What is Paraphrase?

In the most simple terms, paraphrasing is altering the wording used by someone else into your own words. The way that this is achieved is by rewriting the text with completely different words and phrases whilst keeping the original meaning intact. It is vital that when you paraphrase anything the original meaning is kept, and the key points are still acknowledged.

Some people may choose to quote the words of others within their speaking or writing and this is done by using the exact same words as the original speaker or writer and placing quotation marks around them to highlight that they were said by someone else. With a paraphrase, you are changing what was said in the original text.

It is important to remember that when you are paraphrasing something, that you provide references for the reader.

Why Do People Paraphrase?

There may be a variety of reasons why someone would opt to use paraphrasing over quoting. Let’s take a look at some of these reasons now.

• Being able to paraphrase a piece of text can show the author has a very clear understanding of the original text, so well that they are able to rewrite it into their own words.
• On top of the previous point, it also shows the reader that you fully understand what you have read and can relay it clearly and concisely.
• Paraphrasing gives you the chance to expand your own knowledge by explaining something in your own words. Often times, we learn better when we are absorbing information and paraphrasing is an excellent chance to do that.
• Paraphrasing is much more flexible than simply quoting the words of someone else.
• When you paraphrase a piece of text, you have the chance to use fewer or more words and sentences than the original depending on how you want your written work to come across.