Larbi Ben M’Hidi University

Department of English
Study Skills/ 1st Year (Licence)
Kinds of Notes
1 The paraphrase
Objectives of the lecture:By the end of the lecture, students will be able to:
- define a paraphrase
- effectively paraphrase a written text
Contents of the lecture:
Introduction
1.1 What is a paraphrase?
1.2 The Elements of Effective Paraphrasing
1.3 Techniques for Effective Paraphrasing
1.3.1 Changing vocabulary
1.3.2 Changing the Sentence Structure
1.3.2.1 Changing Word Class
1.3.2.2 Changing Word Order
1.4 Stages of effective paraphrasing
Exercises
References

Introduction
The notes you gather from your research must blend into the body of your paper
toprovide documentation in support of your thesis. These notes are of three
kinds: theparaphrase, the summary, and the quotation. This lecture tackles the
first kind of notes, the paraphrase.
1.1 What is a paraphrase?
Paraphrasing means changing the wording of a text so that it is
significantly different from the original source, without changing the meaning.
This is what is usually meant by the phrase “in your own words”. Note that the
paraphrase should be clearer and more easily understood than the original.
Importantly, effective paraphrasing is a key academic skill needed to avoid the
risk of plagiarism: it demonstrates your understanding of a source.
Remember that when paraphrasing you are actually trying to avoid overquoting
in your work. In other words, you do not want to quote word for word. Hence,
paraphrasing is the alternative to direct quoting, and even the best solution. You will
probably therefore only need to paraphrase short texts. When dealing with long

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paragraphs or indeed pages or chapters, summarizing the main ideas in the text would
be more appropriate.
1.2The Elements of Effective Paraphrasing
Paraphrasing and summarising are normally used together in essay writing, but
while summarising aims to reduce information to a suitable length,
paraphrasing attempts to restate the relevant information. When you paraphrase,
you need to change the words and the structure of the original text, but keep the
meaning the same. Do remember that even when you paraphrase someone’s work you
are still required to acknowledgethe original author of those ideas by providing a
reference – after all, just becauseyou’ve restated their ideas doesn’t mean you’ve taken
ownership of them! This crucial fact emphasises one key characteristic of a good
paraphrase: the restatement of information in such a way that it does not change the
meaning of the original.
For example, the following sentences:
a) There has been much debate about the reasons for the industrial
revolution happening in eighteenth-century Britain, rather than in France
or Germany (Baily, 2011).
could be paraphrased:
Why the industrial revolution occurred in Britain in theeighteenth century,
instead of on the continent, has been the subject of considerable discussion
(Baily, 2011).
b) Evidence of a lost civilization has been found off the coast of China
(Baily, 2011).
could be paraphrased:
Baily (2011) points out that the remains of an ancient society have been
discovered in the sea near China.
1.3Techniques for Effective Paraphrasing
1.3.1 Changing vocabulary:
studies > research society > civilization mud > deposits
Note: Not all words and phrases can be paraphrased. For example, economics,
socialism or global warming have no effective synonyms.
1.3.2 Changing the Sentence Structure
1.3.2.1 Changing Word Class:
Egypt (n.) > Egyptian (adj.)
mountainous regions (adj. +n.) > in the mountains (n.)
1.3.2.2 Changing Word Order:
Ancient Egypt collapsed > the collapse of Egyptiansociety began
1.4Stages of effective paraphrasing

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a) Read and make sure you understand the original text.
b) Make notes on the original text that can serve as cues during the rewriting of
it.
We recommend doing this without referring to the original text as this keeps
distance between your version and the original – an important consideration
seeing as you are not quoting it directly.
c) Rewrite the original text from your notes. This will involve some
restructuring, rephrasing and perhaps the use of synonyms.
d) Ensure that the new text flows smoothly.
e) Check that your text is an accurate reflection of the original and does
notmisrepresent it. Remember that taking an idea and placing it in a new context
cansometimes change the way in which that idea is understood.
f) Acknowledge other people’s work through appropriate referencing.
Summary
Note that an effective paraphrase usually:
 has a different structure to the original;
 has mainly different vocabulary;
 retains the same meaning;
 keeps some phrases from the original that are in common use
e.g. ‘industrial revolution’ or ‘eighteenth century’;
 is the same length as the original
 uses an in-text citation (reference) at the start or end of it.

Exercises
1. Read the text below and then decide which is the better paraphrase, (a)
or (b).
Ancient Egypt collapsed in about 2180 BC. Studies conducted of the mud
from the River Nileshowed that at this time the mountainous regions which
feed the Nile suffered from a prolongeddrought. This would have had a
devastating effect on the ability of Egyptian society to feed itself (Baily,
2011).
a) The sudden ending of Egyptian civilization over 4,000 years ago was
probably causedby changes in the weather in the region to the south. Without
the regular river floodingthere would not have been enough food (Baily,
2011).
b) Research into deposits of the Egyptian Nile indicate that a long dry period
in themountains at the river’s source may have led to a lack of water for

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 irrigation around2180BC, which was when the collapse of Egyptian society
began (Baily, 2011).
2. Find synonyms for the words in italic.
a) Sleep scientists have found that traditional remedies for insomnia, such as
countingsheep, are ineffective.
Example:
Sleep researchers have found that established cures for insomnia, for instance
counting sheep,do not work.
b) Instead, they have found that imagining a pleasant scene is likely to send you
to sleepquickly.
c) The research team divided 50 insomnia sufferers into three groups.
d) One group was told to imagine a waterfall, while another group tried sheep
counting.
3. Change the word class of the words in italic, and then re-write the sentences
a) A third group was given no special instructions about going to sleep.
Example:
A third group was not specially instructed about going to sleep.
b) It was found that the group thinking of waterfalls fell asleep 20 minutes
quicker.
c) Mechanical tasks like counting sheep are apparently too boring to make
people sleepy.
4. Change the word order of the following sentences.
a) There are many practical applications to research into insomnia.
Example:
Research into insomnia has many practical applications.
b) About one in ten people are thought to suffer from severe insomnia.
c) It is calculated that the cost of insomnia for the American economy may be
$35 billion ayear.
5. Combine all these techniques to paraphrase the paragraph as fully as
possible.
According to Smith (2001), sleep scientists have found that traditional remedies
for insomnia, such as counting sheep, areineffective. Instead, they have found
that imagining a pleasant scene is likely to send you tosleep quickly. The
research team divided 50 insomnia sufferers into three groups. One group
imagined watching a waterfall, while another group tried sheep counting. A
third group wasgiven no special instructions about going to sleep. It was found
that the group thinking ofwaterfalls fell asleep 20 minutes quicker. Mechanical

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tasks like counting sheep are apparentlytoo boring to make people sleepy. There
are many practical applications for research intoinsomnia. About one in ten
people are thought to suffer from severe insomnia. It is calculatedthat the cost of
insomnia for the American economy may be $35 billion a year.
6. Use the same techniques to paraphrase the following text.
Before the last century no humans had visited Antarctica, and even today the
vast continent hasa winter population of less than 200 people. However, a recent
report from a New Zealandgovernment agency outlines the scale of the pollution
problem in the ice and snow. Althoughuntouched compared with other regions
in the world, the bitter cold of Antarctica means thatthe normal process of decay
is prevented. As a result some research stations are surroundedby the rubbish of
nearly 60 years’ operations.
Despite popular belief, the polar continent is really a desert, with less
precipitation than theSahara. In the past, snowfall slowly covered the waste left
behind, like beer cans or deadponies, but now, possibly due to global warming,
the ice is thinning and these are beingexposed. Over 10 years ago the countries
using Antarctica agreed a treaty on waste disposal,under which everything is to
be taken home, and this is slowly improving the situation.
However, the scientists do not want everything removed. The remains of very
early expeditionsat the beginning of the twentieth century have acquired
historical value and will be preserved (Baily, 2011).

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References

Bailey, S. (2003). Academic Writing: A practical guide for students (1sted.).