Many students struggle with paraphrasing. Paraphrasing can be a good way to integrate someone's ideas into your paper, but if it's done incorrectly, it becomes indistinguishable from plagiarism. Here are some tips on how to parapharse properly:
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Acceptable paraphrasing expresses an idea in your own words and gives credit to the source.
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Paraphrases aim to replicate the writers intended meaning, while a summary compresses the original thought into fewer words.
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Changing only a few words or the structure of a sentence is considered unacceptable paraphrasing.
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Use author's name when paraphrasing (e.g., According to Missy Elliott,…).
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Explain to a classmate in your own words the meaning of the text you want to paraphrase.
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Write paraphrase without looking at original text.
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Check paraphrase against original text to make sure it’s not too close to original in wording or structure.