Paraphrase
When you paraphrase, you rephrase the author’s original text into your own words and style. Paraphrases are usually shorter than the original text.
You must include a parenthetical citation when you paraphrase, or you will be plagiarizing.
When you paraphrase, you should capture the meaning of the author’s original words without using his/her language or sentence structure.
In some cases, you can include short quoted phrases from the original text in your paraphrases, but usually you want to avoid this.
Example Quotation:
“For the vast majority of the world's inhabitants during this period, technologies of food production changed slowly and haltingly, if at all. Most people farmed in the way of their ancestors, using mostly human and animal labor and simple tools to produce enough for their own subsistence and, in class-based societies governed by states (the domain of most agriculturalists), to pay taxes” (“Major Themes in World History, 1450-1750”).
Paraphrase:
During this time, most people continued to approach food production the same way that their ancestors traditionally did, including using human and animal labor and rudimentary tools, either purely for subsistence or, in some places, to pay taxes. This technology changed very slowly (“Major Themes in World History, 1450-1750”).
⚡ TIP (from EasyBib):
If you’re having trouble paraphrasing, try making a short list of the main idea(s) of the quote and words that relate to it. Build your paraphrase around these concepts and words!