Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing

This handout is intended to help you become more comfortable with the uses of and distinctions among
quotations, paraphrases, and summaries. This handout compares and contrasts the three terms, gives some pointers, and
includes a short excerpt that you can use to practice these skills.
What are the differences among quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing?
These three ways of incorporating other writers' work into your own writing differ according to the closeness of your
writing to the source writing.
Quotations must be identical to the original, using a narrow segment of the source. They must match the source document
word for word and must be attributed to the original author.
Paraphrasing involves putting a passage from source material into your own words. A paraphrase must also be attributed
to the original source. Paraphrased material is usually shorter than the original passage, taking a somewhat broader
segment of the source and condensing it slightly.
Summarizing involves putting the main ideas! into your own words, including only the main points!. "nce again, it is
necessary to attribute summari#ed ideas to the original source. $ummaries are significantly shorter than the original and
take a broad overview of the source material.
Why use quotations, paraphrases, and summaries?
%uotations, paraphrases, and summaries serve many purposes. &ou might use them to'
Provide support for claims or add credibility to your writing
(efer to work that leads up to the work you are now doing
)ive examples of several points of view on a sub*ect
+all attention to a position that you wish to agree or disagree with
,ighlight a particularly striking phrase, sentence, or passage by quoting the original
-istance yourself from the original by quoting it in order to cue readers that the words are not your own
.xpand the breadth or depth of your writing
/riters frequently intertwine summaries, paraphrases, and quotations. As part of a summary of an article, a chapter, or a
book, a writer might include paraphrases of various key points blended with quotations of striking or suggestive phrases
as in the following example'
0n his famous and influential work The Interpretation of Dreams, $igmund 1reud argues that dreams are the 2royal
road to the unconscious2 page 3!, expressing in coded imagery the dreamer's unfulfilled wishes through a process known
as the 2dream4work2 page 3!. According to 1reud, actual but unacceptable desires are censored internally and sub*ected
to coding through layers of condensation and displacement before emerging in a kind of rebus pu##le in the dream itself
page 3!.
How to use quotations, paraphrases, and summaries
Practice summari#ing the essay found here, using paraphrases and quotations as you go. 0t might be helpful to follow
these steps'
(ead the entire text, noting the key points and main ideas.
$ummari#e in your own words what the single main idea of the essay is.
Paraphrase important supporting points that come up in the essay.
+onsider any words, phrases, or brief passages that you believe should be quoted directly.
There are several ways to integrate quotations into your text. "ften, a short quotation works well when integrated into a
sentence. 5onger quotations can stand alone. (emember that quoting should be done only sparingly6 be sure that you have
a good reason to include a direct quotation when you decide to do so. &ou'll find guidelines for citing sources and
punctuating citations at our documentation guide pages.
Contributors:-ana 5ynn -riscoll, Allen 7ri#ee.
Summary:
This handout is intended to help you become more comfortable with the uses of and distinctions among quotations,
paraphrases, and summaries. This handout compares and contrasts the three terms, gives some pointers, and includes a
short excerpt that you can use to practice these skills.
Paraphrase: Write t in !our "wn Words
Paraphrasing is one way to use a text in your own writing without directly quoting source material. Anytime you are
taking information from a source that is not your own, you need to specify where you got that information.
# paraphrase is$$$
&our own rendition of essential information and ideas expressed by someone else, presented in a new form.
"ne legitimate way when accompanied by accurate documentation! to borrow from a source.
A more detailed restatement than a summary, which focuses concisely on a single main idea.
Paraphrasing is a %a&uab&e s'i&& because$$$
0t is better than quoting information from an undistinguished passage.
0t helps you control the temptation to quote too much.
The mental process required for successful paraphrasing helps you to grasp the full meaning of the original.
( Steps to )ffecti%e Paraphrasing
8. (eread the original passage until you understand its full meaning.
9. $et the original aside, and write your paraphrase on a note card.
:. ;ot down a few words below your paraphrase to remind you later how you envision using this material. At the top
of the note card, write a key word or phrase to indicate the sub*ect of your paraphrase.
<. +heck your rendition with the original to make sure that your version accurately expresses all the essential
information in a new form.
=. >se quotation marks to identify any unique term or phraseology you have borrowed exactly from the source.
?. (ecord the source including the page! on your note card so that you can credit it easily if you decide to
incorporate the material into your paper.
Some e*amp&es to compare
+he origina& passage:
$tudents frequently overuse direct quotation in taking notes, and as a result they overuse quotations in the final @researchA
paper. Probably only about 8BC of your final manuscript should appear as directly quoted matter. Therefore, you should
strive to limit the amount of exact transcribing of source materials while taking notes. 5ester, ;ames -. Writing Research
Papers. 9nd ed. 8DE?!' <?4<E.
# &egitimate paraphrase:
0n research papers students often quote excessively, failing to keep quoted material down to a desirable level. $ince the
problem usually originates during note taking, it is essential to minimi#e the material recorded verbatim 5ester <?4<E!.
#n acceptab&e summary:
$tudents should take *ust a few notes in direct quotation from sources to help minimi#e the amount of quoted material in a
research paper 5ester <?4<E!.
# p&agiarized %ersion:
$tudents often use too many direct quotations when they take notes, resulting in too many of them in the final research
paper. 0n fact, probably only about 8BC of the final copy should consist of directly quoted material. $o it is important to
limit the amount of source material copied while taking notes.
A note about plagiarism' This example has been classed as plagiarism, in part, because of its failure to deploy any citation.
Plagiarism is a serious offense in the academic world. ,owever, we acknowledge that plagiarism is a difficult term to
define6 that its definition may be contextually sensitive6 and that not all instances of plagiarism are created equalFthat is,
there are varying Gdegrees of egregiousnessH for different cases of plagiarism.
Contributors:-ana 5ynn -riscoll, Allen 7ri#ee.
Summary:
This handout is intended to help you become more comfortable with the uses of and distinctions among quotations,
paraphrases, and summaries. This handout compares and contrasts the three terms, gives some pointers, and includes a
short excerpt that you can use to practice these skills.
Samp&e )ssay for Summarizing, Paraphrasing, and Quoting
The following is a sample essay you can practice quoting, paraphrasing, and summari#ing. .xamples of each task are
provided at the end of the essay for further reference.
,ere is the citation for $ipher's essay'
$ipher, (oger. G$o That Iobody ,as to )o to $chool 0f They -on't /ant To.H The New York Times. 8D -ecember
8DEE. Page :8. Print.
So +hat ,obody Has +o -o +o Schoo& f +hey .on/t Want +o 0 by Roger Sipher
A decline in standardi#ed test scores is but the most recent indicator that American education is in trouble.
"ne reason for the crisis is that present mandatory4attendance laws force many to attend school who have no wish to be
there. $uch children have little desire to learn and are so antagonistic to school that neither they nor more highly
motivated students receive the quality education that is the birthright of every American.
The solution to this problem is simple' Abolish compulsory4attendance laws and allow only those who are committed to
getting an education to attend.
This will not end public education. +ontrary to conventional belief, legislators enacted compulsory4attendance laws to
legali#e what already existed. /illiam 5andes and 5ewis $olomon, economists, found little evidence that mandatory4
attendance laws increased the number of children in school. They found, too, that school systems have never effectively
enforced such laws, usually because of the expense involved.
There is no contradiction between the assertion that compulsory attendance has had little effect on the number of children
attending school and the argument that repeal would be a positive step toward improving education. Jost parents want a
high school education for their children. >nfortunately, compulsory attendance hampers the ability of public school
officials to enforce legitimate educational and disciplinary policies and thereby make the education a good one.
Private schools have no such problem. They can fail or dismiss students, knowing such students can attend public school.
/ithout compulsory attendance, public schools would be freer to oust students whose academic or personal behavior
undermines the educational mission of the institution.
,as not the noble experiment of a formal education for everyone failedK /hile we pay homage to the homily, 2&ou can
lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink,2 we have pretended it is not true in education.
Ask high school teachers if recalcitrant students learn anything of value. Ask teachers if these students do any homework.
%uite the contrary, these students know they will be passed from grade to grade until they are old enough to quit or until,
as is more likely, they receive a high school diploma. At the point when students could legally quit, most choose to remain
since they know they are likely to be allowed to graduate whether they do acceptable work or not.
Abolition of archaic attendance laws would produce enormous dividends.
1irst, it would alert everyone that school is a serious place where one goes to learn. $chools are neither day4care centers
nor indoor street corners. &oung people who resist learning should stay away6 indeed, an end to compulsory schooling
would require them to stay away.
$econd, students opposed to learning would not be able to pollute the educational atmosphere for those who want to learn.
Teachers could stop policing recalcitrant students and start educating.
Third, grades would show what they are supposed to' how well a student is learning. Parents could again read report cards
and know if their children were making progress.
1ourth, public esteem for schools would increase. People would stop regarding them as way stations for adolescents and
start thinking of them as institutions for educating America's youth.
1ifth, elementary schools would change because students would find out early they had better learn something or risk
flunking out later. .lementary teachers would no longer have to pass their failures on to *unior high and high school.
$ixth, the cost of enforcing compulsory education would be eliminated. -espite enforcement efforts, nearly 8= percent of
the school4age children in our largest cities are almost permanently absent from school.
+ommunities could use these savings to support institutions to deal with young people not in school. 0f, in the long run,
these institutions prove more costly, at least we would not confuse their mission with that of schools.
$chools should be for education. At present, they are only tangentially so. They have attempted to serve an all4
encompassing social function, trying to be all things to all people. 0n the process they have failed miserably at what they
were originally formed to accomplish.
)*amp&e Summary, Paraphrase, and Quotation from the )ssay:
)*amp&e summary: (oger $ipher makes his case for getting rid of compulsory4attendance laws in primary and
secondary schools with six arguments. These fall into three groupsFfirst that education is for those who want to learn and
by including those that don't want to learn, everyone suffers. $econd, that grades would be reflective of effort and
elementary school teachers wouldn't feel compelled to pass failing students. Third, that schools would both save money
and save face with the elimination of compulsory4attendance laws.
)*amp&e paraphrase of the essay/s conc&usion: (oger $ipher concludes his essay by insisting that schools have failed to
fulfill their primary duty of education because they try to fill multiple social functions para. 8E!.
)*amp&e quotation: According to (oger $ipher, a solution to the perceived crisis of American education is to 2Abolish
compulsory4attendance laws and allow only those who are committed to getting an education to attend2 para. :!