Paraphrasing Tips

Paraphrasing is rewording specific details or ideas of a text. vs. Summarizing is telling what the work is about as a whole.

Ask yourself:  What is this section about?                              (vs. What is this text about?)

Here are some strategies for paraphrasing:

1.Let's do an easy one together:

From the article "Why Do Cats Purr?" 

 “Experts who have studied cats, however, will tell you that purring doesn't necessarily equate to happiness and contentment. Instead, studies have shown that purring can express a range of emotions and serve multiple purposes.”

How can we paraphrase this idea?

2. Pair up and gather around one of the posters around the room. With your partner, paraphrase the quote on your board and write it on a sticky note. Attach your sticky note to the board.

The quotes are from this article (2022): "Times Person of the year: Volodymyr Zelensky, the President of Ukraine"

3. Move to the board to your right. With the group, read the quote and then read the sticky notes. Decide which sticky note paraphrased the quote best and decide why. We will share our favorites with the class.

Quote 1: “'Person of the Year has always been an occasion to step back and think about the year through the lens of the people who helped shape it,'” says TIME’s editor in chief, Edward Felsenthal. Zelensky “'persuaded the West that freedom was at stake not just in Ukraine but across the world.'”

Quote 2: "When the Russian invasion of Ukraine began in February, it was predicted that the nation would be taken over in a matter of days. Zelensky didn’t flee. In spite of the danger, he stayed to lead his country."

4. Time to research & practice paraphrasing.