Quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing.
When you write about a topic, you should show that you have informed yourself with facts and previous research on that topic.
Using facts and arguments from credible sources builds your own credibility. It also helps you form your own arguments based on evidence, rather than your own opinion.
In an academic setting you show that you are building on others' work by:
- Quoting: reusing others' text word-for-word without any changes.
- Paraphrasing: rephrasing others' text in your own words.
- Summarizing: shortening text to the basic or main points in your own words.
Quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing, combined with proper citation is the best way to prevent yourself from plagiarizing.
Example
Let's take a look at this sample text and quote, paraphrase, and summarize it in MLA style.
Passage:
The phenomenon known as “sleep texting” is emerging as a growing technology trend among adolescents and young adults. Sleep texting occurs when an individual responds to or sends a text message electronically while in a sleep state. The beep or buzz of the cell phone indicating that a call has come in awakens the sleeper, who instinctively reaches over and responds to the message. This action can occur once or multiple times during the sleep cycle, adversely affecting the quality and the duration of the individual’s sleep.
Reference:
Dowdell, Elizabeth B., and Brianne Q. Clayton. “Interrupted Sleep: College Students Sleeping with Technology.” Journal of American College Health, vol. 67, no. 7, 2019, pp. 640–646. EBSCOhost, https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2018.1499655.
Quoting
When you quote you take text or content from one source and reproduce it word for word in your own presentation.
| Original Text | Quoted Text |
|---|---|
| The phenomenon known as “sleep texting” is emerging as a growing technology trend among adolescents and young adults. Sleep texting occurs when an individual responds to or sends a text message electronically while in a sleep state. The beep or buzz of the cell phone indicating that a call has come in awakens the sleeper, who instinctively reaches over and responds to the message. This action can occur once or multiple times during the sleep cycle, adversely affecting the quality and the duration of the individual’s sleep. | “Sleep texting occurs when an individual responds to or sends a text message electronically while in a sleep state” (Dowdell and Clayton 641). |
Quoted text always has quotation marks (" ") at the beginning and end, followed by an in-text citation.
Quotes can be useful, but try to keep them to a minimum. You want your project to be made up of your own words and ideas more than others'. Writing tutors can help you find the right balance between your ideas and others' in your paper.
Paraphrasing
Paraphrasing is restating what someone else has written or said in your own words.
| Original Text | Paraphrased Text |
|---|---|
| The phenomenon known as “sleep texting” is emerging as a growing technology trend among adolescents and young adults. Sleep texting occurs when an individual responds to or sends a text message electronically while in a sleep state. The beep or buzz of the cell phone indicating that a call has come in awakens the sleeper, who instinctively reaches over and responds to the message. This action can occur once or multiple times during the sleep cycle, adversely affecting the quality and the duration of the individual’s sleep. | Sleep texting is when people respond to text messages in their sleep (Dowdell and Clayton 641). |
Paraphrased text does not have quotation marks, except where you are using someone else's exact phrasing.
Paraphrased text ends with an in-text citation.
Summarizing
To summarize is to provide a shortened version of someone else's idea or writing.
| Original Text | Summarized Text |
|---|---|
| The phenomenon known as “sleep texting” is emerging as a growing technology trend among adolescents and young adults. Sleep texting occurs when an individual responds to or sends a text message electronically while in a sleep state. The beep or buzz of the cell phone indicating that a call has come in awakens the sleeper, who instinctively reaches over and responds to the message. This action can occur once or multiple times during the sleep cycle, adversely affecting the quality and the duration of the individual’s sleep. |
A recent study defined sleep texting as responding to text message while asleep. This study found that sleep texting is increasing among college students, and it is having a negative impact on the quality of their sleep (Dowdell and Clayton). Note: Because the summary refers to the entire article, no specific page number is mentioned in the parenthetical citation. |
As with paraphrasing, summarizing only uses quotations when you are using someone else's exact words.
Summary requires an in-text citation, because you are using or referring to someone else's ideas.
Whether you quote, paraphrase, or summarize, you are required to acknowledge the author and source of the information you are using with a citation.