Module 9: What is a Paraphrase?
A paraphrase is a restatement of another author's writing in your own words. Paraphrasing
is often the most effective way to present material you have located through your
research. Why is it so effective? Because it allows you to maintain a consistency
of style and voice in the writing, while at the same time allowing you to benefit
from the authority that outside sources can lend to your argument. Paraphrasing
is the best way to avoid one of the biggest complaints that instructors have about
students' research writing: that it reads like a cut-and-paste scrapbook of quotations
from other people. Paraphrasing shows that you are in control of your own paper;
you understand what you have read and you can use it, and the authority it represents,
to make a strong case. Paraphrasing, if done correctly, can also help you avoid
plagiarism in your writing. Therefore, it's important to know how to write an acceptable
paraphrase. That's our next topic.
EXTRA: Check out this video for more help on paraphrasing, plagiarism, direct quotations, taking notes, and source citations (created by and for University of Maryland University College students).