Summarizing, Paraphrasing, and Note-Taking
Why Should You Quote, Summarize, or Paraphrase?
Quotations Must be identical to the original Must be attributed to the original source A quotation is a piece of direct textual evidence. Writers surround the original text with quotation marks, indicating to readers that the words are not their own.
Paraphrasing Putting a passage from source material in your own words Usually of similar length to the original passage Must be attributed to the original source (cited) Unlike a summary, a paraphrase offers the readers the same level of detail provided in the original source
Summarizing Putting the main idea(s) in your own words, including only the main point(s) Significantly shorter than the original a broad overview or condensed version Written in your own words Must be attributed to the original source
The Wrong Way to Paraphrase Until that time, protecting the planet s natural resources was not part of the national political agenda, and the number of activists devoted to large-scale issues such as industrial pollution was minimal. -Until then, protecting Earth s natural resources wasn t a part of the national political agenda. The amount of activists who were devoted to large issues like industrial pollution was very small.
The Right Way to Paraphrase Until that time, protecting the planet s natural resources was not part of the national political agenda, and the number of activists devoted to large-scale issues such as industrial pollution was minimal. -Protecting the natural resources of our planet had never before been part of the U.S. political agenda. Until such developments, there were few activists who were devoted to issues such as industrial pollution.
Examples Her life spanned years of incredible change for women.
Examples Her life spanned years of incredible change for women. Mary lived through an era of reform for women.
Examples Giraffes like Acacia leaves and hay and they can consume 75 pounds of food a day.
Examples Giraffes like Acacia leaves and hay and they can consume 75 pounds of food a day. A giraffe can eat up to 75 pounds of Acacia leaves and hay everyday.
Paraphrasing The main ideas need to come through, but the wording has to be your own.
Examples Dinosaurs probably lived to be between 75 to 300 years of age. Scientists figured this out from looking at the structure of their bones.
Examples One way to tell the age of a fish is by looking at its scales. They have growth rings just like trees. These are called circuli. Clusters of them are called annuli. Each annuli show one year.
Examples The northern fur seal, rather than using a layer of fat to keep it warm, depends on its thick fur with some 300,000 hairs per square inch.
Examples One way to tell the age of a fish is by looking at its scales. They have growth rings just like trees. These are called circuli. Clusters of them are called annuli. Each annuli show one year.
Examples It takes more muscles to frown than it does to smile.
Examples Monarch caterpillars shed their skin four times before they become a chrysalis, growing over 2,700 times their original size.
Fun Facts Abraham Lincoln probably had a medical condition called Marfans syndrome. Some of its symptoms are extremely long bones, curved spine, an arm span that is longer than the persons height, eye problems, heart problems and very little fat. It is a rare, inherited condition. The weight of all the termites in the world outweigh the weight of all humans 10 to 1! Almost two-thirds of the earths surface is covered by water. If the earth were flat, water would cover everything in a layer two miles deep! Seeds from a wild flower, the Artic Lupine, found in Alaska, have grown in the lab after being frozen in the ground for 10,000 years.