How to Paraphrase, Summarize and Quote in academic essays formattted to APA.

1. Using and Citing Sources
Grace Christian University
Professor Rick Harrell

2. •Quote
•Summarize
•Paraphrase
 LIMIT the use of quotes
 Avoid over-long quotes
 Increase the originality of your paper with
paraphrasing (TRANSLATING the information
from the sources into your own language

3. •Helps to build credibility
•Shows your readers you are honest
•Shows you have done your research
•Gives reader necessary information to
find sources and do further research
•Helps avoid issues with plagiarism.

5. •Use sources to support and explain your own ideas.
•Consider drafting without any sources and then
adding sources to help defend, develop and explore
your ideas.
•Avoid cutting/pasting information from sources.
•Do not fill your papers with source information for the
sake of filling up space. Make your research count.
•Interact with and analyze source information—don’t
leave quotes “hanging.”
•Don’t over-quote! Most of your paper should be your
words.

6.  Cite in-text and on the Reference page
 Summarize if the quote or source is long and
the “gist” will support your point.
 Paraphrase to “translate” into your own
words for brevity.
 Quote if using the source’s exact language is
best for you point.
 Combine methods – use a partial quote
within your paraphrase.

7. What it is: What it isn’t:
• Taking source ideas
and translating them
into your own
language, vocabulary,
and sentence
structure
• A paraphrase is
usually shorter than
the original source; a
summary is an even
shorter version.
• Changing the source’s
meaning and ideas
• Analyzing or
establishing
commentary on the
ideas
• Simple changing the
order of some words
or substituting
synonyms or adding a
few words

8. 1. Decide where you need to include source
information in your writing
2. Locate the source that best helps you to
defend, develop or clarify your ideas
3. Read the source WITHOUT having your
paper open. This helps you to avoid
cutting and pasting
4. Read the source until you understand it
and can explain it to others without
having the source open

9. 5. Close your source. Open your paper.
Write in your own words the source
information where you need it.
6. Stress in balance the key ideas of the
original. Include purpose and where it
came from.
7. Compare the paraphrase to the original,
changing any accidental cutting and
pasting to your own words.
8. Cite the source at the end of the
paraphrase.

10. What it is: What it isn’t:
• Taking the purpose
and key points – the
gist and intent - from
the original and
distilling it to a brief
synopsis.
• A summary is much
shorter than the
original source; it
conveys an “abstract”
of the original writing.
• Taking key sentences
and merging them
with your own ideas or
with other sources
• Simple changing the
order of some words
or substituting
synonyms or adding a
few words

11. 1. Decide where you need to include source
information in your writing
2. Locate the source that best helps you to defend,
develop or support your ideas
3. Read the source for its main purpose
4. Read the source and outline the key points that
support the main purpose.
5. Write a few sentences that acknowledge the
author, writing and key purpose and, in your
own words, the key point from the outline.
6. Cite the work at the end of the summary.

12. •Is this information that most people would
know?
•Is this information that would be known by
those outside of a particular field?
•Is the information readily available in general
reference sources like encyclopedias?
•If the answer to all three is “Yes,” then the
material is common knowledge and you don’t
need a citation (unless, of course, you want to
use a direct quote).