how to cite an author when paraphrasing

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Academic Writing

How to Cite a Paraphrased Statement

Last Updated: December 9, 2022 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Jennifer Mueller, JD . Jennifer Mueller is a wikiHow Content Creator. She specializes in reviewing, fact-checking, and evaluating wikiHow's content to ensure thoroughness and accuracy. Jennifer holds a JD from Indiana University Maurer School of Law in 2006. There are 12 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 43,391 times. Learn more...

When you write a research paper, you integrate material from outside sources with your own thoughts or ideas about a topic. Generally, use an in-text citation for anything other than your original words. A paraphrased statement, generally, is cited the same way a direct quote would be. The in-text citation directs your readers to the reference list at the end of your paper, which provides a more detailed description of the source material used. The specific format of your in-text citations and your reference list varies depending on which citation style you use. [1] X Research source

Placing Citations in Text

Step 1 Provide a citation for all information pulled from another source.

You don't have to cite commonly known and accepted facts. However, you always need to cite ideas. If you're not sure whether a fact is commonly known or not, err on the side of caution and provide a citation.
In most cases, the in-text citation falls at the end of the sentence that contains the information from the source. Some citation styles, however, require the citation immediately after the paraphrased information, even if that happens to be in the middle of a sentence.

Step 2 Follow the formatting guidelines for your citation style.

Modern Language Association (MLA) style uses an author-page number format for parenthetical citations in the body of your paper. If the source isn't paginated, simply leave that part out and include only the author's last name.
American Psychological Association (APA) style uses an author-date format for parenthetical citations in the body of your paper. [4] X Research source
The Chicago style accepts 2 different methods of in-text citation. You may either use the author-date format, similar to APA style, or you may have footnotes and a bibliography. Chicago-style footnotes include the same information as the full citation in the bibliography, but with slightly different formatting. [5] X Research source

Step 3 Cite after every sentence with a quote or paraphrase.

The only exception to this rule is a longer block quote set off from the rest of your text. A block quote only requires one citation, at the very end.
Generally, you want to avoid having several sentences in a row that paraphrase from the same source. Type a sentence paraphrasing from the source, then add your own thoughts or analysis of that information in the next sentence.

Step 4 Separate multiple sources with semi-colons.

You can also use this format to indicate several sources with more information about a topic that is related to your topic, but beyond the scope of your research. You generally don't have to include full citations to such sources in your reference list.

Step 5 Include a page number for direct quotes.

If the source is not paginated, some styles require you to use an abbreviation, such as "n.p." Check your style guide to be sure.
MLA and Chicago, among other styles, do not require the abbreviation "p." or "pp." before page numbers. However, APA and others do.
If you're citing a video or audio recording that has a runtime, include the timestamp range for the specific material you're quoting. [10] X Trustworthy Source Purdue Online Writing Lab Trusted resource for writing and citation guidelines Go to source

Step 6 Use signal phrases in your text wherever possible.

Example sentence with signal phrase, APA style: Jones (1998) found "students often had difficulty using APA style" (p. 199).
Same sentence without signal phrase, APA style: Research has shown that "students often had difficulty using APA style" (Jones, 1998, p. 199).

Creating a Reference List

Step 1 Build your reference list before you draft your paper.

Your reference list (also called a bibliography or "Works Cited") includes a full citation for every research source you used for your research project. If you compile the list before you start writing, the writing process will be less disjointed, and you'll run less of a risk of leaving something off.
Once you finish writing your paper, go through it and place a mark next to each reference on your reference list that appears in an in-text citation. If any of the sources on your reference list are unmarked, remove them from your reference list.

Step 2 Format your reference list according to style guidelines.

Look over the rules before you start building your reference list, especially if you're using a different style for the first time.
If the rules seem confusing, ask your instructor or a reference librarian for a sample reference list written using that style.

Step 3 Include an entry for every source cited in your paper.

For most common citation styles, sources are listed in alphabetical order by the first word in the full citation (usually the author's last name). If you happen to use more than one work by the same author, list them in chronological order starting with the earliest publication date.
In rare instances, you may need to include a source in your references that you never cited in the text of your paper. For example, if you're writing a paper about dictatorial regimes and describe them as "Orwellian," you may want to include George Orwell's novel 1984 in your reference list, even though you never cited the novel directly. [15] X Research source

Quoting or Paraphrasing a Source

Step 1 Take abbreviated notes as you read a source.

Try to avoid looking at the source at all while you're writing. You might inadvertently plagiarize the original content – especially if the author is a particularly efficient writer. Look at the original passage after you've finished your paraphrase to ensure your wording is sufficiently different.

Step 2 Change the structure of the original passage.

For example, suppose your source says "Students have difficulty with new citation styles, usually because they didn't buy a copy of the style guide or ask their instructors enough questions." You can move the start to the middle and paraphrase to say "When students don't have their own copy of the style guide, they have more difficulty adapting to a new citation style."

Step 3 Use synonyms to further distance your paraphrase from the original.

For example, suppose your source equates EU import rules with "trade protectionism" rather than "reasonable consumer protection." An effective paraphrase could state "EU import rules seem to benefit EU companies more than consumers."
After you've changed the structure of the original passage, go back to the source and underline all phrases in your paraphrase that are identical to the original. Try to change as many of these as possible.
You can use a thesaurus to find alternate words, but stay away from direct synonyms. For example, if the original source uses the word "feline," changing that word to "cat" won't necessarily help improve your paraphrase.

Step 4 Place quotation marks around unique phrases.

Example: It would be easy for US companies to conclude that EU import restrictions and labeling rules amount to "trade protectionism," because they do little to assist consumers.

Step 5 Quote the source directly if the passage is unique or compelling.

Different styles vary in how long a direct quote can be before you have to set it off as a block quote. Generally, you can quote in line with your text if the quote is fewer than 40 words, or the equivalent of a line or two of text.

Step 6 Separate longer quotes from the main text.

When you use a block quote, you only need a citation at the end of the block, regardless of how many sentences you quote.
Generally, block quotes should be limited. Only use them if absolutely necessary, and try to limit the length to 3 or 4 sentences at the most.

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How to Paraphrase | Step-by-Step Guide & Examples

How to Paraphrase | Step-by-Step Guide & Examples

Published on April 8, 2022 by Courtney Gahan and Jack Caulfield. Revised on June 1, 2023.

Paraphrasing means putting someone else’s ideas into your own words. Paraphrasing a source involves changing the wording while preserving the original meaning.

Paraphrasing is an alternative to quoting (copying someone’s exact words and putting them in quotation marks ). In academic writing, it’s usually better to integrate sources by paraphrasing instead of quoting. It shows that you have understood the source, reads more smoothly, and keeps your own voice front and center.

Every time you paraphrase, it’s important to cite the source . Also take care not to use wording that is too similar to the original. Otherwise, you could be at risk of committing plagiarism .

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How to paraphrase in five easy steps, how to paraphrase correctly, examples of paraphrasing, how to cite a paraphrase, paraphrasing vs. quoting, paraphrasing vs. summarizing, avoiding plagiarism when you paraphrase, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about paraphrasing.

If you’re struggling to get to grips with the process of paraphrasing, check out our easy step-by-step guide in the video below.

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

Putting an idea into your own words can be easier said than done. Let’s say you want to paraphrase the text below, about population decline in a particular species of sea snails.

Incorrect paraphrasing

You might make a first attempt to paraphrase it by swapping out a few words for synonyms .

Like other sea creatures inhabiting the vicinity of highly populated coasts, horse conchs have lost substantial territory to advancement and contamination , including preferred breeding grounds along mud flats and seagrass beds. Their Gulf home is also heating up due to global warming , which scientists think further puts pressure on the creatures , predicated upon the harmful effects extra warmth has on other large mollusks (Barnett, 2022).

This attempt at paraphrasing doesn’t change the sentence structure or order of information, only some of the word choices. And the synonyms chosen are poor:

“Advancement and contamination” doesn’t really convey the same meaning as “development and pollution.”
Sometimes the changes make the tone less academic: “home” for “habitat” and “sea creatures” for “marine animals.”
Adding phrases like “inhabiting the vicinity of” and “puts pressure on” makes the text needlessly long-winded.
Global warming is related to climate change, but they don’t mean exactly the same thing.

Because of this, the text reads awkwardly, is longer than it needs to be, and remains too close to the original phrasing. This means you risk being accused of plagiarism .

Correct paraphrasing

Let’s look at a more effective way of paraphrasing the same text.

Here, we’ve:

Only included the information that’s relevant to our argument (note that the paraphrase is shorter than the original)
Introduced the information with the signal phrase “Scientists believe that …”
Retained key terms like “development and pollution,” since changing them could alter the meaning
Structured sentences in our own way instead of copying the structure of the original
Started from a different point, presenting information in a different order

Because of this, we’re able to clearly convey the relevant information from the source without sticking too close to the original phrasing.

Explore the tabs below to see examples of paraphrasing in action.

Journal article
Newspaper article
Magazine article

Once you have your perfectly paraphrased text, you need to ensure you credit the original author. You’ll always paraphrase sources in the same way, but you’ll have to use a different type of in-text citation depending on what citation style you follow.

Generate accurate citations with Scribbr

Scribbr citation checker new.

The AI-powered Citation Checker helps you avoid common mistakes such as:

Missing commas and periods
Incorrect usage of “et al.”
Ampersands (&) in narrative citations
Missing reference entries

It’s a good idea to paraphrase instead of quoting in most cases because:

Paraphrasing shows that you fully understand the meaning of a text
Your own voice remains dominant throughout your paper
Quotes reduce the readability of your text

But that doesn’t mean you should never quote. Quotes are appropriate when:

Giving a precise definition
Saying something about the author’s language or style (e.g., in a literary analysis paper)
Providing evidence in support of an argument
Critiquing or analyzing a specific claim

A paraphrase puts a specific passage into your own words. It’s typically a similar length to the original text, or slightly shorter.

When you boil a longer piece of writing down to the key points, so that the result is a lot shorter than the original, this is called summarizing .

Paraphrasing and quoting are important tools for presenting specific information from sources. But if the information you want to include is more general (e.g., the overarching argument of a whole article), summarizing is more appropriate.

When paraphrasing, you have to be careful to avoid accidental plagiarism .

This can happen if the paraphrase is too similar to the original quote, with phrases or whole sentences that are identical (and should therefore be in quotation marks). It can also happen if you fail to properly cite the source.

Paraphrasing tools are widely used by students, and can be especially useful for non-native speakers who may find academic writing particularly challenging. While these can be helpful for a bit of extra inspiration, use these tools sparingly, keeping academic integrity in mind.

To make sure you’ve properly paraphrased and cited all your sources, you could elect to run a plagiarism check before submitting your paper. And of course, always be sure to read your source material yourself and take the first stab at paraphrasing on your own.

If you want to know more about ChatGPT, AI tools , citation , and plagiarism , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

ChatGPT vs human editor
ChatGPT citations
Is ChatGPT trustworthy?
Using ChatGPT for your studies
What is ChatGPT?
Chicago style
Critical thinking

Plagiarism

Types of plagiarism
Self-plagiarism
Avoiding plagiarism
Academic integrity
Consequences of plagiarism
Common knowledge

To paraphrase effectively, don’t just take the original sentence and swap out some of the words for synonyms. Instead, try:

Reformulating the sentence (e.g., change active to passive , or start from a different point)
Combining information from multiple sentences into one
Leaving out information from the original that isn’t relevant to your point
Using synonyms where they don’t distort the meaning

The main point is to ensure you don’t just copy the structure of the original text, but instead reformulate the idea in your own words.

Paraphrasing without crediting the original author is a form of plagiarism , because you’re presenting someone else’s ideas as if they were your own.

However, paraphrasing is not plagiarism if you correctly cite the source . This means including an in-text citation and a full reference, formatted according to your required citation style .

As well as citing, make sure that any paraphrased text is completely rewritten in your own words.

Plagiarism means using someone else’s words or ideas and passing them off as your own. Paraphrasing means putting someone else’s ideas in your own words.

So when does paraphrasing count as plagiarism?

Paraphrasing is plagiarism if you don’t properly credit the original author.
Paraphrasing is plagiarism if your text is too close to the original wording (even if you cite the source). If you directly copy a sentence or phrase, you should quote it instead.
Paraphrasing is not plagiarism if you put the author’s ideas completely in your own words and properly cite the source .

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To present information from other sources in academic writing , it’s best to paraphrase in most cases. This shows that you’ve understood the ideas you’re discussing and incorporates them into your text smoothly.

It’s appropriate to quote when:

Changing the phrasing would distort the meaning of the original text
You want to discuss the author’s language choices (e.g., in literary analysis )
You’re presenting a precise definition
You’re looking in depth at a specific claim

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

Gahan, C. & Caulfield, J. (2023, June 01). How to Paraphrase | Step-by-Step Guide & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved April 9, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/working-with-sources/how-to-paraphrase/

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Other students also liked, how to write a summary | guide & examples, how to quote | citing quotes in apa, mla & chicago, how to avoid plagiarism | tips on citing sources, "i thought ai proofreading was useless but..".

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APA Citation Style, 7th Edition: In-Text Citations & Paraphrasing

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When do I use in-text citations?

When should you add in-text citations in your paper .

There are several rules of thumb you can follow to make sure that you are citing your paper correctly in APA 7 format.

Think of your paper broken up into paragraphs. When you start a paragraph, the first time you add a sentence that has been paraphrased from a reference -> that's when you need to add an in-text citation.
Continue writing your paragraph, you do NOT need to add another in-text citation until: 1) You are paraphrasing from a NEW source, which means you need to cite NEW information OR 2) You need to cite a DIRECT quote, which includes a page number, paragraph number or Section title.
Important to remember : You DO NOT need to add an in-text citation after EVERY sentence of your paragraph.

Paragraph Rules of Thumb: Cite after 1st paraphrase, continue writing, add a new cite for a new source or a direct quote.

What do in-text citations look like?

In-text citation styles: , let's look at these examples if they were written in text: .

An example with 1 author:

Parenthetical citation: Following American Psychological Association (APA) style guidelines will help you to cultivate your own unique academic voice as an expert in your field (Forbes, 2020).

Narrative citation : Forbes (2020) shared that by following American Psychological Association (APA) guidelines, students would learn to find their own voice as experts in the field of nursing.

An example with 2 authors:

Parenthetical citation: Research on the use of progressive muscle relaxation for stress reduction has demonstrated the efficacy of the method (Bennett & Miller, 2019).

Narrative citation: As shared by Bennett and Miller (2019), research on the use of progressive muscle relaxation for stress reduction has demonstrated the efficacy of the method.

An example with 3 authors:

Parenthetical citation: Guided imagery has also been shown to reduce stress, length of hospital stay, and symptoms related to medical and psychological conditions (Jones et al., 2020).

Narrative citation: Jones et al. (2020) shared that guided imagery has also been shown to reduce stress, length of hospital stay, and symptoms related to medical and psychological conditions.

An example with a group/corporate author:

Parenthetical citation: Dr. Philip G. Rogers, senior vice president at the American Council on Education, was recently elected as the newest chancellor of the university (East Carolina University, 2020).

Narrative citation: Recently shared on the East Carolina University (2020) website, Dr. Philip G. Rogers, senior vice president at the American Council on Education, was elected as the newest chancellor.

Tips on Paraphrasing

Paraphrasing is recreating someone else's ideas into your own words & thoughts, without changing the original meaning (gahan, 2020). .

Here are some best practices when you are paraphrasing:

How do I learn to paraphrase? IF you are thoroughly reading and researching articles or book chapters for a paper, you will start to take notes in your own words . Those notes are the beginning of paraphrased information.
Read the original information, PUT IT AWAY, then rewrite the ideas in your own words . This is hard to do at first, it takes practice, but this is how you start to paraphrase.
It's usually better to paraphrase, than to use too many direct quotes.
When you start to paraphrase, cite your source.
Make sure not to use language that is TOO close to the original, so that you are not committing plagiarism.
Use theasaurus.com to help you come up with like/similar phrases if you are struggling.
Paraphrasing (vs. using direct quotes) is important because it shows that YOU ACTUALLY UNDERSTAND the information you are reading.
Paraphrasing ALLOWS YOUR VOICE to be prevalent in your writing.
The best time to use direct quotes is when you need to give an exact definition, provide specific evidence, or if you need to use the original writer's terminology.
BEST PRACTICE PER PARAGRAPH: On your 1st paraphrase of a source, CITE IT. There is no need to add another in-text citation until you use a different source, OR, until you use a direct quote.

References :

Gahan, C. (2020, October 15). How to paraphrase sources . Scribbr.com . https://tinyurl.com/y7ssxc6g

Citing Direct Quotes

When should i use a direct quote in my paper .

Direct quotes should only be used occasionally:

When you need to share an exact definition
When you want to provide specific evidence or information that cannot be paraphrased
When you want to use the original writer's terminology

From: https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/whaddyamean/

Definitions of direct quotes:

Western Oregon University's APA Guidelines on Direct Quotes This is an excellent quick tutorial on how to format direct quotes in APA 7th edition. Bookmark this page for future reference!

Carrie Forbes, MLS

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APA Citation Guide (7th edition) : Paraphrasing

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Paraphrasing

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In-Text Citation for Group or Corporate Authors

No author and/or no date.

When you write information from a source in your own words, cite the source by adding an in-text citation at the end of the paraphrased portion as follows:

Mother-infant attachment became a leading topic of developmental research following the publication of John Bowlby's studies (Hunt, 1993).

Note : If you refer to the author's name in a sentence you do not have to include the name again as part of your in-text citation, instead include the year of publication following his/her name:

Hunt (1993) noted that mother-infant attachment became a leading topic of developmental research after the publication of John Bowlby's studies.

Original Source

Homeless individuals commonly come from families who are riddled with problems and marital disharmony, and are alienated from their parents. They have often been physically and even sexually abused, have relocated frequently, and many of them may be asked to leave home or are actually thrown out, or alternatively are placed in group homes or in foster care. They often have no one to care for them and no one knows them intimately.

Source from:

Rokach, A. (2005). The causes of loneliness in homeless youth. The Journal of Psychology , 139, 469-480.

Example: Incorrect Paraphrasing

The homeless come from families with problems. Frequently, they have been physically or sexually abused, or have lived in group homes. Usually no one cares for them or knows them intimately (Rokach, 2005).

Note : In this incorrect example the writing is too similar to the original source. The student only changed or removed a few words and has not phrased the ideas in a new way.

Example: Correct Paraphrasing

Many homeless experience isolation in part due to suffering from abuse or neglect during their childhood (Rokach, 2005).

Note : The example keeps the idea of the original writing but phrases it in a new way.

In-Text Citation For Two or More Authors/Editors

No Known Author:

Note that in most cases where a personal author is not named, a group author may be cited instead (eg. Statistics Canada). However, in certain cases, such as religious ancient texts, the author is unknown. Where you'd normally put the author's last name, instead use the first one, two, or three words from the title. Don't count initial articles like "A", "An" or "The". You should provide enough words to make it clear which work you're referring to from your References List.

If the title in the References list is in italics, italicize the words from the title in the in-text citation.

If you are citing an article, a chapter of a book or a page from a website, put the words in double quotation marks.

Capitalize the titles using title case (every major word is capitalized) even if the reference list entry uses sentence case (only first word is capitalized).

( Cell Biology , 2012, p. 157)

("Nursing," 2011, p. 9)

No Known Date of Publication :

Where you'd normally put the year of publication, instead use the letters "n.d.".

(Smith, n.d., p. 200)

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APA Citation Guide (7th edition): Quotes vs Paraphrases

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What's the Difference?

Quoting vs paraphrasing: what's the difference.

There are two ways to integrate sources into your assignment: quoting directly or paraphrasing.

Quoting is copying a selection from someone else's work, phrasing it exactly as it was originally written. When quoting place quotation marks (" ") around the selected passage to show where the quote begins and where it ends. Make sure to include an in-text citation.

Paraphrasing is used to show that you understand what the author wrote. You must reword the passage, expressing the ideas in your own words, and not just change a few words here and there. Make sure to also include an in-text citation.

Quoting Example

There are two basic formats that can be used:

Parenthetical Style:

Narrative Style:

Quoting Tips

Long Quotes
Changing Quotes

What Is a Long Quotation?

A quotation of more than 40 words.

Rules for Long Quotations

There are 4 rules that apply to long quotations that are different from regular quotations:

The line before your long quotation, when you're introducing the quote, usually ends with a colon.
The long quotation is indented half an inch from the rest of the text, so it looks like a block of text.
There are no quotation marks around the quotation.
The period at the end of the quotation comes before your in-text citation as opposed to after, as it does with regular quotations.

Example of a Long Quotation

At the end of Lord of the Flies the boys are struck with the realization of their behaviour:

The tears began to flow and sobs shook him. He gave himself up to them now for the first time on the island; great, shuddering spasms of grief that seemed to wrench his whole body. His voice rose under the black smoke before the burning wreckage of the island; and infected by that emotion, the other little boys began to shake and sob too. (Golding, 1960, p.186)

Changing Quotations

Sometimes you may want to make some modifications to the quote to fit your writing. Here are some APA rules when changing quotes:

Incorrect spelling, grammar, and punctuation

Add the word [sic] after the error in the quotation to let your reader know the error was in the original source and is not your error.

Omitting parts of a quotation

If you would like to exclude some words from a quotation, replace the words you are not including with an ellipsis - ...

Adding words to a quote

If you are adding words that are not part of the original quote, enclose the additional words in square brackets - [XYZ]

Secondary Source Quotes

What is a secondary source.

In scholarly work, a primary source reports original content; a secondary source refers to content first reported in another source.

Cite secondary sources sparingly—for instance, when the original work is out of print, unavailable, or available only in a language that you do not understand.
If possible, as a matter of good scholarly practice, find the primary source, read it, and cite it directly rather than citing a secondary source.

Rules for Secondary Source Citations

In the reference list, provide an entry only for the secondary source that you used.
In the text, identify the primary source and write “as cited in” the secondary source that you used.
If the year of publication of the primary source is known, also include it in the in-text citation.

Example of a Secondary Source Use

Quote & In-Text Citation

Reference List Entry

Paraphrases

Paraphrasing example.

When you write information from a source in your own words, cite the source by adding an in-text citation at the end of the paraphrased portion as follows:

If you refer to the author's name in a sentence you do not have to include the name again as part of your in-text citation, instead include the year of publication following his/her name:

NOTE : Although not required, APA encourages including the page number when paraphrasing if it will help the reader locate the information in a long text and distinguish between the information that is coming from you and the source.

Paraphrasing Tips

Long Paraphrases

Original Source

Source from:

Rokach, A. (2005). The causes of loneliness in homeless youth. The Journal of Psychology, 139, 469-480.

Example: Incorrect Paraphrasing

Example: correct paraphrasing.

If your paraphrase is longer than one sentence, provide an in-text citation for the source at the beginning of the paraphrase. As long as it's clear that the paraphrase continues to the following sentences, you don't have to include in-text citations for the following sentences.

If your paraphrase continues to another paragraph and/or you include paraphrases from other sources within the paragraph, repeat the in-text citations for each.

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Tip sheet on paraphrasing information

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APA Citation Guide (7th edition) : Paraphrasing

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Paraphrasing

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How should a paraphrased passage be cited?

When paraphrasing a passage, it is essential to express the ideas of the author in your own original words; however, the author’s message and meaning should always be preserved.

Charges of plagiarism can be avoided by including the proper citation of the work you are drawing from in your paraphrase. The APA requires a paraphrase to include the author’s last name and the work’s year of publication, but also suggests that the page number of the original text be included.

Let’s look at an example of a cited paraphrase:

Original text: “A yellow flower is yellow because it reflects yellow light and absorbs other wavelengths. The red glass of a stained glass window is red because it transmits red light and absorbs other wavelengths. The process by which we perceive the colours of natural objects around us can therefore be described as a ‘subtractive’ process” (Pender, 1998, p. 14). [1]

Paraphrase: Pender explains that through subtractive process , humans see the color of objects based on the wavelengths of light that are absorbed by each object (Pender, 1998, p. 14). [1]

Note: The paraphrase maintains the ideas of the original passage while expressing the message in a new voice. The original author is also cited properly.

How should a summarized passage or work be cited?

When summarizing a passage or work from another writer, briefly outline in your own original words the major ideas presented in the source material. As brevity is the key feature of a summary, it is essential to express the main concepts of the original passage in as concise a manner as possible. Consider using a summary—rather than a short or block quotation—when preserving the original wording of the source material is not necessary for the reader to understand the ideas under discussion.

Let’s look at an example of a cited summary:

Original text: “In their everyday life, people generally assume that they see the world around them the way it really is. When camping in Colorado, hikers believe they see the horizon as dotted with snow-covered mountaintops. When laying on the beach in North Carolina, sunbathers believe they see pelicans flying above the breaking waves. And these people would nearly always be right. Indeed, it is difficult to imagine not believing that the sights and sounds delivered to conscious awareness by perceptual systems are accurate renderings of the outside world. It would be difficult to know how to act if one could not trust one’s senses to accurately report what the world outside is like” (Balcetis, 2010, p. 77). [2]

Summary: In Social Psychology of Visual Perception , Balcetis (2010) argues that because humans rely on the sensory information received from their body, they form preconceived beliefs about their surroundings that manifest as imaginary visual occurrences (p. 77). [2]

Note: The summary maintains the ideas of the original passage while concisely expressing its main concepts. The original author is also cited properly.

How should multiple sources be cited in a single parenthetical reference?

If multiple works need to be cited in the same set of parentheses, simply arrange them in alphabetical order by the author’s last names, or the order in which they would be listed in the References page. Use a semicolon to separate each work from the next one.

Let’s look at an example of multiple authors being cited:

In the past thirty years, Parkinson’s disease has been written about extensively by recognized figures in the field (Dorros, 1989; Duvoisin, 1991; Hauser & Zesiewicz, 1996). [3][4][5]

Note: This example includes the in-text citations of three works arranged in alphabetical order by authors’ names, separated by semi-colons, and enclosed in parentheses.

Formatting In-text Citations (APA)

[1] Pender, K. (1998). Digital colour in graphic design . Burlington, VT: Elsevier Science & Technology.

[2] Balcetis, E. (2010). Social psychology of visual perception . Hoboken, NJ: Taylor & Francis.

[3] Dorros, S. (1989). Parkinson’s: A patient’s view . Cabin John, MD: Seven Locks Press.

[4] Duvoisin, R. C. (1991). Parkinson’s disease: A guide for patient and family . New York, NY: Raven Press.

[5] Hauser, R. A., & Zesiewicz, T. A. (1996). Parkinson’s disease: Questions and answers . Coral Springs, FL: Merit.

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Citing your sources gives your work legitimacy and shows that you are aware of the sources you use. This tutorial will walk you through the nuances of referencing paraphrases and cover popular citation formats including Chicago, MLA, and APA, so scroll to get to your preferred style of citation.

In gemeral, paraphrasing is a process, where you engage with the thoughts and concepts of others, digest them, and then present them in a manner uniquely your own. It requires a deep understanding (not just a quick look through) of the subject matter and the ability to articulate it in your own voice and writing style.

Preserving the original meaning is always a key principle here. The point of effective paraphrasing lies in the ability to capture the original idea, so that the reader, even without referring to the source, gets the intended message. While the goal is to avoid plain copying, the stress lies more on understanding the core concept and rearticulating it in your work.

When to Cite a Paraphrase

Citing a paraphrase is necessary whenever you rephrase someone else’s ideas or information in your own words. It’s a key aspect of writing to avoid plagiarism. Here are specific instances when you should cite a paraphrase:

How to Cite a Paraphrase in Different Styles

APA, MLA, and Chicago/Turabian are three predominant citation styles used in academic writing, each with its unique conventions and purposes.

APA Style 7th edition

The American Psychological Association (APA) style is commonly used in the social sciences. It emphasizes the author’s last name and the year of publication for in-text citations and is known for its clear and concise format, particularly beneficial for scientific writing. APA style also places a strong emphasis on the date of a work, reflecting the importance of recent information in fields like psychology and sociology.

In-text citation: Include the author’s last name and the year of publication. If directly quoting, include the page number or paragraph number for web content:

(Lowen, 2022)

Paraphrase Example:

Lowen (2022) argues that effective communication skills are essential in the workplace.

MLA Style 8th Edition

The Modern Language Association (MLA) style is widely used in the humanities, especially in English literature, cultural studies, and other related fields. Unlike APA, MLA focuses more on the page number for in-text citations to easily locate the referenced part in the original work. This style is characterized by its straightforward approach to citation, which makes it particularly user-friendly for writers and readers alike.

I n-text citation: Include the author’s last name and the page number. If there is no page number, just the author’s name will be enough.

Effective communication skills play a crucial role in workplace dynamics (Lowen 45).

Chicago/Turabian Style 17th Edition

The Chicago/Turabian style offers two systems: an author-date system similar to APA and a notes and bibliography system. The latter is particularly common in history and some other humanities fields, offering flexibility for writers to use footnotes or endnotes. This style is notable for its comprehensive approach and is often used in more extensive research works where detailed citation is necessary.

In-text citation (Author-Date): Similar to APA, include the author’s last name and year of publication.

(Lowen 2022)

Note and Bibliography: In notes, include author’s full name, source title, and page number. In the bibliography, include full details.

1. Jeremy Lowen, “Effective Communication Techniques,” 45.

Paraphrase Example (Note):

Jeremy Lowen notes that effective communication is vital in professional settings.^1 ^1 Jeremy Lowen, “Effective Communication Techniques,” 45.

In each case, make sure that you are rephrasing the original text in your own words and keeping the original meaning. The citation provides credit to the original author for their ideas.

Are there different citation styles for paraphrasing?

Yes, there are different citation styles for paraphrasing, and the one you use depends on the guidelines of your discipline or the requirements of your publication. Common styles include APA (American Psychological Association), MLA (Modern Language Association), and Chicago/Turabian. Each style has specific rules for how to cite paraphrased material.

Can I use the same citation as the original source?

When you paraphrase a source, you should cite it in the same way you would if you were quoting it directly, but without quotation marks. This means using the same citation format and details as the original source, adapted to your chosen citation style.

How do I avoid plagiarism when paraphrasing?

To avoid plagiarism when paraphrasing, you need to thoroughly understand the original text and then express it in your own words, without copying the structure or wording. It’s important to cite the source of the paraphrased material. Using your own voice and style in the paraphrased content can further differentiate it from the original text.

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Good academic writing is an art form. Anyone can quote from a source. The skill comes in choosing the best part of a source to quote, or even better, paraphrase.

To paraphrase (v.): to summarize the words and/or thoughts of another person (usually an author) in your own words and syntax (sentence structure). Paraphrasing allows you to reference the words or ideas of another person while best incorporating that material into your own argument and writing style. Paraphrased material, often called a paraphrased passage, must be cited.

Important Note: It is acceptable to use a few words of the original source, so long as you use “quotation marks” around those words.

Plagiarism is usually the intentional act of taking another person’s words or ideas and passing them off as your own. Clearly, copying anther student’s words without attribution is plagiarism and cheating. However, less obvious cases are the improper paraphrasing of a passage, where you provide an in-text citation to an author but still use the author’s original words without “quotation marks.” Paraphrasing is an essential component of writing, but it takes a little practice to do it well.

Quotation (n.): The original words of a source (usually written) identified by “quotation marks” or used as a block indent. Quoted material must be cited.

To Plagiarize (v.): To use the words or ideas of another author either without proper attribution or by improperly paraphrasing the author. Plagiarism may be committed either intentionally or unintentionally. Plagiarism is, in effect, theft. Avoid plagiarism by using “quotation marks” around quoted text and by using in-text citation for both quoted and paraphrased passages. Paraphrased passages must not include the author’s original language and syntax unless “quotation marks” are clearly used to indicate the author’s original words.

Context (n.): The original meaning of the text or idea you are quoting or paraphrasing.

Tips to Avoid Plagiarism when Paraphrasing

Do not use the author’s original sentence structure (syntax). You must use your own words and syntax. Just putting an in-text citation is not enough—you are responsible for actually paraphrasing the author’s ideas, not just making a few changes to the original words. Taking an author's original text and changing a few words is known as patchwriting . See "Examples of Plagiarism" for more information about patchwriting ("right-click plagiarism").
Do not use synonyms that you do now know. The “right click” thesaurus is meant to jog your memory and give you ideas. Do not misuse this function by changing the author’s word to a synonym you do not know. Also, do not use this function to just change a few words without using your own sentence structure.
Re-read the original before moving on. Make sure that you are not using the author’s original words and/or phrases. If you do, put them in “quotation marks.”
Do not forget to add an in-text citation.
Choose the most relevant material to paraphrase or quote in your paper. All scholarly works rely on other authors and ideas to advance their own ideas and research. There is no such thing as an academic book or article that is wholly the work and ideas of a single person. The author of any reputable book, even a philosophical one, will educate herself on the works of others and occasionally or often reference them when making her own arguments.
When you find that you need to reference another author or person, decide whether to quote or paraphrase. On the surface, quoting seems easier. In reality, paraphrasing is usually the best method, although you can include a few words or passages of the author’s original words in “quotation marks” when you paraphrase.
Any reference to an external idea must be explained by you, the author. A reference to another author or idea never stands on its own. You must make it clear to the reader why you selected a particular idea to reference.
Likewise, a quotation never stands on its own. You must explain why you chose to include the quotation.
Avoid long quotations, even those that are more than one sentence. These longer passages are tiresome to read, and often readers will glance over them without actually reading them. A much better approach for long quotations is to paraphrase the material instead. Note: long quotations are most appropriate when the source you are quoting uses a particular style you wish to discuss and demonstrate to your reader.
Avoid quoting an author who is quoting someone else. As a rule of thumb, if an author is quoting another published work, go and find that original published work and quote from it directly (you might mention that you found the work of author B from the work of author A). You need to verify the original context if you quote from someone else. However, in the case of an eyewitness report or interview, for example, it may make sense to quote an author’s quotation when the original source is not available.

To avoid plagiarism when paraphrasing you must put the author's original ideas into your own words.

Avoid plagiarism by not using the author's original words or sentence structure:

Do not use any distinctive words from the author's original. The nouns, adjectives, and verbs in your paraphrased passage must be your own words, not words lifted from the author's original. You can use a few words or the odd phrase from the original source only if you include them in quotation marks.

Articles--a, an, the--and other similar words like prepositions--to, for, at, etc.--are not distinctive enough to qualify as original wording. Similarly, general terms and any word that is not a stylistic choice of the original author would not be considered distinctive. Just beware of the order in which they appear in the original. In general, it is better to quote, when in doubt, than not to quote. (See the second example, below, for a discussion on general terms that do not need quotation marks within a paraphrased passage.)

Do not use the author's original sentence structure, that is, the original syntax. Students who copy-and-paste a passage and then only change some of the words are committing plagiarism because the author's original sentence structure is intact. When paraphrasing, focus on synthesizing information. You cannot synthesize from a cut-and-pasted passage!

Avoid paraphrasing one sentence at a time. The point of paraphrasing is to summarize the original source. It is better to read the introduction to an article, for example, and to summarize that information into a sentence or two of your own words. If you need to paraphrase a three sentence paragraph, for example, aim for one, maybe two sentences in your paraphrased version. Trying to summarize one sentence at a time is likely to result in the plagiarism method known as patchwriting. That is, your text will resemble the original text too closely.

See the examples below demonstrating good paraphrasing technique. See the tab (left-side menu) "Examples of Plagiarism" for instances of plagiarism in a paraphrased passage.

This example refers to the following citation:

Bibliographic Citation (MLA)

Wu, Katherine J. “Scientists Uncover Biological Signatures of the Worst Covid-19 Cases: Studies of patients with severe cases of Covid-19 show the immune system lacks its usual coordinated response.” New York Times, 4 Aug. 2020.

Original Passage:

Unable to marshal the right cells and molecules to fight off the invader, the bodies of the infected instead launch an entire arsenal of weapons — a misguided barrage that can wreak havoc on healthy tissues, experts said.

Thoughts: In this passage, the author uses some distinctive turns of phrase to describe the effects of Covid-19 on the human body. To paraphrase this passage, as you probably should, be careful not to plagiarize the author’s original language. See the examples below of a quotation from this passage and possible options to paraphrase it.

1. Student Example as a Quotation

Katherine Wu summarizes the findings of scientists on the response of the human body to Covid-19, writing “Unable to marshal the right cells and molecules to fight off the invader, the bodies of the infected instead launch an entire arsenal of weapons — a misguided barrage that can wreak havoc on healthy tissues, experts said” (Wu).

Thoughts: The above sentence takes the words of the author directly. This approach unnecessarily reproduces all of the original text. It does, however, provide an explanation of the source before the quotation. This explanation, whether before or after the quotation, is absolutely necessary.

2. Student Example as a Paraphrased Passage (no quoted material)

Katherine Wu summarizes the findings of scientists on the response of the human body to Covid-19, noting that the immune system response can essentially overreact to the threat posed by the virus, causing additional harm (Wu).

Thoughts: This response is completely acceptable. It summarizes the original text in the author’s own words. Possibly, you, the author, are drawn to this passage because of Wu’s descriptive terminology. In that case, perhaps using a few of her descriptions would be more appropriate. See the next example.

3. Student Example as a Paraphrased Passage with Quoted Material

Katherine Wu summarizes the findings of scientists on the response of the human body to Covid-19, noting that the immune system response can essentially overreact to the threat posed by the virus, which she labels a “misguided barrage” (Wu).

—Or—

Katherine Wu summarizes the findings of scientists on the response of the human body to Covid-19, describing the immune response in military terms as the “launch” of “an entire arsenal of weapons,” which she labels a “misguided barrage” because of the additional harm inflicted by the body onto itself (Wu).

Thoughts: Artfully paraphrasing does not necessarily involve using the author’s original words. Combining the techniques of quoting with paraphrasing is appropriate in the above example, however, because of the descriptive nature of the original text. If the original author’s words were merely clinical, it would possibly be less appropriate to quote them directly.

Original Passage:

It’s almost as if the immune system is struggling to ‘pick a lane,’ Dr. Wherry said. This disorientation also seems to extend into the realm of B cells and T cells — two types of immune fighters that usually need to stay in conversation to coordinate their attacks. Certain types of T cells, for instance, are crucial for coaxing B cells into manufacturing disease-fighting antibodies.

*Note: the author is paraphrasing while also briefly quoting a source in this example, which is represented by the single quotation marks.

Possible Student Example as a Paraphrased Passage

Evidence suggests that Covid-19 creates difficulty in the immune system’s response and complicates the function of B cells and T cells in fighting the virus. In particular, the virus interrupts the normal function of T cells, negatively impacting the ability of B cells to produce antibodies (Wu).

Thoughts: This example is a bit more difficult than the first. Here, the student has not used any quoted material. Note, though, that she has included clinical terms like “T cells,” “B cells,” and “antibodies” that appear in the original. Should she have used quotation marks?—the answer is no. These are terms, not stylistic elements of the author’s original. There is no need to quote them (although, it is usually a lesser error to overquote than underquote!). It would have been plagiarism, for example, if the student used words like “manufacturing,” “disorientation,” “conversation,” etc. without “quotation marks.” Calling the relationship between T cells and B cells a “conversation” is a stylistic choice of the author, not a scientific term.

Another Possible Student Example, Paraphrasing with Some Quoted Material

Evidence suggests that Covid-19 creates a “disorientation” in the immune system’s response and complicates the ability of B cells and T cells “to coordinate” together to fight the virus. In particular, the virus interrupts the normal function of T cells, negatively impacting the ability of B cells to produce antibodies (Wu).

Thoughts: Here the student decided to retain some of the author’s original stylistic content, meaning that she had to include “quotation marks” around the words she lifted from the author’s original. Overall, both of these examples demonstrate the student’s ability to transform the original passage into her own syntax (sentence structure). The next examples will demonstrate the serious error of plagiarizing the author’s original syntax.

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Citing Paraphrases and Summaries (APA)

How should a paraphrased passage be cited?

When paraphrasing a passage, it is essential to express the ideas of the author in your own original words; however, the author’s message and meaning should always be preserved.

Let’s look at an example of a cited paraphrase:

Paraphrase: Pender explains that through subtractive process , humans see the color of objects based on the wavelengths of light that are absorbed by each object (Pender, 1998, p. 14). [1]

Note: The paraphrase maintains the ideas of the original passage while expressing the message in a new voice. The original author is also cited properly.

How should a summarized passage or work be cited?

Let’s look at an example of a cited summary:

Note: The summary maintains the ideas of the original passage while concisely expressing its main concepts. The original author is also cited properly.

How should multiple sources be cited in a single parenthetical reference?

Let’s look at an example of multiple authors being cited:

In the past thirty years, Parkinson’s disease has been written about extensively by recognized figures in the field (Dorros, 1989; Duvoisin, 1991; Hauser & Zesiewicz, 1996). [3][4][5]

Note: This example includes the in-text citations of three works arranged in alphabetical order by authors’ names, separated by semi-colons, and enclosed in parentheses.

Formatting In-text Citations (APA)

[1] Pender, K. (1998). Digital colour in graphic design . Burlington, VT: Elsevier Science & Technology.

[2] Balcetis, E. (2010). Social psychology of visual perception . Hoboken, NJ: Taylor & Francis.

[3] Dorros, S. (1989). Parkinson’s: A patient’s view . Cabin John, MD: Seven Locks Press.

[4] Duvoisin, R. C. (1991). Parkinson’s disease: A guide for patient and family . New York, NY: Raven Press.

[5] Hauser, R. A., & Zesiewicz, T. A. (1996). Parkinson’s disease: Questions and answers . Coral Springs, FL: Merit.

Citing Paraphrases and Summaries (APA). Provided by : Writing Commons. Located at : http://writingcommons.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=694:citing-paraphrases-and-summaries-apa&catid=184&Itemid=297 . License : CC BY-NC-ND: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives
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FAQ: How do I cite paraphrased information in APA Style (in-text)?

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When you paraphrase, you use your own words. This is usually preferable to direct quotes because the information is written in your own style, but you must be careful not to change the meaning. When paraphrasing, you must still acknowledge where you got the idea from by including a parenthetical citation.

When citing paraphrased information, APA requires you to include the author and date. It is also recommended (but not required) that you include the page number. The format of the page number depends on if the information is on a single page or range of pages.

Examples of Citing Paraphrased Information at the Beginning of a Sentence

A review (Selby et al., 2017) identified several laws pertaining to cancer research in the UK that might be affected because of Brexit.

Patafio et al. (2016) investigated the relationship between cancer research funding and cancer research output and found that research output is not well correlated with the public health burden of individual cancers that was measure by mortality rates.

The authors (Lindqvist & Neumann) argue that security and privacy are crucial in the Internet of Things (IoT) because if future attacks are successful they can cause widespread destruction and even cost lives.

Bernard (2011) argues that Henry VIII's Catholicism was more than just Catholicism without the pope.

Examples of Citing Paraphrased Information in the Middle of a Sentence

Surgery is considered a last resort in the treatment of plantar fasciitis Owens (2017) argues.

Strength training as treatment for plantar fasciitis, according to (Huffer et al. 2017) , does not contribute to the improved function and pain relief.

Many physical therapists use ultrasound therapy as treatment; however, numerous studies highlighted in the review published by Sanke and Radwan (2015) show that the therapy does not have any effect on the condition.

Examples of Citing Paraphrased Information at the End of a Sentence

There are multiple types of cyberbullying (El Asam & Samara, 2016) .

A significant amount of youths' social interaction takes place through technology and children as young as 10 have access to mobile devices (Williford & DePaolis, 2016) .

The authors found that undergraduate students are afraid to report cyberbullying (Watts et al., 2017, p. 273) .

Example of how the original quotation might be paraphrased<

Original quotation:.

American commitment to self-government rested on the early experience of colonization. English common law was introduced with the first settlers, and each new colony soon had an elected assembly designed to represent and protect the interests of the settler population, acting like a local equivalent of the Westminster House of Commons. In theory, popular participation in government was balanced by a strong executive, in the person of the governor, supported by an advisory council. Bit in the first years of settlement, when colonies were sponsored by private companies rather than the Crown, governors and councils were often themselves elected, reinforcing the tendency towards local control (Conway, 2013, p. 33) .

The essay incorporating the paraphrasing:

The early settlers in Colonial American may have considered themselves English and loyal to the Crown. However, the local government structure supported a system of relative self-governance (Conway, 2013, p. 33) .

More Information

APA guide (Shapiro Library)

Further Help

This information is intended to be a guideline, not expert advice. Please be sure to speak to your professor about the appropriate way to cite sources in your class assignments and projects.

Campus Students

To access Academic Support, visit your Brightspace course and select “Tutoring and Mentoring” from the Academic Support pulldown menu.

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American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7 th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1037/0000165-000

Bernard, G. W. (2011). The dissolution of the monasteries. History , 96 (324), 390-409.

Conway, S. (2013). A short history of the American Revolutionary War . I.B.Tauris.

El Asam, A., & Samara, M. (2016). Cyberbullying and the law: A review of psychological and legal challenges. Computers in human behavior , 65 , 127-141. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2016.08.012

Lindqvist, U., & Neumann, P. G. (2017). The future of the internet of things. Communications of the ACM , 60 (2), 26-30. https://doi.org/10.1145/3029589

Owens, J. M. (2017). Diagnosis and management of plantar fasciitis in primary care. Journal for nurse practitioners , 13 (5), 354-359. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nurpra.2016.12.016

Patafio, F. M., Brooks, S. C., Wei, X., Peng, Y., Biagi, J., & Booth, C. M. (2016). Research output and the public health burden of cancer: Is there any relationship? Current Oncology , 23 (2), 75-80. https://doi.org/10.3747/co.23.2935

Sanke, P. L., & Radwan, T. S. (2015). Ultrasound as an effective treatment for chronic plantar fasciitis. Journal of foot & ankle surgery , 54 (4) 481-487.

Selby, P., Lawler, M., Baird, R., Banks, I., Johnston, P., & Nurse, P. (2017). The potential consequences for cancer care and cancer research of Brexit. Ecancermedicalscience , 11 (752-769), 1-3. https://doi.org/10.3332/ecancer.2017.ed63

Watts, L. K., Wagner, J., Velasquez, B., & Behrens, P. I. (2017). Cyberbullying in higher education: A literature review. Computers in human behavior , 69 , 268-274. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2016.12.038

Williford, A., & Depaolis, K. J. (2016). Predictors of cyberbullying intervention among elementary school staff: The moderating effect of staff status. Psychology in the schools , 53 (10), 1032-1044. https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.21973

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How to Paraphrase | Step-by-Step Guide & Examples

How to Paraphrase | Step-by-Step Guide & Examples

Published on 8 April 2022 by Courtney Gahan and Jack Caulfield. Revised on 15 May 2023.

Paraphrasing means putting someone else’s ideas into your own words. Paraphrasing a source involves changing the wording while preserving the original meaning.

Paraphrasing is an alternative to quoting (copying someone’s exact words and putting them in quotation marks ). In academic writing, it’s usually better to paraphrase instead of quoting. It shows that you have understood the source, reads more smoothly, and keeps your own voice front and center.

Every time you paraphrase, it’s important to cite the source . Also take care not to use wording that is too similar to the original. Otherwise, you could be at risk of committing plagiarism .

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How to paraphrase in five easy steps, how to paraphrase correctly, examples of paraphrasing, how to cite a paraphrase, paraphrasing vs quoting, paraphrasing vs summarising, avoiding plagiarism when you paraphrase, frequently asked questions about paraphrasing.

If you’re struggling to get to grips with the process of paraphrasing, check out our easy step-by-step guide in the video below.

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Putting an idea into your own words can be easier said than done. Let’s say you want to paraphrase the text below, about population decline in a particular species of sea snails.

Incorrect paraphrasing

You might make a first attempt to paraphrase it by swapping out a few words for synonyms .

This attempt at paraphrasing doesn’t change the sentence structure or order of information, only some of the word choices. And the synonyms chosen are poor:

‘Advancement and contamination’ doesn’t really convey the same meaning as ‘development and pollution’.
Sometimes the changes make the tone less academic: ‘home’ for ‘habitat’ and ‘sea creatures’ for ‘marine animals’.
Adding phrases like ‘inhabiting the vicinity of’ and ‘puts pressure on’ makes the text needlessly long-winded.
Global warming is related to climate change, but they don’t mean exactly the same thing.

Because of this, the text reads awkwardly, is longer than it needs to be, and remains too close to the original phrasing. This means you risk being accused of plagiarism .

Correct paraphrasing

Let’s look at a more effective way of paraphrasing the same text.

Here, we’ve:

Only included the information that’s relevant to our argument (note that the paraphrase is shorter than the original)
Retained key terms like ‘development and pollution’, since changing them could alter the meaning
Structured sentences in our own way instead of copying the structure of the original
Started from a different point, presenting information in a different order

Because of this, we’re able to clearly convey the relevant information from the source without sticking too close to the original phrasing.

Explore the tabs below to see examples of paraphrasing in action.

Journal article
Newspaper article
Magazine article

Generate accurate citations with Scribbr

It’s a good idea to paraphrase instead of quoting in most cases because:

Paraphrasing shows that you fully understand the meaning of a text
Your own voice remains dominant throughout your paper
Quotes reduce the readability of your text

But that doesn’t mean you should never quote. Quotes are appropriate when:

Giving a precise definition
Saying something about the author’s language or style (e.g., in a literary analysis paper)
Providing evidence in support of an argument
Critiquing or analysing a specific claim

A paraphrase puts a specific passage into your own words. It’s typically a similar length to the original text, or slightly shorter.

When you boil a longer piece of writing down to the key points, so that the result is a lot shorter than the original, this is called summarising .

When paraphrasing, you have to be careful to avoid accidental plagiarism .

Students frequently use paraphrasing tools , which can be especially helpful for non-native speakers who might have trouble with academic writing. While these can be useful for a little extra inspiration, use them sparingly while maintaining academic integrity.

To make sure you’ve properly paraphrased and cited all your sources, you could elect to run a plagiarism check before submitting your paper.

To paraphrase effectively, don’t just take the original sentence and swap out some of the words for synonyms. Instead, try:

Reformulating the sentence (e.g., change active to passive , or start from a different point)
Combining information from multiple sentences into one
Leaving out information from the original that isn’t relevant to your point
Using synonyms where they don’t distort the meaning

The main point is to ensure you don’t just copy the structure of the original text, but instead reformulate the idea in your own words.

Paraphrasing without crediting the original author is a form of plagiarism , because you’re presenting someone else’s ideas as if they were your own.

However, paraphrasing is not plagiarism if you correctly reference the source . This means including an in-text referencing and a full reference , formatted according to your required citation style (e.g., Harvard , Vancouver ).

As well as referencing your source, make sure that any paraphrased text is completely rewritten in your own words.

Plagiarism means using someone else’s words or ideas and passing them off as your own. Paraphrasing means putting someone else’s ideas into your own words.

So when does paraphrasing count as plagiarism?

Paraphrasing is plagiarism if you don’t properly credit the original author.
Paraphrasing is plagiarism if your text is too close to the original wording (even if you cite the source). If you directly copy a sentence or phrase, you should quote it instead.
Paraphrasing is not plagiarism if you put the author’s ideas completely into your own words and properly reference the source .

It’s appropriate to quote when:

Changing the phrasing would distort the meaning of the original text
You want to discuss the author’s language choices (e.g., in literary analysis )
You’re presenting a precise definition
You’re looking in depth at a specific claim

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the ‘Cite this Scribbr article’ button to automatically add the citation to our free Reference Generator.

Gahan, C. & Caulfield, J. (2023, May 15). How to Paraphrase | Step-by-Step Guide & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved 9 April 2024, from https://www.scribbr.co.uk/working-sources/paraphrasing/

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APA Citation Guide (7th Edition): Works Quoted in Another Source

Journal Articles
Books, eBooks & Pamphlets
Class Notes, Lectures, and Presentations
Government Documents
Codes of Ethics (Online)
Images, Charts, Graphs, Maps & Tables
Newspaper Articles
Magazine Articles
Personal Communication (Interviews, Emails)
Social Media
Videos & DVDs
Encyclopedias & Dictionaries (Reference Works)
When Information Is Missing
When Creating Digital Assignments
Works Quoted in Another Source
Paraphrasing
Informal Citations
Citation Tools
Conscious Language
Reference List & Paper Formatting
Annotated Bibliography

Work Quoted in Another Source

Sometimes an author of a book, article or website will mention another person’s work by using a quotation or paraphrased idea from that source. ( This may be called a secondary source.) For example, the Kirkey article you are reading includes a quotation by Smith that you would like to include in your essay.

If it is possible to retrieve the original source of the quotation (in this case, Smith), verify the quote and cite the original source.
You will add the words “as cited in” to your in-text citation. Examples below.

Examples of in-text citations:

According to a study by Smith (as cited in Kirkey, 2013) 42% of doctors would refuse to perform legal euthanasia.

Smith (as cited in Kirkey, 2013) states that “even if euthanasia was legal, 42% of doctors would be against this method of assisted dying” (p. 34).

Example of Reference list citation:

Kirkey, S. (2013, Feb 9). Euthanasia. The Montreal Gazette , p A10. Retrieved from Canadian Newsstand Major Dailies database.

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Next: In-Text Citation >>
Last Updated: Jan 8, 2024 10:23 AM
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Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

In-Text Citations: Author/Authors

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.

Though the APA's author-date system for citations is fairly straightforward, author categories can vary significantly from the standard "one author, one source" configuration. There are also additional rules for citing authors of indirect sources, electronic sources, and sources without page numbers.

A Work by One Author

The APA manual recommends the use of the author-date citation structure for in-text citation references. This structure requires that any in-text citation (i.e., within the body of the text) be accompanied by a corresponding reference list entry. In the in-text citation provide the surname of the author but do not include suffixes such as "Jr.".

Citing Non-Standard Author Categories

A work by two authors.

Name both authors in the signal phrase or in parentheses each time you cite the work. Use the word "and" between the authors' names within the text and use the ampersand in parentheses.

A Work by Three or More Authors

List only the first author’s name followed by “et al.” in every citation, even the first, unless doing so would create ambiguity between different sources.

In et al. , et should not be followed by a period. Only "al" should be followed by a period.

If you’re citing multiple works with similar groups of authors, and the shortened “et al” citation form of each source would be the same, you’ll need to avoid ambiguity by writing out more names. If you cited works with these authors:

They would be cited in-text as follows to avoid ambiguity:

Since et al. is plural, it should always be a substitute for more than one name. In the case that et al. would stand in for just one author, write the author’s name instead.

Unknown Author

If the work does not have an author, cite the source by its title in the signal phrase or use the first word or two in the parentheses. Titles of books and reports are italicized; titles of articles, chapters, and web pages are in quotation marks. APA style calls for capitalizing important words in titles when they are written in the text (but not when they are written in reference lists).

Note : In the rare case that "Anonymous" is used for the author, treat it as the author's name (Anonymous, 2001). In the reference list, use the name Anonymous as the author.

Organization as an Author

If the author is an organization or a government agency, mention the organization in the signal phrase or in the parenthetical citation the first time you cite the source, just as you would an individual person.

If the organization has a well-known abbreviation, you may include the abbreviation in brackets the first time the source is cited and then use only the abbreviation in later citations. However, if you cite work from multiple organizations whose abbreviations are the same, do not use abbreviations (to avoid ambiguity).

Two or More Works in the Same Parentheses

When your parenthetical citation includes two or more works, order them the same way they appear in the reference list (viz., alphabetically), separated by a semi-colon.

If you cite multiple works by the same author in the same parenthetical citation, give the author’s name only once and follow with dates. No date citations go first, then years, then in-press citations.

Authors with the Same Last Name

To prevent confusion, use first initials with the last names.

Two or More Works by the Same Author in the Same Year

If you have two sources by the same author in the same year, use lower-case letters (a, b, c) with the year to order the entries in the reference list. Use the lower-case letters with the year in the in-text citation.

Introductions, Prefaces, Forewords, and Afterwords

When citing an Introduction, Preface, Foreword, or Afterword in-text, cite the appropriate author and year as usual.

Personal Communication

For interviews, letters, e-mails, and other person-to-person communication, cite the communicator's name, the fact that it was personal communication, and the date of the communication. Do not include personal communication in the reference list.

If using a footnote to reference personal communication, handle citations the same way.

Traditional Knowledge of Indigenous Peoples

When citing information you learned from a conversation with an Indigenous person who was not your research participant, use a variation of the personal communication citation above. Include the person’s full name, nation or Indigenous group, location, and any other relevant details before the “personal communication, date” part of the citation.

Citing Indirect Sources

Generally, writers should endeavor to read primary sources (original sources) and cite those rather than secondary sources (works that report on original sources). Sometimes, however, this is impossible. If you use a source that was cited in another source, name the original source in your signal phrase. List the secondary source in your reference list and include the secondary source in the parentheses. If you know the year of the original source, include it in the citation.

Electronic Sources

If possible, cite an electronic document the same as any other document by using the author-date style.

Unknown Author and Unknown Date

If no author or date is given, use the title in your signal phrase or the first word or two of the title in the parentheses and use the abbreviation "n.d." (for "no date").

Sources Without Page Numbers

When an electronic source lacks page numbers, you should try to include information that will help readers find the passage being cited. Use the heading or section name, an abbreviated heading or section name, a paragraph number (para. 1), or a combination of these.

Note: Never use the page numbers of webpages you print out; different computers print webpages with different pagination. Do not use Kindle location numbers; instead, use the page number (available in many Kindle books) or the method above.

Other Sources

The APA Publication Manual describes how to cite many different kinds of authors and content creators. However, you may occasionally encounter a source or author category that the manual does not describe, making the best way to proceed unclear.

In these cases, it's typically acceptable to apply the general principles of APA citation to the new kind of source in a way that's consistent and sensible. A good way to do this is to simply use the standard APA directions for a type of source that resembles the source you want to cite. For example, a sensible way to cite a virtual reality program would be to mimic the APA's guidelines for computer software.

You may also want to investigate whether a third-party organization has provided directions for how to cite this kind of source.

Home / Guides / Citation Guides / MLA Format / Paraphrasing in MLA

Paraphrasing in MLA

Paraphrasing is a valuable skill. It allows you to seamlessly integrate another person’s ideas into your work, and it is the preferred way to integrate most research information into a paper.

In addition to writing a good paraphrase, you must also include a citation with the paraphrase. One effective way to do this is by using MLA in-text citations .

But first, let’s define paraphrasing.

What is a paraphrase? Why is it beneficial?

A paraphrase is a piece of information written in a new way after reading and analyzing a source.
A paraphrase translates the main ideas of a passage into a new passage that uses your own words and perspective.
A paraphrase lets you control what point or information is highlighted.
A paraphrase allows you turn a long passage into a condensed, focused passage.
Direct quotes are helpful, but paraphrasing allows you show that you truly understand a work. Think about it: Is it easier to quote a source or paraphrase?

What does MLA have to do with it?

Academic integrity is extremely important, and a paraphrase allows you to use someone’s ideas efficiently in your work…but that is only part of the work. In order to stay ethical, you’ll also need include an in-text citation. That’s where MLA style comes in.

An MLA in-text citation gives appropriate credit to the original source. By following the guidelines of the MLA style and including an accurate citation, you can avoid accusations of plagiarism.

MLA stands for the Modern Language Association, which is a scholarly association dedicated to the study and advancement of languages. The MLA style comes from their published MLA Handbook , which provides rules and guidelines on research and writing. The latest update to the MLA style occurred in 2021, and careful consideration needs to be paid to these guidelines.

Although there are other styles of research and writing, MLA is the primary style guide for humanities, language, and literature in the United States.

How to paraphrase

Steps in paraphrasing.

Read the original source material carefully. It is always a good idea to read it more than once so you can paraphrase accurately.
Consider why the source was written, when it was written, who it was written by, and who the target audience was.
What were the key ideas or points communicated?
What is the key point you want to highlight from the source?
What other contextual facts about the source do you think are important to include?
Based on your notes, put together a paraphrase.
Next, take a minute to double check your paraphrase against the original to ensure that you have used your own writing style.
Finally, add an MLA in-text citation.

How to add an MLA in-text citation

In order to give credit for ideas that are not yours, citing is key. According the MLA, after you create a paraphrase, you should include an in-text citation with the paraphrase. In addition to the short, in-text citation, a full reference of the source should be included on your Works Cited page. This article will focus only on the in-text citation, but see this guide for more information on MLA works cited citations.

An MLA in-text citation can be done in two ways:

Parenthetical

Both approaches require you to know the following:

Last name of the author
Page number

Parenthetical citation

One way to cite in the text is to use a parenthetical citation after the paraphrase. This includes putting the author’s last name and page number where you found the information at the end of the sentence, before the final period.

Using a website as a source? Note that if a source does not have page numbers, you do not have to include the page number in your parenthetical citation.

Parenthetical in-text citation structure:

Paraphrase (Author Last Name Page #)

Parenthetical example:

I kept pounding on the doors ’til my hands hurt and I woke up the dogs (Bronte 12).

Place that end punctuation carefully! Note that there is no period at the end of the sentence, but the period is outside the parentheses. Also, there is no comma between the author’s last name and the page number.

Citation in prose

A citation in prose means that you include the author’s last name within the page text and the page number at the end of the sentence in parentheses. A citation in prose would look like this:

Citation in prose citation structure:

Paraphrase with Author Last Name (Page #)

In-prose example:

Bronte explains how Lockwood kept pounding on the doors until his hands began to hurt and he woke up the dogs (12).

Example of how to paraphrase

Here is a piece of text taken from the novel Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen:

“In vain I have struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.”

Elizabeth’s astonishment was beyond expression. She stared, coloured, doubted, and was silent. This he considered sufficient encouragement; and the avowal of all that he felt, and had long felt for her, immediately followed. He spoke well; but there were feelings besides those of the heart to be detailed; and he was not more eloquent on the subject of tenderness than of pride. His sense of her inferiority—of its being a degradation—of the family obstacles which had always opposed to inclination, were dwelt on with a warmth which seemed due to the consequence he was wounding, but was very unlikely to recommend his suit.

A paraphrase of the above would go something like this:

Mr. Darcy had meant to communicate that he loved Elizabeth, but in the end all he managed to do was communicate all the reasons he had fought against his feelings for her (Austen 390).

Notice the benefits of paraphrasing here?

The paraphrase is (thankfully) much shorter than the full excerpt.
The paraphrase writer could have mentioned several different ideas and points. Instead, paraphrasing allowed the writer to focus on the main point they wanted to highlight.
The paraphrase demonstrates the writer’s deep understanding of what was communicated in the original passage.

Also, as mentioned previously, every in-text citation needs to have a matching, full citation in the Works Cited page. Here is the full citation for the above example:

Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice . 1813. Project Gutenberg , 2008, www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/42671.

How NOT to paraphrase

When you paraphrase, do not do the follow:

Use most of the same words and switch out a few words for synonyms.
Use most of the same words and change the sentence order a little.
Take key phrases from the sentences and put them into a new paragraph without quoting them.
Create a good paraphrase but forget to include an in-text citation.
Create a good paraphrase but cite the wrong source.

Other MLA considerations

The Modern Language Association advises that summaries, paraphrases, and direct quotations can all be used to back up your argument. However, direct quotations should be used infrequently. Try to save them for experts who are speaking on the topic.

Although you are putting a paraphrase into your own words, you still need to cite it because the ideas are not your own. MLA style asks for the author’s last name and the page number where you found the information.

Key takeaways

The ability to paraphrase is of the utmost importance in regard to academic integrity.
To paraphrase well, read the original a few times, consider the context, jot down the key ideas, compose your paraphrase, compare your paraphrase to the original, and add an in-text citation.
The MLA advises using in-text citations in order to give proper credit to a paraphrase’s original source.

Published October 28, 2020. Updated July 18, 2021.

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Paraphrase with Multiple Authors: A Guide to APA Citations

Table of Contents

Sometimes, you may paraphrase by combining a range of views and perspectives from multiple authors that discuss the same idea or concept. Regardless of how well you paraphrase, you must credit all the authors through in-text citations. How to paraphrase with multiple authors ? This article is all you need to get started.

Paraphrasing and Citations: An Overview

Paraphrasing is the process of rewriting the original to produce another version that is accurate. The ability to paraphrase effectively is vital for writers, students, and researchers.

An in-text citation is a way of giving credit to sources or authors whose work you have used. Most used APA in-text citations are parenthetical and narrative citations.

The parenthetical citation provides information on the source by placing the author’s name and date in a parenthesis, at the end of the paraphrase. The narrative form of citation includes the author’s name as a part of the paraphrase, while the Year of Publication comes in a bracket. This form of citation is common at the beginning or the middle of the statement.

How to Paraphrase with Multiple Authors

In cases where you paraphrase from a source written by multiple authors, it is crucial to cite all the authors. It is not enough to mention one author and disregard the others. You’re stealing an author’s work if you don’t acknowledge them. Plagiarism comes with severe consequences, and you wouldn’t want to be guilty of such an unethical act. The tips below will guide you on acknowledging multiple authors.

1. Two Authors

In citing two authors in a parenthetical citation, the authors’ last names should be separated by the ampersand symbol (&), followed by year of publication. For example:

… overreliance on detailed rules (Pierre & Frank, 2007).

For the narrative citation, the last names of the two authors should be separated by ‘and.’ The year of publication should follow in a bracket. For instance:

McCarthy and Nash (2004) describe outsourcing as using external suppliers to achieve efficiency.

2. Three to Five Authors

First in-text citation.

When citing 3-5 authors in a parenthetical citation, include the last names of the authors, separated by the symbol (&) and year of publication.

… specified locations (Sharma, Saldana, & Katherine, 2012).

For narrative citation, the last names of the authors, separated by ‘and,’ should come first, followed by the year of publication in a bracket.

Sharma, Saldana, and Katherine (2012) described franchising as…

Subsequent citations

When citing various sources subsequently, include only the first author’s last name, followed by the abbreviation ‘et al.,’ and the year of publication.

James et al. (2012) view education as…

… society they live in (James et al., 2012).

3. Six or More Authors.

To cite six or more authors, provide the last name of the first author with “et al.,” and the year of publication. This should be done for the first and subsequent citations.

Raphael et al. (2007) described the effect…

… as harmful (Raphael et al., 2007).

person holding pencil near laptop computer on brown table

When you paraphrase from a work written by multiple authors, it is vital to adequately and appropriately cite all the authors. This article is a guide on how to paraphrase with multiple authors successfully, so your piece doesn’t pass off as plagiarized work.

Pam is an expert grammarian with years of experience teaching English, writing and ESL Grammar courses at the university level. She is enamored with all things language and fascinated with how we use words to shape our world.

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Paraphrasing
Paraphrasing. A paraphrase restates another's idea (or your own previously published idea) in your own words. Paraphrasing allows you to summarize and synthesize information from one or more sources, focus on significant information, and compare and contrast relevant details. Published authors paraphrase their sources most of the time, rather ...
Citing Paraphrases: Essential Guide to Proper Attribution
Citing paraphrases: APA. The APA format uses an author-date system for citing a paraphrased passage. This involves placing the author's surname (last name) and the year of publication in parentheses, separated by a comma. An APA-style in-text citation for a work with two authors would look like this: (Bell & Offen, 1983) The in-text citation ...
3 Ways to Cite a Paraphrased Statement
1. Build your reference list before you draft your paper. Regardless of the citation style, an in-text parenthetical citation begins with the first word of the full citation in your reference list (usually the author's last name). If you haven't created your reference list yet, you may not know what to use.
Paraphrasing
6 Steps to Effective Paraphrasing. Reread the original passage until you understand its full meaning. Set the original aside, and write your paraphrase on a note card. Jot down a few words below your paraphrase to remind you later how you envision using this material. At the top of the note card, write a key word or phrase to indicate the ...
How to Paraphrase
Paraphrasing is plagiarism if your text is too close to the original wording (even if you cite the source). If you directly copy a sentence or phrase, you should quote it instead. Paraphrasing is not plagiarism if you put the author's ideas completely in your own words and properly cite the source .
Paraphrasing in APA
Parenthetical citation. For an APA parenthetical citation, write your paraphrase and then add the author and year in parenthesis at the end. Use a comma between the author and the year inside the parenthesis, and put the period for the end of the sentence outside the parenthesis. Example 1: Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light.
APA Citation Style, 7th Edition: In-Text Citations & Paraphrasing
Let's look at these examples if they were written in text: An example with 1 author: Parenthetical citation: Following American Psychological Association (APA) style guidelines will help you to cultivate your own unique academic voice as an expert in your field (Forbes, 2020). Narrative citation: Forbes (2020) shared that by following American Psychological Association (APA) guidelines ...
LibGuides: APA Citation Guide (7th edition) : Paraphrasing
Paraphrasing. When you write information from a source in your own words, cite the source by adding an in-text citation at the end of the paraphrased portion as follows: Mother-infant attachment became a leading topic of developmental research following the publication of John Bowlby's studies (Hunt, 1993). Note: If you refer to the author's ...
APA Citation Guide (7th edition): Quotes vs Paraphrases
Quoting is copying a selection from someone else's work, phrasing it exactly as it was originally written. When quoting place quotation marks (" ") around the selected passage to show where the quote begins and where it ends. Make sure to include an in-text citation. Paraphrasing is used to show that you understand what the author wrote.
LibGuides: APA Citation Guide (7th edition) : Paraphrasing
Paraphrasing. When you write information from a source in your own words, cite the source by adding an in-text citation at the end of the paraphrased portion as follows: Mother-infant attachment became a leading topic of developmental research following the publication of John Bowlby's studies (Hunt, 1993). Note: If you refer to the author's ...
APA Paraphrase
When paraphrasing a passage, it is essential to express the ideas of the author in your own original words; however, the author's message and meaning should always be preserved. Charges of plagiarism can be avoided by including the proper citation of the work you are drawing from in your paraphrase. The APA requires a paraphrase to include ...
How to Cite a Paraphrase: Comprehensive Referencing Guide
In-text citation: Include the author's last name and the year of publication. If directly quoting, include the page number or paragraph number for web content: (Lowen, 2022) Paraphrase Example: Lowen (2022) argues that effective communication skills are essential in the workplace.
LibGuides: Citation Guide: Paraphrasing and Quoting
To paraphrase (v.): to summarize the words and/or thoughts of another person (usually an author) in your own words and syntax (sentence structure). Paraphrasing allows you to reference the words or ideas of another person while best incorporating that material into your own argument and writing style. Paraphrased material, often called a ...
Citing Paraphrases and Summaries (APA)
When paraphrasing a passage, it is essential to express the ideas of the author in your own original words; however, the author's message and meaning should always be preserved. Charges of plagiarism can be avoided by including the proper citation of the work you are drawing from in your paraphrase. The APA requires a paraphrase to include ...
Quotations
when an author has said something memorably or succinctly, or. when you want to respond to exact wording (e.g., something someone said). Instructors, programs, editors, and publishers may establish limits on the use of direct quotations. Consult your instructor or editor if you are concerned that you may have too much quoted material in your paper.
What is the correct way to cite a paraphrase of another source?
7. I am trying to cite a paper that paraphrases a quote from another paper by the same authors. However, 1) it is unclear where the paraphrase starts, and 2) they have not yet published the second paper. The full quote I wish to cite looks something like this: text text text (clearly this article) several sentences that could be either part of ...
How do I cite paraphrased information in APA Style (in-text)?
When paraphrasing, you must still acknowledge where you got the idea from by including a parenthetical citation. When citing paraphrased information, APA requires you to include the author and date. It is also recommended (but not required) that you include the page number. The format of the page number depends on if the information is on a ...
How to Paraphrase
Paraphrasing is plagiarism if your text is too close to the original wording (even if you cite the source). If you directly copy a sentence or phrase, you should quote it instead. Paraphrasing is not plagiarism if you put the author's ideas completely into your own words and properly reference the source .
APA Citation Guide (7th Edition): Works Quoted in Another Source
Sometimes an author of a book, article or website will mention another person's work by using a quotation or paraphrased idea from that source. ... (in this case, Smith), verify the quote and cite the original source. If you can't/don't access the original source, the basic rule is that in both your References list and in-text citation you ...
In-Text Citations: Author/Authors
Note: In the rare case that "Anonymous" is used for the author, treat it as the author's name (Anonymous, 2001).In the reference list, use the name Anonymous as the author. Organization as an Author. If the author is an organization or a government agency, mention the organization in the signal phrase or in the parenthetical citation the first time you cite the source, just as you would an ...
Paraphrasing in MLA
A paraphrase is a piece of information written in a new way after reading and analyzing a source. A paraphrase translates the main ideas of a passage into a new passage that uses your own words and perspective. A paraphrase lets you control what point or information is highlighted. A paraphrase allows you turn a long passage into a condensed ...
PDF CITING AND PARAPHRASING (ASA) Effectively Integrating a Source
A) The paraphrase is good; it is (1) accurate in representing the original, and (2) puts the material in words different from the author's. B) The paraphrase is inaccurate in content; it distorts the source quite a bit. C) The paraphrase borrows too much of the original language, is too close to plagiarism. Exercise 1 Original Source:
Effective Research Paper Paraphrasing: A Quick Guide
Review the citation guidelines for the formatting style you're using, whether APA, MLA, or Chicago. Can I paraphrase sources with no named author, like websites? Yes, you can paraphrase websites, but ensure they are reputable. And you still need to cite the source according to the citation guidelines.
Paraphrase with Multiple Authors: A Guide to APA Citations
Two Authors. In citing two authors in a parenthetical citation, the authors' last names should be separated by the ampersand symbol (&), followed by year of publication. For example: … overreliance on detailed rules (Pierre & Frank, 2007). For the narrative citation, the last names of the two authors should be separated by 'and.'.

How to Cite a Paraphrased Statement

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Quoting or Paraphrasing a Source

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APA Citation Style, 7th Edition: In-Text Citations & Paraphrasing

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APA Citation Guide (7th edition) : Paraphrasing

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APA Citation Guide (7th edition): Quotes vs Paraphrases

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Example of a Long Quotation

Changing Quotations

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Example of a Secondary Source Use

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Paraphrasing

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How should a paraphrased passage be cited?

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How should a summarized passage or work be cited?

Let’s look at an example of a cited summary:

How should multiple sources be cited in a single parenthetical reference?

Let’s look at an example of multiple authors being cited:

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