Summarising and

Paraphrasing
TWO SIDES OF THE SAME
COIN

Learning outcomes
At the end of this lesson, you should be able
to :
Understand the techniques of summarising
Apply the techniques of summarising
Understand the techniques of paraphrasing
Apply the techniques of paraphrasing
Understand the importance of paraphrasing
Introduce an outside source

What is a summary?
A shorter version of a piece of
information which
Presents the main ideas or most important

information
Demonstrates understanding of the material in a
condensed form
Reports without personal interpretation or opinion
Involves Writing, Reading and Critical Thinking

Summary example 1
Source:
Amphibians, which is the animal class or frogs and
toads, were the first creatures to crawl from the sea
and inhabit the earth.
Summary: The first animals to leave the sea and live
on dry land were amphibian.

Summary example 2
Source:
People whose professional activity lies in the field of
politics are not, on the whole, conspicuous for their
respect for factual accuracy.
Summary : Politicians often lie.

Summary example 3
Source:
Failure to assimilate an adequate quantity of food over
an extended period of time is absolutely certain to
lead, in due course, to a fatal conclusion.
Summary: Lack of food causes death.

Summary example 4
Source:
The climatic conditions prevailing in the British Isles
show a pattern of alternating and unpredictable
periods of dry and wet weather, accompanied by a
similarly irregular cycle of temperature change
Summary: British weather is changeable.

Language use
Write in the present tense and omit personal

pronouns e.g. I and me

Use verbs to indicate summarized information e.g.
suggests, states, writes, argues, etc.
Use transitional words for a smooth, logical flow of
ideas.
Paraphrase using your own vocabulary and
sentence structure. Make the tone and style your
own.
If quotations are used, remember quotation marks

Getting started
Read until you understand the text and feel you can

explain in your own words

Recall the information using the 6 question words:
Who? What? Where? When? Why? How?
Remember to cite the writer of the text e.g.
Hanlon ( 1984) states or
According to Hanlon (1984)
As successful summarizing depends on paraphrase,
lets take a look at this technique:

Paraphrasing

Learning outcomes:
At the end of this lesson, you should be
able to

Defining paraphrase
Restate what has been said, or written,
in a different way.
Use your own words to express another
writers words or ideas.

The importance of paraphrasing

To avoid plagiarism
To report ideas and information
which belong to someone else
As an alternative to quoting

Attributes of a good paraphrase

The use of different words to convey the same ideas

and information as the original writing.

The grammar and vocabulary are not the same with

the exception of technical terms.

The use of multiple paraphrasing techniques

simultaneously.

Techniques in paraphrasing

Use synonyms

Use varied
sentence
patterns

Break long
sentences into
shorter ones

Change the
order of ideas

Simplify
abstract ideas

Technique 1 Use of synonyms

Original

Paraphrased

Stress

Anxiety

Primary application

Main use

At least 600

About six hundred

Technique 2 Varying sentence structure

Original

Paraphrased

Although at least 600

Britain has just three

of the devices are

used in the US, there
are apparently only
three in Britain.

devices, whereas
America uses around
600.

Technique 3 changing the order of ideas

Original
Dektor claims that the
muscle tightening occurs
very quickly, and can
change from one word to
the next, so that it is
possible to pick out a
word or phrase that
causes stress.

Paraphrased
An anxiety-inducing word
or phrase may be
obvious, as the muscles
can tighten between
words, according to
Dektor

Technique 4 Breaking long sentences into shorter ones

Original
In the US, the PSE device is
used for pre-employment
interviews, with questions
such as Have you ever used
marijuana? and for monthly
checks with branch
managers, asking questions
like, Do you suspect any
present employees of
cheating the company?
which at least prevents a
manager from setting his own
pace to investigate possible
suspicious behavior.

Paraphrased
The PSE device is used in
America to ask prospective
employees if they have aver
taken narcotics and to
question financial managers
about possible fraud in the
company. This is a prevention
against branch managers
conducting their own
investigations.

Technique 5 : simplifying abstract ideas

Original
Normally, but not under
stress, these voluntary
muscles vibrate at 8-12
Hz, and this adds a
clearly noticeable
frequency-modulated
component to the voice.
The PSE works by
analyzing this infrasonic
FM component.

Paraphrased
The PSE analyses
vibrations of muscles in
the mouth and throat
which usually vibrate at
8-12Hz. However, under
stress, these muscles
tighten and the PSE can
identify the change in the
voice.

Introducing an outside source

Always acknowledge the
writer of the text e.g.

Hanlon (2000) states /

writes / maintains /
According to Hanlon
(2000) the PSE
Or
The introduction of the
PSE (Dektor) to Britain is
a cause for concern as
no law exists to prohibit
its use. (Hanlon, 2000)

On a final note:

Use a variety of paraphrasing

techniques.

Always ensure information

paraphrased is true to the
original.

Conclusion
THIS IS THE END
OF TODAYS
LECTURE