Skip to main content

Paraphrasing: Home

Plagiarism, Summarizing, & Paraphrasing

Plagiarism is taking someone else's work or ideas and passing them off as your own.

Summarizing is an overview of the most important details or main ideas found in a text.

Paraphrasing is restating specific details found in text in your own words or in another way.

Learning Targets

  • I can use my own words to paraphrase information from research.
  • I can use paraphrasing and organizational skills to summarize information.
  • I can write complete sentences (simple and compound) that flow and sound natural.
  • I can use a non-print source to find information.



1.      Find your topic in a database.

2.      Read the article. Double-click on a word for the definition.

3.      Choose “Print article”.

4.      Copy and paste the print version into a Microsoft 2010 word document.

5.      Choose the “Review” tab at the top of the document.

6.      You will need to write 5 paraphrased sentences for your article. Click at the end of the sentence you are paraphrasing and click on “new comment” at the top of the screen. Type your paraphrased sentence in the comment on the right hand side of your document.

7.      Once you have all 5 comments, add your name and hour to the top of the page and print.


Paraphrasing includes the following:

·         Restating information into your own words.

·         Rewriting sentences to make them into simpler sentences or combine sentences to make them more complex.

·         Replacing difficult vocabulary words with words you understand.

·         Rewording ideas by using clearer word choice.



Tips for success:


·         Use a dictionary or thesaurus for word choice.

·         Read the sentence a couple of times to have a better understanding of the information.

·         Change the structure of the sentence by either creating shorter sentences or combining simple sentences into more complex sentences.


Steps for Paraphrasing:


1.      Read the passage twice for understanding.

2.      Circle or note any words or phrases you do not understand.

3.      Use a dictionary to define words you do not understand.

4.      Read the passage again placing your definition into the sentence.

5.      Read through the passage and paraphrase the details.



Dictionary and Thesaurus

Dictionary Thesaurus

Database Passwords
