back up the claims you make. However, you do need to know how to use the tools to properly portray the ideas you wish to convey without falling guilty of plagiarism.

As you work on creating research papers and projects, you’re going to want to know the difference between paraphrasing vs. summarizing. This guide will help you understand how these are different, so you can use the right tool when you need it.

Paraphrasing vs. Summarizing: The Key Is in the Goal

The dangers of plagiarism, when to paraphrase, when to summarize, similarities between paraphrasing and summarizing, paraphrasing and summarizing often go hand in hand, creating a works cited or bibliography page, paraphrasing vs. summarizing: both make your writing stronger, paraphrasing vs. summarizing: key points.

What is the primary difference between summarizing and paraphrasing in your writing? The key is in the goal of your writing.

Both paraphrasing and summarizing are ways to avoid plagiarism in your writing by ensuring you are not using the original author’s exact words, but they are done for different reasons. With paraphrasing, you are rewording the original author’s work, but by summarizing, you boil down the main points into a more concise version of the original post.

In academic writing, plagiarism is a serious offense . To avoid this offense, you must include a proper citation whenever you have a quote, paraphrase, and summary statement. If the original work is not your idea or something considered common knowledge, it requires a citation.

If you are found guilty of plagiarism, you will have serious repercussions. This often means failing the assignment or even the class in academic settings. You may face expulsion, too.

If you are preparing something for publication, you risk having your work completely discredited. Your reputation as a writer is ruined. While few people go to jail for plagiarism, you could face lawsuits or fines for breaking the law.

You might also be wondering do you need quotation marks when paraphrasing?

The Definition of Paraphrasing

When you paraphrase something, you take the original material and rewrite it, changing the sentence structure or verb tense to say the same thing differently. The new sentence or paragraph will have enough differences that you cannot point out that it came from the source material.

This process is different from a direct quote. With a direct quote, you use the same wording, word for word, and put it in quotation marks. With a paraphrase, you have no wording that is the same, but instead, you use synonyms and new sentence structure to make it your own. However, the meaning of the original text stays consistent.

Paraphrased works in academic writing still require a citation using the APA or MLA format , depending on the assignment. The original idea still comes from the original author, and you can’t take that and claim it as your own without proper citation.

The best time to paraphrase is when you want to show that you can read someone else’s ideas but then put them in your own words. It shows that you understand the concepts and ideas you are writing about. You still want to credit the original author, but you don’t want to make a paper or article from quotes.

Paraphrasing shows that you understand the concepts of your sources. If you can paraphrase well, you have a clear grasp of the topic.

These paraphrasing exercises might be helpful.

The Definition of Summarizing

Summarizing is done when the original writer’s work is lengthy, and you need the main points, but not a direct quotation or full sentences that copy the meaning. For example, if you are using an entire chapter of a book as a resource for one point in a paragraph, you aren’t going to be able to include all of the ideas from the book. Instead, you will simplify those ideas into something shorter, keeping the main points intact and concisely expressing them.

Summaries, like paraphrases, do not require quotation marks. You won’t use quotation marks even if the main headings or points are repeated in your work. However, you will cite the original author and the original article or book using proper formatting.

A summary works well when you have a large chunk of text you want to pull the main ideas from in your piece. It allows you to get to the main idea of the author’s piece, only pulling out what is necessary for you to make your point. It provides background information to the reader, as well.

Summaries also work well if you need just the main points of the writer’s work instead of all of the added material. This strategy works particularly well when you need to argue a point and want to use an entire work to do so but do not have enough space to quote the source material. You might also be interested in our analogy vs. metaphor guide.

Though they are different, paraphrases and summaries have some similarities. Both allow writers to use other writers’ ideas in their pieces. They both make concepts easier to understand or help them flow in the writer’s own words and writing style. Both keep the passage’s main ideas in place even while changing the wording or shortening the piece.

In academic writing, you will often paraphrase and summarize source materials in the same work. Sometimes, the author’s ideas are already concise, so all you need to do is restate them in your writing. This is paraphrasing.

Sometimes, the author’s ideas are too lengthy for you to include in your work as they are. In these cases, simplification is necessary to flow with your work. Thus, you will summarize.

Paraphrases and summaries are also preferred over direct quotes. They allow you to show your writing skills and ability to pull ideas from someone else’s works without relying entirely on the other writer’s work.

After you finish your writing, you will need to include a list of all of the works you used to create it. This bibliography or works cited page will have formatting based on the publication manual used in the assignment. It will include all of the books, articles, and journals you used to write the essay or paper, whether you quoted, summarized, or paraphrased.

Most writing will borrow from another person’s ideas and even words, as long as the author properly cites and credits the original author. Paraphrasing and summaries are tools writers use to use the ideas of others without copying them directly effectively.

Anyone can copy and paste work from other writers to put together an informative paper or paragraph. Quotes have their place, as they can give the writing a sense of authority and provide strong evidence that the claims you make are valid. However, it takes a skilled writer to summarize or paraphrase the works of other writers.

Both summaries and paraphrases make writing stronger and show that you clearly understand the materials you used in your research. Most academic papers are a mixture of paraphrases, summaries, and quotes. All three require citations, but you will find that paraphrasing and summarizing allow you to put your flair into the writing.

Paraphrasing and summarizing both offer a way to use someone else’s idea as your own in your writing. Paraphrasing transforms the writing into your own words but keeps the same basic length and idea in writing. Summarizing condenses the writing into its main points.

Both paraphrasing and summarizing require proper citation because the idea comes from another writing. You can use your research skills to write engaging essays and papers with these tools. 

If you are interested in learning more, check out our paraphrasing vs. plagiarism guide!

Nicole Harms has been writing professionally since 2006. She specializes in education content and real estate writing but enjoys a wide gamut of topics. Her goal is to connect with the reader in an engaging, but informative way. Her work has been featured on USA Today, and she ghostwrites for many high-profile companies. As a former teacher, she is passionate about both research and grammar, giving her clients the quality they demand in today's online marketing world.

View all posts

Find and fix writing mistakes instantly

• Check for unintentional plagiarism
• Get instant grammar and style suggestions

Paraphrasing vs Summarizing

Summaries and paraphrases are some of your most useful tools as a writer. Referencing other people’s writing is often necessary if you want to provide evidence for your claims and imbue your essays with a greater sense of integrity. In other instances, referencing powerful ideas can simply enhance the quality of your writing. For example, using a quote in your introductory paragraph can “hook” the reader and get them interested.

You can reference other people’s writing in a number of different ways. Here are the most common options:

Each of these options has its own set of various pros and cons. If you want to become an accomplished writer, you need to understand when to paraphrase, when to summarize, and when to quote.

Whether you’re paraphrasing, summarizing, or quoting, you need to make sure to properly acknowledge where these ideas are coming from or you risk committing plagiarism. It’s perfectly acceptable to reference other people’s work, as long as you give credit where it’s due.

When you understand the differences among paraphrasing, summarizing, and quoting, it becomes easier to write flowing, informative pieces that are free from plagiarism.

What is paraphrasing?

When you paraphrase someone else’s writing, you are presenting their ideas in your own words. An important part of paraphrasing is acknowledging whose ideas you are presenting and where they come from.

A paraphrased passage cannot be too similar to the source material. You can’t simply change one or two words and claim that you’re paraphrasing. Ideally, you should present these ideas in language that seems natural and easy for you and your readers to understand.

What is summarizing?

When you summarize someone else’s ideas, you are summing up their main points in a smaller piece of writing that the reader can easily understand.

Summaries are much shorter than the original material. For example, the summary of an entire book would not list every event that happens in the book. Rather, a book summary would review the most important moments in the plot and could be two or three pages long.

That being said, summaries can be even shorter than that. It’s possible to summarize an idea or a book in a single sentence.

When you summarize someone else’s work, it’s important to cover only the most important points . Just like paraphrasing or quoting, you must also attribute summarized ideas to the correct source.

What is quoting?

Quoting is when you write down the exact words of a writer and use quotation marks . You must attribute the correct speaker and source when quoting, and you must use the appropriate formatting guidelines laid out by your course or instructor.

Quoting may be preferable to other methods if you need to use clear evidence to back up your claims. By using the author’s exact words, you can show the accuracy of the evidence you’re using.

What is the difference between summarizing and paraphrasing?

The main differences between summarizing and paraphrasing come down to their functions.

A summary retells the main points, condensing an idea so that it is easier for the reader to digest. You can be selective when writing summaries, which means you don’t have to cover everything that the writer said. In addition, summaries are always shorter than the source material.

On the other hand, paraphrases serve to clarify a passage. Paraphrases are specific, which means that you need to cover each piece of information the writer is trying to convey.

In contrast to summaries, paraphrases don’t need to be shorter than the source material. While it’s true that a paraphrase might be condensed compared to the source material, it can also be longer than the source material. Alternatively, paraphrases can be roughly the same length as the source material.

How are summarizing and paraphrasing similar?

There are notable similarities between summaries and paraphrases. They both serve to make concepts easier to understand for the reader through slightly different methods. In addition, you should use both paraphrases and summaries when the core ideas of a passage are more important than the exact wording.

When should you paraphrase?

When you successfully paraphrase someone else’s ideas, you are showing the reader that you understand the key concepts. Unlike quoting, paraphrasing requires you to show what you think or understood about the idea.

You should paraphrase when you want to show that you’re capable of more than just copying and pasting. Only people who truly understand concepts can paraphrase them successfully. In other words, paraphrasing shows that you’re confident about the ideas you’re discussing.

Paraphrasing is also helpful when you’re in the middle of a speech and you can’t remember exactly what someone said. In this situation, you can’t really pause, take out a book, and look up the exact quote. Instead, you can start by saying something like, “Frederick Douglass once said something along the lines of…” and then finish by summing up the quote in your own words.

Finally, paraphrasing is a solid option when you want to reword a broader section of text into a more concise passage . You may choose to paraphrase when you encounter an idea that seems antiquated or inaccessible to the modern reader. By putting these ideas in your own words, you can make them relevant again.

When should you summarize?

Summaries are useful when you need a little more flexibility. You can spend an entire paragraph summarizing a concept or you can sum it up in a few sentences. Other summaries take the form of entire essays.

Summaries also allow you to cut right to the core concepts that the author was trying to convey . When you summarize a piece of writing, you can eliminate all the extra bits and pieces that aren’t really relevant or necessary. At the end of the day, summaries are all about condensing information so that you can refer to key points within the original passage.

Summaries are also handy when you’re providing your reader with background information on a topic. This might be especially helpful when you’re introducing a topic at the beginning of an essay.

Alternatively, you can quickly provide background information at any stage of your essay. For example, you might introduce a new piece of literature halfway through your writing, such as The Trial by Franz Kafka. At this point, you might find it necessary to sum up the plot of The Trial before moving on.

Essentially, you should use summaries when you want to condense information and cover the main points.

Summaries and paraphrases are usually preferable to direct quotes

Both summaries and paraphrases are usually preferable to direct quotes.

It’s all too easy to fill up your entire essay with quote after quote, but what purpose does that serve? Quotes only show that you’re able to copy and paste other people’s ideas, whereas summaries and paraphrases show that you actually understand these ideas enough to restructure them or condense them.

A page filled with direct quotes also becomes tiresome for the reader, especially if you become over-reliant on one source or author. When you use too many quotes, your writing tends to lose its flow, becoming jarring and difficult to follow.

Of course, quotes have their place in your writing. As previously mentioned, they allow you to provide strong evidence for your claims and give your writing a sense of authority. However, most instructors agree that quotes should be used sparingly. Think of quotes as your secret weapon, and only pull them out when you really need them.

Using paraphrases and summaries throughout your writing allows you to make use of various pieces of source material without relying too much on direct quotes. Add a mixture of quotes, paraphrases, and summaries into your writing, and you’ll see a drastic improvement in overall quality.

Remember, there is nothing wrong with borrowing other people’s ideas to strengthen the quality of your own writing. The best writers in the world don’t hesitate to paraphrase or summarize the works of other individuals, as they understand that human literature is a collaborative process.

Each new writer carries the torch a few steps further before passing their accomplishments to the next generation. There is no shame in using powerful ideas as a foundation from which to build upon.

Key takeaways

• Summaries and paraphrases both serve to make source material easier to understand
• You should use both summaries and paraphrases when the core ideas are more important than the exact wording
• A summary is a condensed version of the source material that covers all the main points
• When you paraphrase a passage, you put it in your own words and clarify its meaning
• Direct quotes are useful when the exact wording is important
• You can use direct quotes to provide more accurate evidence for your claims
• Quotes imbue your writing with a sense of authority
• You should paraphrase when you want to show that you understand the key ideas behind a passage
• Paraphrasing allows you to make passages more relevant and accessible to your readers
• The main purpose of a paraphrase is to clarify the text
• Paraphrases can be longer, shorter, or the same length as the source passage
• Summaries are always shorter than the source material
• Summaries are selective whereas paraphrases are specific
• Summaries allow you to eliminate unnecessary information from the source material
• Summaries provide background information on a topic or idea
• Both summaries and paraphrases are usually preferable to direct quotes
• You should use direct quotes sparingly

Published October 29, 2020.

By Andy Block. Block has a B.A. in English and an M.A. in comparative literature. After teaching in Asia, Europe, and New York City, briefly, Andy taught writing at a community college for more than a decade — before transitioning to a new career in EdTech.

How useful was this post?

Click on a star to rate it!

We are sorry that this post was not useful for you!

Let us improve this post!

Tell us how we can improve this post?

What’s the Difference? Summarizing, Paraphrasing, & Quoting

• Posted on November 29, 2023 November 29, 2023

What’s the Difference? Summarizing , Paraphrasing , & Quoting

Quoting, paraphrasing , and summarizing are three methods for including the ideas or research of other writers in your own work. In academic writing , such as essay writing or research papers , it is often necessary to utilize other people’s writing.

Outside sources are helpful in providing evidence or support written claims when arguing a point or persuading an audience. Being able to link the content of a piece to similar points made by other authors illustrates that one’s writing is not based entirely off personal thoughts or opinions and has support found from other credible individuals. In scientific work such as reports or experiment related writing, being able to point to another published or peer-reviewed writer can strengthen your personal research and even aid in explaining surprising or unusual findings. In all situations, referencing outside sources also elevates the integrity and quality of your work.

When pulling information from an outside source it is critical to properly use quotations, paraphrasing , or summarizing to avoid plagiarizing from the original passage . Plagiarism is portraying another’s work, ideas, and research as one’s own, and is an extremely serious disciplinary offense. Without using proper quotations, paraphrasing and summarizing , it can be easy to unintentionally plagiarize from the original source . Including citations that reference the author also helps ensure proper credit is given, and no accidental plagiarism occurs. Regardless of if APA , MLA or Chicago style are used, a citation must accompany the work of another author.

This article will compare these three concepts, to help users become more comfortable with each of them and the differing scenarios to utilize each. The article will also provide examples and give pointers to further increase familiarity with these essential techniques and prevent the happening of plagiarism .

What is Quoting?

Quoting is the restatement of a phrase, sentence, thought, or fact that was previously written by another author. A proper direct quotation includes the identical text without any words or punctuation adjusted.

One might use a quotation when they want to use the exact words from the original author , or when the author has introduced a new concept or idea that was of their conception. Oftentimes, the author already used concise, well-thought-out wording for an idea and it may be difficult to restate without using a direct quote .

However when repeating content from someone else’s work, one must use quotation marks with a corresponding citation or it will be considered plagiarism . The proper citation may also vary based on the citation style being used.

Examples of Quoting

In order to further the understanding of how to utilize quotes, some examples of incorrect and correct quotation are provided below.

Original Text: As natural selection acts solely by accumulating slight, successive, favorable variations, it can produce no great or sudden modification; it can act only by very short and slow steps

Incorrect Quotation Example: “Because natural selection acts only by accumulating slight, successive favorable variations. It can produce no greater or sudden modification and can only act by very short and slow steps

Correct Quotation Example: “As natural selection acts solely by accumulating slight, successive, favorable variations, it can produce no great or sudden modification; it can act only by very short and slow steps,” (Darwin 510).

The bad example provided does not include the identical text or identical grammar and punctuation to that of the original source . The quote is also lacking one quotation mark and a citation to attribute the initial author. Meanwhile, the good example i s completely identical to the original text and features a correct citation, making it a great example of a quote in use.

What is Paraphrasing ?

Paraphrasing is taking the written work, thoughts, or research of another author and putting it in one’s own words . Correct paraphrasing is done through the restatement of key ideas from another person’s work, but utilizing different words to avoid copying them. Oftentimes, finding synonyms to the words used by the original author helps to paraphrase .

One would use paraphrasing when they hope to capture the key points of a written work in their own writing . Paraphrasing should also be employed when the content of the original source is more important than the wording used. This writing technique is a good strategy to maintain one’s personal writing style throughout a written work.

Similar to quoting, even paraphrased material should be accompanied by the proper citation to avoid plagiarizing the initial author.

Examples of Paraphrasing

Original Content: The Statue of Liberty, one of the most recognizable symbols of freedom and democracy across the world, was a gift of friendship to America from France. Inaugurated in 1886, the statue is 305 feet tall and represents Libertas, the Roman liberty goddess, bearing a torch in her right hand and a tablet in her left hand with the date of the US Declaration of Independence. Broken shackles lay underneath the statue’s drapery, to symbolize the end of all types of servitude and oppression.

Incorrect Paraphrasing Example: The Statue of Liberty is an evident display of freedom and democracy for the whole world, and was created by France for America to represent their friendship. The 305 foot statue of the Roman liberty goddess Libertas was installed in 1886. The Statue of Liberty has a tablet with the US Declaration of Independence date in one hand and a torch in her other. She also has broken shackles on the ground to represent an end to enslavement and oppression.

Correct Paraphrasing Example: France presented the United States with the Statue of Liberty in 1886 to commemorate the two countries friendship. The Roman goddess of liberty, Libertas, stands 305 feet tall as a well-known tribute to freedom and democracy. The statue commemorates the US Declaration of Independence though the tablet in her left hand that accompanies a torch in her right. The Statue of Liberty also celebrates an end to oppression and servitude, indicated by broken chains by her feet ( Diaz, 2019 ).

The incorrect example provided featured a sentence structure that followed too closely to that of the original text. Additionally, the writer only swapped out a few words for very common synonyms  so the paraphrased content is ultimately too similar to the original text. An academic work that used this  paraphrase  would be cited for  plagiarism .

On the other hand, the correct example featured paraphrased content that is properly cited, with variety to the sentence structure and text that includes words beyond just synonyms to words in the original content. This example also contains the main ideas, but is ultimately slightly condensed from the original text.

What Is Summarizing ?

Summarizing is providing a brief description of the key ideas from a written work. This description should be in one’s own writing , and is typically significantly shorter than the source material because it only touches on the main points .

Summaries are commonly used when a writer hopes to capture the central idea of a work, without relying on the specific wording that the original author used to explain the idea. They also can provide a background or overview of content needed to understand a topic being discussed. This strategy still captures the meaning of the original text without straying from one’s personal tone and writing style.

Unlike paraphrasing and quoting, a summary does not require an in- text citation and only occasionally needs accreditation to the original writer’s work .

Examples of Summarizing

In order to further the understanding of how to summarize content in your writing, some examples of incorrect and correct summaries for the short children’s story Goldilocks and The Three Bears are provided below.

Incorrect Summary Example: Once upon a time, Goldilocks went for a walk on the beach when she saw a house and went in it. In the house she found three bowls of soup and decided to try them all, but one was too hot, one was too cold and one was just right. Next, Goldilocks tried to sit in three different chairs but only found one that fit her perfectly. Lastly, she went to the back of the house and found three beds. Just like the soup and chairs she tested all of them before picking one that she liked the best and taking a nice long nap. The End.

Correct Summary Example: In Goldilocks and the Three Bears by Robert Southy, a young girl wanders into the house of three bears where she tastes three different porridges; sits in three different chairs; and naps in three different beds before finding one of each that fits her. Goldilocks is eventually found by the bears who are upset about her intrusion and usage of their personal belongings.

The incorrect example provided would not be considered a good summary for a few reasons. Primarily, this summary does not summarize well, as provides too much unnecessary detail and an individual would still be able to comprehend the main point of the story without it. The summary also ends without touching on the most important point , which is the lesson of the story. This summary also provides inaccurate information, and lacks a citation.

Meanwhile, the correct example is a good summary because it does not spend too much time on any certain aspect of the story. The reader is still able to understand exactly what happens to Goldilocks without consuming any non-essential details. This summary also provides completely accurate information and touches on the main point or lesson from the story.

Differences and Similarities

There are a few major differences and similarities between the three writing techniques discussed.

Quoting, paraphrasing , and summarizing are similar in that they are all writing techniques that can be used to include the work of other authors in one’s own writing . It is common for writers to use these strategies collectively in one piece to provide variety in their references and across their work. These three strategies also share the similarity of helping to prevent plagiarizing the content from the original source . All three of these methods require some form of citation and attribution to the original author to completely avoid plagiarizing.

Oppositely, the main difference between quoting, paraphrasing , and summarizing is that quoting is done word for word from the original work . Both paraphrasing and summarizing only touch on the key points and are written with some variation from the initial author’s work , usually in the style and tone of the new author. When comparing just the latter two, paraphrased material tends to be closer in length to the actual material, because it only slightly condenses the original passage . On the other hand, a summary is most likely significantly shorter than the original author’s work since this method only pulls from the most important points .

Final Thoughts

It is extremely common to utilize the previous writing of others, especially in academic writing . These original works enhance the quality and honesty of one’s work while also providing backing and emphasis to the points made.

Quoting, paraphrasing , and summarizing are all strategies for incorporating the thoughts, ideas, research, and writing from another author in one’s own work. The three methods explained are also safe strategies to employ to avoid accidental plagiarism of the original passage .

Another strategy to ensure one’s writing is properly quoted, paraphrased, and summarized is by using a plagiarism checker. Quetext provides an easy-to-use plagiarism checker that verifies the originality of work and can create citations for any sources cited throughout the paper.

Sign Up for Quetext Today!

Click below to find a pricing plan that fits your needs.

You May Also Like

Rethinking Academic Integrity Policies in the AI Era

• Posted on May 10, 2024 May 10, 2024

Jargon Phrases to Avoid in Business Writing

• Posted on May 3, 2024 May 3, 2024

Comparing Two Documents for Plagiarism: Everything You Need to Know

• Posted on April 26, 2024 April 26, 2024

Mastering Tone in Email Communication: A Guide to Professional Correspondence

• Posted on April 17, 2024

Mastering End-of-Sentence Punctuation: Periods, Question Marks, Exclamation Points, and More

• Posted on April 12, 2024

Mastering the Basics: Understanding the 4 Types of Sentences

• Posted on April 5, 2024

Can You Go to Jail for Plagiarism?

• Posted on March 22, 2024 March 22, 2024

Empowering Educators: How AI Detection Enhances Teachers’ Workload

• Posted on March 14, 2024

Input your search keywords and press Enter.

Paraphrasing, Summarizing, and Quoting: What’s the Difference?

Paraphrasing, Summarizing and Quoting Paraphrasing is when you take someone else’s ideas or words and rephrase them as your own . Summarizing is to give the reader an overview of the key points of a text . Quoting is when you write exactly what someone else has said, word for word .

Anyone who has written a paper, especially an academic paper, has struggled to answer the question: what is the difference between paraphrasing, summarizing, and quoting, and which one should I do? Do I need to use all three? Do I need to provide a citation?

Every writer needs to know how to distinguish these three tasks to write well and avoid committing plagiarism, whether accidental or intentional. Let’s take a look at the differences between paraphrasing, summarizing, and quoting so that your writing will be polished and professional every time.

Table of Content:

What is quoting, what is paraphrasing, what is summarizing, don’t commit accidental plagiarism.

Quoting is when you write exactly what someone else has said, word for word. Even if the original text contains punctuation , grammatical , or spelling errors , if you are quoting, you must include these errors!

A quote is indicated using double quotation marks, and the author and source should be cite d in either the text directly or in a footnote depending upon the citation format you are following .

There are two ways to handle a quote with incorrect spelling or grammar. The first is by correcting it using square brackets like so.

Guinea pig[s] make wonderful pets for small children.

Upgrade your writing skills

• Write with Trinka

The second is to write the Latin word sic in square brackets after the error to indicate that the error is in the original text. Sic is usually italicized. For example:

Guinea pig [ sic ] make wonderful pets for small children.

Quotes are great to use in academic writing when you want to discuss a particular author’s idea or phrasing. However, quotes should be used sparingly, and should be on the shorter side (less than a paragraph) in order to maximize the space for your own analysis and ideas. Think of quotes like salt- they add essential flavor to a dish, but should not be the main ingredient.

Unlike a quote, paraphrasing is when you take someone else’s ideas or words and rephrase them as your own. Paraphrasing is a vital skill for any writer, as much of academic writing is synthesizing information from different sources in your own words and adding your thoughts.

Many people who try to paraphrase accidentally end up committing plagiarism. Why? There are two reasons. The first reason is that people often just change a couple of words in the original writing and call it a paraphrase.

The second reason is that people fail to add the proper citation after paraphrasing. In fact, paraphrases should include the source just like a quote.

So how can you paraphrase properly? In addition to changing the specific words used, a good paraphrase changes the structure and even order of the original phrasing . Let’s take a brief example.

Original text: The pandemic as well as the war in Ukraine have stifled supply of commodities and goods and upended efficient distribution through global supply chains, forcing up prices of everyday goods such as fuel and food.

But, while higher prices will cause pain for households, growth in many parts of the world, while slow, is still ticking over and job markets have not collapsed (CNBC, May 30, 2022).

Paraphrase 1: The war in Ukraine and the pandemic have blocked the supply of commodities and goods and overturned efficient distribution through global supply chains, increasing prices of everyday goods such as fuel and food.

While higher prices will cause pain for households, growth in many parts of the world is still happening and job markets have not collapsed.

This paraphrase changes a few words around, but it is easy to see the resemblance to the original text. It is also missing a citation. This paraphrase is likely to be flagged by a plagiarism checker.

Paraphrase 2: The supply of goods and commodities has faltered due to the war in Ukraine and the pandemic as global supply chains struggle to maintain efficient distribution. This has resulted in higher prices of everyday goods like fuel and food.

Despite these difficulties, the majority of economies continue to see growth, albeit slow growth, and job markets remain solid. Households can expect short term pain from higher prices, but it seems unlikely that collapse is on the horizon (CNBC, May 30, 2022).

This paraphrase breaks up longer sentences into shorter ones, adding some of the author’s own commentary towards the end and artfully rephrasing the original ideas.  A proper in-text citation is included. The second paraphrase is acceptable.

Summarizing is similar to paraphrasing, but there are a few key differences. First, the purpose of summarizing is to give the reader an overview of the key points of a text. A paraphrase re-words information from the original text, but it does not remove any of the original ideas.

Because of this difference, summarizing deletes sections, sometimes large sections, of the original text to leave only the most critical concepts and ideas. Paraphrasing is usually around the same length as the original writing, while summarizing is much shorter than the original.

Second, summarizing can include a quote or a paraphrase from the original text. However, a paraphrase will never contain additional paraphrasing. It may contain a quote, but only in rare circumstances.

If you use a quote in your summary, don’t forget to still cite the source. This can be as simple as mentioning the author’s name and then citing it in the references section. We could summarize the above text as follows:

CNBC notes that while events including the pandemic and war in Ukraine are upending the global supply chain leading to short-term fiscal pain for households, the global economy remains in a steady, if slow, state of growth overall.

Knowing the difference between quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing is the key to avoiding accidental plagiarism. Forgetting to properly indicate a quote with quotation marks, paraphrasing incorrectly by just changing a few words, or summarizing without giving proper credit are all ways that authors can commit accidental plagiarism.

Fortunately, in addition to learning about the important differences between these three writing techniques, students, academics, and writers of all kinds can take advantage of AI writing tools as well. Tools like Trinka can help academic writers especially ensure that their writing is clear, accurate, and uses technical terminology properly.

It also reviews your references to make sure they are accurate. Enago’s plagiarism checker is another great tool to ensure that you haven’t failed to clearly paraphrase or forgotten to indicate a quote.

As you progress in your writing career, these tools can make your life easier and prevent you from making any critical errors. Give them a try today.

Go beyond grammar & spelling

Accept vs. Except: Understanding their difference for clear academic writing

Empowering Inclusive Writing for Everyone – Trinka AI Inclusive Language Check

Enter the new era of research with Enago Read Copilot

“Many” vs. “Much” — Understanding the difference for effective writing

Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

Your email address will not be published.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Subscribe to stay updated with us!

Join thousands of subscribers to get regular updates on industry trends and our blog posts.

Home / Guides / Citation Guides / Citation Basics / Quoting vs. Paraphrasing vs. Summarizing

Quoting vs. Paraphrasing vs. Summarizing

If you’ve ever written a research essay, you know the struggle is real. Should you use a direct quote? Should you put it in your own words? And how is summarizing different from paraphrasing—aren’t they kind of the same thing?

Knowing how you should include your source takes some finesse, and knowing when to quote directly, paraphrase, or summarize can make or break your argument. Let’s take a look at the nuances among these three ways  of using an outside source in an essay.

What is quoting?

The concept of quoting is pretty straightforward. If you use quotation marks, you must use precisely the same words as the original , even if the language is vulgar or the grammar is incorrect. In fact, when scholars quote writers with bad grammar, they may correct it by using typographical notes [like this] to show readers they have made a change.

“I never like[d] peas as a child.”

Conversely, if a passage with odd or incorrect language is quoted as is, the note [sic] may be used to show that no changes were made to the original language despite any errors.

“I never like [sic] peas as a child.”

The professional world looks very seriously on quotations. You cannot change a single comma or letter without documentation when you quote a source. Not only that, but the quote must be accompanied by an attribution, commonly called a citation. A misquote or failure to cite can be considered plagiarism.

When writing an academic paper, scholars must use in-text citations in parentheses followed by a complete entry on a references page. When you quote someone using MLA format , for example, it might look like this:

“The orphan is above all a character out of place, forced to make his or her own home in the world. The novel itself grew up as a genre representing the efforts of an ordinary individual to navigate his or her way through the trials of life. The orphan is therefore an essentially novelistic character, set loose from established conventions to face a world of endless possibilities (and dangers)” (Mullan).

This quote is from www.bl.uk/romantics-and-victorians/articles/orphans-in-fiction , which discusses the portrayal of orphans in Victorian English literature. The citation as it would look on the references page (called Works Cited in MLA) is available at the end of this guide.

What is paraphrasing?

Paraphrasing means taking a quote and putting it in your own words.

You translate what another writer has said into terms both you and your reader can more easily understand. Unlike summarizing, which focuses on the big picture, paraphrasing is involved with single lines or passages. Paraphrasing means you should focus only on segments of a text.

Paraphrasing is a way for you to start processing the information from your source . When you take a quote and put it into your own words, you are already working to better understand, and better explain, the information.

The more you can change the quote without changing the original meaning , the better. How can you make significant changes to a text without changing the meaning?

Here are a few paraphrasing techniques:

• Use synonyms of words
• Change the order of words
• Change the order of clauses in the sentences
• Move sentences around in a section
• Active – passive
• Positive – negative
• Statement-question

Let’s look at an example. Here is a direct quote from the article on orphans in Victorian literature:

“It is no accident that the most famous character in recent fiction – Harry Potter – is an orphan. The child wizard’s adventures are premised on the death of his parents and the responsibilities that he must therefore assume. If we look to classic children’s fiction we find a host of orphans” (Mullan).

Here is a possible paraphrase:

It’s not a mistake that a well-known protagonist in current fiction is an orphan: Harry Potter. His quests are due to his parents dying and tasks that he is now obligated to complete. You will see that orphans are common protagonists if you look at other classic fiction (Mullan).

What differences do you spot? There are synonyms. A few words were moved around. A few clauses were moved around. But do you see that the basic structure is very similar?

This kind of paraphrase might be flagged by a plagiarism checker. Don’t paraphrase like that.

Here is a better example:

What is the most well-known fact about beloved character, Harry Potter? That he’s an orphan – “the boy who lived”. In fact, it is only because his parents died that he was thrust into his hero’s journey. Throughout classic children’s literature, you’ll find many orphans as protagonists (Mullan).

Do you see that this paraphrase has more differences? The basic information is there, but the structure is quite different.

When you paraphrase, you are making choices: of how to restructure information, of how to organize and prioritize it.  These choices reflect your voice in a way a direct quote cannot, since a direct quote is, by definition, someone else’s voice.

Which is better: Quoting or paraphrasing?

Although the purpose of both quoting and paraphrasing is to introduce the ideas of an external source, they are used for different reasons. It’s not that one is better than the other, but rather that quoting suits some purposes better, while paraphrasing is more suitable for others.

A direct quote is better when you feel the writer made the point perfectly and there is no reason to change a thing. If the writer has a strong voice and you want to preserve that, use a direct quote.

For example, no one should ever try to paraphrase John. F. Kenney’s famous line: “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.”

However, think of direct quotes like a hot pepper: go ahead and sprinkle them around to add some spice to your paper, but… you might not want to overdo it.

Conversely, paraphrasing is useful when you want to bring in a longer section of a source into your piece, but you don’t have room for the full passage . A paraphrase doesn’t simplify the passage to an extreme level, like a summary would. Rather, it condenses the section of text into something more useful for your essay. It’s also appropriate to paraphrase when there are sentences within a passage that you want to leave out.

If you were to paraphrase the section of the article about Victorian orphans mentioned earlier, you might write something like this:

Considering the development of the novel, which portrayed everyday people making their way through life, using an orphan as a protagonist was effective. Orphans are characters that, by definition, need to find their way alone. The author can let the protagonist venture out into the world where the anything, good or bad, might happen (Mullan).

You’ll notice a couple of things here. One, there are no quotation marks, but there is still an in-text citation (the name in parentheses). A paraphrase lacks quotation marks because you aren’t directly quoting, but it still needs a citation because you are using a specific segment of the text. It is still someone else’s original idea and must be cited.

Secondly, if you look at the original quote, you’ll see that five lines of text are condensed into four and a half lines. Everything the author used has been changed.

A single paragraph of text has been explained in different words—which is the heart of paraphrasing.

What is summarizing?

Next, we come to summarizing. Summarizing is on a much larger scale than quoting or paraphrasing. While similar to paraphrasing in that you use your own words, a summary’s primary focus is on translating the main idea of an entire document or long section.

Summaries are useful because they allow you to mention entire chapters or articles—or longer works—in only a few sentences. However, summaries can be longer and more in-depth. They can actually include quotes and paraphrases. Keep in mind, though, that since a summary condenses information, look for the main points. Don’t include a lot of details in a summary.

In literary analysis essays, it is useful to include one body paragraph that summarizes the work you’re writing about. It might be helpful to quote or paraphrase specific lines that contribute to the main themes of such a work. Here is an example summarizing the article on orphans in Victorian literature:

In John Mullan’s article “Orphans in Fiction” on bl.uk.com, he reviews the use of orphans as protagonists in 19 th century Victorian literature. Mullan argues that orphans, without family attachments, are effective characters that can be “unleashed to discover the world.” This discovery process often leads orphans to expose dangerous aspects of society, while maintaining their innocence. As an example, Mullan examines how many female orphans wind up as governesses, demonstrating the usefulness of a main character that is obligated to find their own way.

This summary includes the main ideas of the article, one paraphrase, and one direct quote. A ten-paragraph article is summarized into one single paragraph.

As for giving source credit, since the author’s name and title of the source are stated at the beginning of the summary paragraph, you don’t need an in-text citation.

How do I know which one to use?

The fact is that writers use these three reference types (quoting, paraphrasing, summarizing) interchangeably. The key is to pay attention to your argument development. At some points, you will want concrete, firm evidence. Quotes are perfect for this.

At other times, you will want general support for an argument, but the text that includes such support is long-winded. A paraphrase is appropriate in this case.

Finally, sometimes you may need to mention an entire book or article because it is so full of evidence to support your points. In these cases, it is wise to take a few sentences or even a full paragraph to summarize the source.

No matter which type you use, you always need to cite your source on a References or Works Cited page at the end of the document. The MLA works cited entry for the text we’ve been using today looks like this:

Mullan, John. Orphans in Fiction” www.bl.uk/romantics-and-victorians/articles/orphans-in-fiction.  Accessed 20. Oct. 2020

————–

See our related lesson with video:  How to Quote and Paraphrase Evidence

Citation Guides

• Annotated Bibliography
• Block Quotes
• Citation Examples
• et al Usage
• In-text Citations
• Page Numbers
• Reference Page
• Sample Paper
• APA 7 Updates
• View APA Guide
• Bibliography
• Works Cited
• MLA 8 Updates
• View MLA Guide

How useful was this post?

Click on a star to rate it!

We are sorry that this post was not useful for you!

Let us improve this post!

Tell us how we can improve this post?

Citation Basics

Harvard Referencing

Plagiarism Basics

Plagiarism Checker

Upload a paper to check for plagiarism against billions of sources and get advanced writing suggestions for clarity and style.

Get Started

• Organizations
• Planning & Activities
• Product & Services
• Structure & Systems
• Career & Education
• Entertainment
• Fashion & Beauty
• Political Institutions
• SmartPhones
• Protocols & Formats
• Communication
• Web Applications
• Household Equipments
• Career and Certifications
• Diet & Fitness
• Mathematics & Statistics
• Processed Foods
• Vegetables & Fruits

Difference Between Paraphrasing and Summarizing

• Categorized under Language | Difference Between Paraphrasing and Summarizing

Paraphrasing vs Summarizing

Paraphrasing and summarizing are both related terms. They are often confusing for people. Paraphrasing and summarizing are essential techniques for an effective and efficient essay. These are an absolute must when dealing with scientific concepts. Both paraphrasing and summarizing are allowed and accepted till due credit is given to the original source, and only till the work is not copied and is free from any kind of plagiarism.

Paraphrasing Paraphrasing is reading over a text and interpreting it in one’s own words without changing the meaning of the original text. This excludes copying of text in any form. It is like grabbing the idea about a topic from another writer’s work then transforming it into your own method of thoughts and words. Paraphrased material is almost equal to or slightly shorter in comparison to the original material. Paraphrasing is required sometimes to prove your point. It provides support and adds credibility to your own writing. It is also used to add depth to your work. Paraphrasing is used;

When another writer’s work has to be used. When quotes are not used in the text. When the ideas have a greater relevance than the style of writing. When you want to simplify the work of another person.

Summarizing Summarizing is the tool in writing which is used when you need the main idea of the text. It is a condensed form of the written text in your own words with only the highlights of the text. A summary is much shorter than the original text. It excludes the explanation of the text. Only the main idea or the basic information is included. Summarizing is used to refer to work that culminates into the present writing that you are doing. It is sometimes used when you want to draw attention to an important point. It is also applicable when you want to distance yourself from the original text.

Summarizing is used;

When only the main ideas of the writer are to be identified. When only an overview of the whole work is required. When simplification is required. When only the main highlights of the work have to be mentioned.

1.Paraphrasing is writing any particular text in your own words while summarizing is mentioning only the main points of any work in your own words. 2.Paraphrasing is almost equal to or somewhat less than the original text while summarizing is substantially shorter than the original. 3.Paraphrasing may be done for the purpose of simplifying the original work while summarizing is done to mention only the major points without any kind of explanation about the matter.

• Recent Posts
• Difference Between Data Mining and Data Warehousing - October 21, 2012
• Difference Between 7-Keto DHEA and DHEA - October 20, 2012
• Difference Between Tamil and Malayalam - October 18, 2012

Sharing is caring!

• Pinterest 2

Search DifferenceBetween.net :

• Difference Between Quoting and Paraphrasing
• Difference Between Author and Writer
• Difference Between Theme and Topic
• Difference between main idea and theme in literature
• Difference Between Academic Writing and Business Writing

Cite APA 7 Kaushik, N. (2011, May 20). Difference Between Paraphrasing and Summarizing. Difference Between Similar Terms and Objects. http://www.differencebetween.net/language/difference-between-paraphrasing-and-summarizing/. MLA 8 Kaushik, Nimisha. "Difference Between Paraphrasing and Summarizing." Difference Between Similar Terms and Objects, 20 May, 2011, http://www.differencebetween.net/language/difference-between-paraphrasing-and-summarizing/.

Leave a Response

Name ( required )

Email ( required )

Please note: comment moderation is enabled and may delay your comment. There is no need to resubmit your comment.

Notify me of followup comments via e-mail

Written by : Nimisha Kaushik. and updated on 2011, May 20 Articles on DifferenceBetween.net are general information, and are not intended to substitute for professional advice. The information is "AS IS", "WITH ALL FAULTS". User assumes all risk of use, damage, or injury. You agree that we have no liability for any damages.

Advertisments

More in 'language'.

• Difference Between Fear and Anxiety
• Difference Between Center and Centre
• Difference Between Editing and Proofreading
• Difference Between Then and Than
• Difference Between Affect and Effect

Top Difference Betweens

Get new comparisons in your inbox:, most emailed comparisons, editor's picks.

• Difference Between MAC and IP Address
• Difference Between Platinum and White Gold
• Difference Between Civil and Criminal Law
• Difference Between GRE and GMAT
• Difference Between Immigrants and Refugees
• Difference Between DNS and DHCP
• Difference Between Computer Engineering and Computer Science
• Difference Between Men and Women
• Difference Between Book value and Market value
• Difference Between Red and White wine
• Difference Between Depreciation and Amortization
• Difference Between Bank and Credit Union
• Difference Between White Eggs and Brown Eggs

BibGuru Blog

Be more productive in school

• Citation Styles

Quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing: what’s the difference?

When you write a research paper, you’re required to include evidence from scholarly sources in order to prove your thesis. In this post, we discuss the three most common ways to include source material in your research paper: quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing.

What is quoting?

When you quote, you use exact words from a source in between quotation marks. You may want to quote directly from a source when the information is particularly complex or when the quote expresses an idea or point in a way that perfectly captures the situation, concept, or thought.

If you’re using a quote that is more than four lines, you should include the material as a block quote. To learn more about how to quote, take a look at our tips for integrating quotes into a research paper. Always include an in-text citation after the quoted material.

What is paraphrasing?

When you paraphrase, you re-write borrowed material in your own words. Paraphrasing requires you to change the words of the quote without changing their meaning.

Paraphrases are typically shorter than the quotes that they restate and always require an in-text citation that credits the original source material.

What is summarizing?

A summary provides an overview of an idea or topic. You might wish to summarize parts of a source if you’re writing a literature review as part of a longer research paper.

Summarizing requires you to sum up the key points of a text, argument, or idea. A summary will be shorter than the original material. Even if you’re not using any of the source’s exact words in your summary, you still need to include an in-text citation.

How do you know when to quote, paraphrase, or summarize material?

Quotes, paraphrases, and summaries are simply different ways of presenting borrowed information. However, there are definitely situations in which one mode may be better than another.

When to use quotes

While it’s a myth that you should avoid using quotes as much as possible in a research paper, you do need to ensure that you are using them effectively. Turning in a paper full quotes is certainly not a good idea, but quotes can be useful if:

• you are trying to make a particularly complex point
• you intend to analyze or interpret a quote’s language
• you need to provide a definition of something
• a quote perfectly encapsulates an idea that is important to your argument

When to paraphrase

Paraphrasing allows you to confirm that you fully understand a quote’s meaning and to explain that content in your own words. There may be several reasons why you would choose to paraphrase a passage, rather than quote it. You might use paraphrase if:

• the material is relatively easy to describe
• you don’t wish to break up the flow of your writing with quotes
• you don’t intend to provide analysis of the information
• you want to combine material from several sources

When to summarize

Summary allows you to synthesize a larger amount of information from a single source or multiple sources. An effective summary will highlight the key points of a text in a concise manner. In a research paper, you’ll primarily use summary in the literature review or state-of-the-field section.

Examples of quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing

Quoting example.

When you quote, you should always try to “sandwich” the quote in your own words. You can also break up longer quotes with ellipses, or with snippets like “Smith explains.” For instance, in the example below, the writer uses her own words to lead into, and out of, the quotes.

Jenna Lay claims that “Catholic women resisted any easy demarcation between a Catholic medieval past and a Protestant, reformed present in both their religious practices and their print and manuscript books,” an argument that can be extended to include entire Catholic families (16). However, despite the fact that scholars such as Patton, Lay, and Jennifer Summit have argued that “we stand to learn much when we determine […] whether the early modern collector of a medieval devotional book was a Catholic or Protestant,” few studies have explored in any depth how Catholics used their books in the post-Reformation period.

Paraphrasing example

In the example below, the writer succinctly paraphrases one of the main points of a book chapter. Even though there are no direct quotes, she still includes an in-text, parenthetical citation at the end of the paraphrase.

Elizabeth Patton, in her research on Catholic women’s bookscapes, contends that the staunchest Catholic families maintained textual networks in which they circulated books that were banned in Protestant England, including copies of medieval devotional manuscripts (117).

Summarizing example

In the following summary, the writer uses her own words to provide a concise, yet thorough, summary of an article’s purpose and use of evidence. Again, although no direct quotes are included, the writer adds an in-text citation at the end of the example.

To establish the importance of this main point, Raghavan and Pargman firstly explore two related paradigms in sustainable HCI research: sustainable computing and computing for sustainability. The latter, they argue, has been simultaneously under- and overdeveloped and offers little in the way of practical solutions for how computing can lessen humans’ ecological impact. As a result, they focus on computing for sustainability and explore how disintermediation can catalyze solutions across several key categories, including value, class, labor, and social control. Importantly, they note that policy solutions have failed to fully address the relationship between computing and sustainability (1-2).

In-text citations for quotes, paraphrases, and summaries

Whether you’re quoting exact words from a text, paraphrasing a quote in your own words, or summarizing someone else’s work, you’ll need to include in-text citations for any borrowed material.

You can use BibGuru to create in-text citations in MLA , APA , or any major citation style . Most in-text citations are in the form of parenthetical citations . It’s always a good idea to consult your assignment guidelines, or your instructor, to find out which citation style is required for your paper.

Frequently Asked Questions about quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing

When you quote, you use exact words from a source in between quotation marks. When you paraphrase, you re-write borrowed material in your own words.

Paraphrasing requires you to change the words of the quote without changing their meaning.

Summarizing requires you to sum up the key points of a text, argument, or idea. A summary will be shorter than the original material. Even if you’re not using any of the author’s exact words in your summary, you still need to include an in-text citation.

When you quote, you should always try to “sandwich” the quote in your own words. You can also break up longer quotes with ellipses or with snippets like “Smith explains.” For instance, in the example below, the writer uses her owd words to lead into, and out of, the quote.

Paraphrasing allows you to confirm that you fully understand a quote’s meaning and to explain that content in your own words.

Make your life easier with our productivity and writing resources.

For students and teachers.