There are some easy steps that you can follow at times when you need to paraphrase, let’s take a closer look at these now.
Read and make sure that you understand the original piece of writing.
Make a note of the key ideas.
Write a version of the text in your own words without referring back to the original.
Compare the two with one another, making any amendments to the new version.
Reference the source.
There are also some handy tips that can make paraphrasing very simple when you need to do it.
Begin your new version of the text at a different point than where the original begins.
Make good use of synonyms.
Consider changing the sentence structure such as changing from a passive voice to an active voice.
Paraphrase Examples
Now that we have a good understanding of what paraphrasing is and what it is used for, we are ready to start looking at some examples. Studying these examples will give you a better understanding of how the process works.
Paraphrasing Example 1
Original Text
Many people consider classical music as being a broad range of styles, however, the classical period only falls into a small period of time in the 1700/1800’s. What many people believe as being classical music may well be baroque or romantic music for example.
The composer, Beethoven lived and worked in the romantic era of music and as such his music falls into the romantic category, but most people would call him a classical composer.
The same can be said for J S Bach, who, whilst being commonly referred to as a classical composer, was, in fact, a baroque musician.
Paraphrased Version
Over the years, there have been many periods of music with the classical period being the most famous and the most referred to. With that it mind, the classical period is often misused when it comes to talking about certain composers.
Beethoven, one of the most well-loved composers from history is often called a classical composer, however, his career fell in the romantic period. Hundreds of years before this there lived another famous composer who is often credited as being classical, J S Bach was a baroque composer with the style being evidently clear.
Conclusion
Paraphrasing is a great skill to have as it enables you to rewrite a piece of text using your own words whilst keeping the main points. There are certain techniques which can be used whilst paraphrasing that make it easier to do.