1. PARAPHRASING

2. PARAPHRASE= ◦ Restatement of a text in your own words

3. As you get to a higher level in English and in college… ◦ Make your goal to be NOT ONLY finding appropriate synonyms and rearranging the order of a text, but ACTUALLY GETTING ACROSS THE SAME IDEA(S) in your own words.

4. 4 steps: 1. Make a list of important points from the passage (fine to use same language as the source at this point). 2. Make a list of possible synonyms for the source vocab AND changing the part of speech (nouns to verbs, for ex). (NOTE: you do not need to try to paraphrase technical vocabulary) 3. Put the original away and attempt your paraphrase. 4. Check your paraphrase against the original to see if they have the same meaning. ◦ Did you include all the information listed in the original? ◦ Did you add any new information not listed there? ◦ Does it have the same tone/sense/feeling of the original (check for subtle differences)?

5. EXAMPLE: Original: Passive safety systems help lessen the impact of driving accidents. They do nothing to contribute to preventing drivers from getting into an accident.

6. STEP 1: Important points: ◦ Systems exist called passive safety systems that reduce the harm automobile accidents can cause. ◦ These systems only help after accidents; they do not help drivers avoid accidents.

7. STEP 2: Possible synonyms ◦ Passive safety systems  ? ◦ Help  support, assist ◦ Lessen  reduce, lower, decrease, diminish ◦ Impact  effects, harm? ◦ Driving accidents  automobile accidents ◦ Contribute  give, support, help ◦ Preventing  helping to avoid/stop, heading off

8. STEP 3 : Put away original and attempt a paraphrase 2 possible paraphrases: ◦ Although passive safety systems in automobiles reduce the harm accidents can cause, they do not help drivers avoid accidents. ◦ Passive safety systems in automobiles are not designed to stop accidents from happening; their function is to decrease the damage of accidents when they do occur.

9. STEP 4: Review the original against your paraphrase and check your work Original: Passive safety systems help lessen the impact of driving accidents. They do nothing to contribute to preventing drivers from getting into an accident. 2 possible paraphrases: ◦ Although passive safety systems in automobiles reduce the harm accidents can cause, they do not help drivers avoid accidents. ◦ Passive safety systems in automobiles are not designed to stop accidents from happening; their function is to decrease the damage of accidents when they do occur.

10. SOURCE: Adapted from: Swales, F and Feak, C (2012). Academic Writing for Graduate Students, 3 rd Ed. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press.