paraphrasing
<< Back to Academic Integrity Policy
<< Back to Policy Overview
Paraphrasing is restating in different words, (rather than quoting directly) another person’s thoughts or ideas. Paraphrase does not require quotation marks, but does require citation. It is never acceptable to paraphrase in order to misrepresent whose ideas are being presented. Paraphrase is appropriate when the idea can be restated more clearly or simply, or where it is placed in the flow of the other original thoughts.
Example 1*
Original
version: from p. 60 of Michael Agar’s Language Shock:
"Everyone uses the word
language and everybody these days talks about culture. . . . 'languaculture'
is a reminder, I hope, of the necessary connection between its two parts.
. . ."
Plagiarized
version:
At the intersection of language
and culture lies a concept that we might call “languaculture.”
Acceptable
version:
At the intersection of language
and culture lies a concept that Michael Agar has called “languaculture”
(1994, p. 60).
Example 2**
Original
version: Angelici (Synthesis and Technique in Inorganic Chemistry,
p 46):
" Those complexes that contain
unpaired electrons are attracted into a magnetic field and are said to
be paramagnetic, while those with no unpaired electrons are repelled by
such a field and are called diamagnetic."
Plagiarized
version:
Those complexes that contain
paired electrons are repelled by a magnetic field and are said to be diamagnetic,
whereas those with no paired electrons are attracted to such a field and
are called paramagnetic.
Comment:
Because the concept and
terms are technically precise, this sentence is difficult to paraphrase.
The original probably should be quoted directly.
* Avoiding
Plagiarism, UIS Center for Teaching and Learning
** Plagiarism:
Definitions, Examples and Penalties The University of Kentucky, Department
of Chemistry
