Topic outline
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Watch this short video to learn how to paraphrase effectively. You may find it useful to pause the video at specific points to read the example texts and to take notes.
(Video: 5 minutes, 52 seconds)
Note: The example references shown in the above video are in Harvard UniSA style. Most other examples throughout this referencing site are in APA 7, unless specified otherwise. Always check with your course lecturers and tutors about which referencing style you are expected to use, and follow the examples provided in the relevant style guide. Learn more about different Referencing styles here.
Steps to help you paraphrase effectively:
- Read the original text until you understand it
- Note down key concepts and highlight any technical words that you cannot change
- Put the original text away and write the main idea in your own words
- Compare your paraphrase with the original text and ensure you've included what is important and have not changed the original meaning
- Make adjustments if needed to ensure that your wording is not too similar, but the meaning stays the same
- Edit your paraphrase so it is written in an academic manner and is grammatically correct
- Include an in-text citation in each sentence which is a paraphrase of the original text
- Incorporate the paraphrase into your writing and make any final edits to ensure it flows with the rest of your assignment
Further tips to help you write a good paraphrase:
- Change the sentence structure so that it is different to the original
- Use appropriate synonyms
- Change the form of original words where possible (e.g. analyse > the analysis)
- If your paraphrase includes multiple sentences which convey ideas from the original, include an in-text citation in every sentence, not just the last one.