How to Paraphrase without Plagiarizing

“If you steal from one author it’s plagiarism; if you steal from many it’s research,” said Wilson Mizner, playwright, raconteur and entrepreneur. So how do you paraphrase someone’s work without committing plagiarism?

Let’s begin by defining paraphrasing: Paraphrasing is the process of expressing the ideas of another person in your own words, while maintaining the original meaning. It’s an important skill to have when writing academic papers, or when using the ideas of others in your own work.

Here are some tactics for paraphrasing without plagiarizing.

Understand the original text: Make sure you fully understand the original text before you begin paraphrasing it.

Use your own words: Rewrite the text using your own words, rather than simply replacing a few words or phrases.

Use a different structure: Change the structure of the original text, such as the order of the sentences or the use of headings and bullet points.

Provide a citation: Always provide a citation when paraphrasing, to give credit to the original source and show that you are using someone else’s ideas.

Use quotation marks: If you use a direct quote from the original text, be sure to enclose it in quotation marks and provide a citation.

Use a plagiarism checker: Use a plagiarism checker, such as Turnitin or PlagScan, to help ensure that your paraphrased text is original.

Review and revise: Review your paraphrased text carefully to make sure it is accurate and conveys the same meaning as the original text. If necessary, revise and rewrite it until it meets these criteria.

Use the same number of words: When paraphrasing, try to use the same number of words as the original text. This can help to ensure that you are expressing the ideas in your own words, rather than simply replacing a few words or phrases.

Use synonyms: Use synonyms to replace certain words or phrases in the original text. This can help to ensure that you are using your own words, while still conveying the same meaning.

Avoid using too many direct quotes: While it’s okay to use a direct quote occasionally, avoid using too many of them in your paraphrased text. This can make your writing sound choppy and can lead to plagiarism.

Use your own voice: Use your own voice when paraphrasing, rather than trying to replicate the tone or style of the original text. This will help to make your paraphrased text feel more authentic and original.

Use paraphrasing as a learning tool: Paraphrasing can be a helpful learning tool, as it requires you to fully understand the original text and express the ideas in your own words. This can help you to better retain and internalize the information.

Practice paraphrasing: The more you practice paraphrasing, the better you will become at it. Try paraphrasing different texts and compare your paraphrased versions to the original to see how well you did.

Use paraphrasing as a way to avoid repetition: Paraphrasing can be a helpful way to avoid repeating the same ideas or information too often in your writing. By expressing the ideas in your own words, you can help to make your writing more varied and engaging.