Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing

This handout is intended to help you become more comfortable with the uses of and distinctions among quotations, paraphrases, and summaries. This handout compares and contrasts the three terms, gives some pointers, and includes a short excerpt that you can use to practice these skills. Explains the difference among quoting, paraphrasing, and summarzing, explains why and how to use each, and provides practice in summarizing, paraphrasing, and quoting.

Weblink address (URL): 
Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing

Standards & Objectives

Learning objectives: 

Quotations, paraphrases, and summaries serve many purposes. You might use them to:

  • Provide support for claims or add credibility to your writing
  • Refer to work that leads up to the work you are now doing
  • Give examples of several points of view on a subject
  • Call attention to a position that you wish to agree or disagree with
  • Highlight a particularly striking phrase, sentence, or passage by quoting the original
  • Distance yourself from the original by quoting it in order to cue readers that the words are not your own
  • Expand the breadth or depth of your writing

Lesson Variations

Blooms taxonomy level: 
Evaluating

References

Contributors: 
Donna Gibson
Originator: 
Ayers Institute for Learning & Innovation