| Decide when to
Quote, Paraphrase & Summarize
By integrating source material into your paper, you
can add credibility, complexity, and support to your argument. In
this handout, we’ll look at how to decide when to quote, paraphrase,
and summarize.
Whether quoting, paraphrasing, or summarizing, you should follow
some general rules about integrating your source material.
1. Source material cannot make your points for you. Source material
can back up your points or provide material for you to argue against;
therefore, you will typically have to introduce source material and
comment on how it helps prove your point. Essentially, source material
has no significance without your commentary to provide context and
meaning.
2. Choose important or significant information that effectively relates
to or supports your points. (Depending on the type of paper you are
writing, you may need to present information that does not agree or
support the points in your paper. This most often occurs when you
are writing against a policy, plan, or procedure. Oftentimes, you
will have to present the dissenting view in order to show flaws, weaknesses,
or other errors within the opposing position.)
3. Always be faithful to the meaning of the source material that
you include in your paper.
4. Cite appropriately and integrate the quote, paraphrase, or summary
into the text effectively. Consult the APA, MLA, or other documentation
manual or the Academic
Center’s Quick Guides for information
on how to cite and the Academic Center handout “Signal
the Use of a Source” for ideas on how to integrate source material.
What are the differences among quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing?
A quote is the exact wording of the source material (either written
or spoken). Quotes match the original source word for word.
A paraphrase is a detailed restatement in
your own words of a written
or sometimes spoken source material. Apart from the changes in organization,
wording, and sentence structure, the paraphrase should be nearly identical
in meaning to the original passage. It should also be near the same
length as the original passage and present the details of the
original.
A summary is a condensed version of a passage. Similar to paraphrasing,
summarizing involves using your own words and writing style to express
another author's ideas. Unlike the paraphrase, which presents important
details, the summary presents only the most important ideas of the
passage.
When should I use quotes?
Using quotations is the easiest way to include source material, but
quotations should be used carefully and sparingly. While paraphrasing
and summarizing provide the opportunity to show your understanding
of the source material, quoting may only show your ability to type
it. Having said that, there are a few very good reasons that you might
want to use a quote rather than a paraphrase or summary:
1. Accuracy: You are unable to paraphrase or summarize the source
material without changing the author’s intent
.
2. Authority: You may want to use a quote to lend expert authority
for your assertion or to provide source material for analysis.
3. Conciseness: Your attempts to paraphrase or summarize are awkward
or much longer than the source material.
4. Unforgettable language: You believe that the words of the author
are memorable or remarkable because of their effectiveness or historical
flavor. Additionally, the author may have used a unique phrase or
sentence, and you want to comment on words or phrases themselves.
When you decide to quote, be careful of relying too much upon one
source or quoting too much of a source and make sure that your use
of the quote demonstrates an understanding of the source material.
Essentially, you want to avoid having a paper that is a string of
quotes with occasional input from you.
Think of the quote as a rare and precious jewel.
When should I paraphrase?
You will want to paraphrase or summarize when the wording of the
source is less important than the meaning of the source. The paraphrase
and summary allow you to maintain continuity of style in your paper
and show your mastery of source material. A paraphrase may be preferred
to a summary because paraphrases are more detailed and specific. You
may use the paraphrase often for the following reasons:
- To change the organization of ideas for emphasis. You may
have to change the organization of ideas in source material so
that you can emphasize the points that are most related to your
paper.
You should remember to be faithful to the meaning of the source.
- To simplify the material. You may have to simplify complex arguments,
sentences, or vocabulary.
- To clarify the material. You may have
to clarify technical passages or specialized information into
language that is appropriate
for your audience.
When you decide to paraphrase, avoid keeping the same structure of
ideas, sentence structure, or just changing some of the words. Be
careful not to add your ideas into the paraphrase and to be faithful
to the meaning of the source material.
When should I summarize?
Again, you will want to paraphrase or summarize when the wording
of the source is less important than the meaning of the source. The
paraphrase and summary allow you to maintain continuity of style in
your paper and show your mastery of source material. A summary may
be preferred to a paraphrase because summaries can provide a brief
overview of a text. The summary is very flexible. For example, you
could summarize a book in a sentence, or in several paragraphs, depending
on your writing situation and audience. You may use the summary often
for the following reasons:
- To condense the material. You may have to condense or to
reduce the source material to draw out the points that relate
to your paper.
- To omit extras from the material. You may have to
omit extra
information from the source material to focus on the author’s
main points.
- To simplify the material. You may have to simplify
the most important complex arguments, sentences, or vocabulary
in the source
material.
When you decide to summarize, avoid keeping the same structure of
ideas and/or sentence structure. Also avoid just changing some of the words. Be
careful not to add your ideas into the summary and to be faithful
to the meaning of the source material.
You can practice quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing
by making a chart of when to quote, paraphrase, or summarize. Use
the questions below as headings in your chart.
When should I quote?
When should I paraphrase?
When should I summarize?
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