Use of paraphracing in Research Writing

1. Department of English
Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University
Date: 3rd April 2024
Sem 4। Batch 2022-24
Research Methodology
Presentation on
Use of Paraphrasing in Research Writing
Presented by Gopi Dervaliya

2. Use of Paraphrasing
in Research Writing

3. Personal Information
● Name : Gopi Dervaliya
● Roll No. : 08
● Sem : 04
● Paper Name : Research Methodology
● Paper No. : 209
● Paper Code : 22416
● Submitted to : Department Of English, M.K.B.U
● Email Id : gopidervaliya02@gmail.com

4. Table of contents
What is
Paraphrasing
?
Techniques
for
Paraphrasing
AI Tools for
Paraphrasing
References
02
01 03
05
04 06
Challenges of
Paraphrasing
Tips for
Paraphrasing

5. What is Paraphrasing ?
● Paraphrasing is the act of expressing someone else's ideas or information in
your own words without changing the original meaning or context. It
involves rephrasing or rewriting a text using different vocabulary and
sentence structures while accurately capturing the essence of the source
material.
● Paraphrasing is a crucial skill in research writing as it allows researchers to
incorporate information, concepts, or evidence from external sources
seamlessly into their work. By paraphrasing effectively, researchers can
demonstrate their understanding of the source material and integrate it into
their own analysis or arguments without resorting to direct quotations
excessively. (Stewart)

6. History Of Paraphrasing
● Paraphrasing has a long history as an educational technique, dating
back to ancient Roman times. The Roman author Quintilian suggested
using paraphrasing exercises to help students improve their language
skills. During the Middle Ages, writers like Geoffrey of Vinsauf
continued this practice, using paraphrasing and other rhetorical
exercises to help students create poems and speeches. Today, there is
interest in studying paraphrasing in relation to concerns about
plagiarism and original authorship. (D’Angelo)

7. The importance of paraphrasing in research writing cannot be
overstated. It serves several key purposes:
● Avoiding plagiarism
● Demonstrating comprehension
● Improving writing quality
● Integrating sources seamlessly (Kissner)
Importance of Paraphrasing

8. Types of Paraphrasing
Fred Inglis identifies five levels of paraphrase:
1. Replacing words with synonyms
2. Varying sentence structure
3. Reordering information
4. Turning long sentences into multiple shorter ones (or vice versa)
5. Expressing abstract concepts more concretely. (Inglis)

9. Process of paraphrasing
The process of paraphrasing involves several key steps:
● Read the original text thoroughly to gain a complete understanding of
the ideas and concepts presented.
● Identify the main points and essential information you want to
convey.
● Set aside the original text and rewrite the main ideas in your own
words without looking back at the source.

10. Synonym Substitution : Replace certain words or phrases with their synonyms.
Original : "The renaissance was a flowering of art, literature and learning in
Europe."
Paraphrased: "The renaissance represented a blossoming of artistic, literary and
scholarly pursuits across the European continent."
Sentence Restructuring : Alter the sentence structure from the original source
while maintaining the core meaning.
Original : "Sleep deprivation can have serious detrimental effects on cognitive
performance and overall health." (Aprianto)
Techniques for Effective Paraphrasing

11. Paraphrased : "Lack of adequate sleep can severely impair one's
ability to think clearly and detrimentally impact general well-being."
Changing Word Forms : Transform nouns into verbs, verbs into
adjectives etc.
Original : "The discovery of penicillin by Fleming revolutionized
medicine."
Paraphrased : "When Fleming discovered penicillin, it sparked a
revolution in the field of medical treatment." (Aprianto)
Continue…

12. Active Reading :
Encourage active reading of the source text before attempting to paraphrase.
Engage deeply with the material by summarizing key points and main ideas in
your own words. This process of internalizing the concepts will better prepare
you to effectively rephrase the text accurately.
Consult Multiple Sources :
Don't rely solely on one source when paraphrasing a topic. Consult several
authoritative sources to gain a comprehensive, nuanced understanding.
Utilizing multiple perspectives allows you to synthesize the information more
effectively and increases your ability to convey the concepts using your own
language and examples. (Choy)
Tips for successful paraphrasing

13. Continue…
Practice and Seek Feedback :
Paraphrasing is a skill that improves with practice. Make an effort to regularly
exercise paraphrasing different texts and subject matter. Additionally, seek feedback
from peers, writing tutors, or instructors on your paraphrased work. This external
critique can identify areas for improvement in precision, clarity, and maintaining the
original meaning.
Use Paraphrasing Tools Cautiously :
While online paraphrasing tools can occasionally be helpful resources, be cautious in
relying too heavily upon them. These automated tools may not always accurately
capture nuances or preserve the intended meaning. If utilizing them, carefully review
and revise the tool's output to ensure it properly conveys the original ideas.
Ultimately, these tools should supplement, not replace, your own paraphrasing
abilities. (Choy)

14. Examples
Original Text : "The rapid growth of the internet has transformed the way
people communicate, shop, learn, and live their lives. With a few clicks of a
button, one can purchase goods from across the globe, take an online course
from a prestigious university, or connect with friends on social media
platforms."
Paraphrased : The advent of the internet has revolutionized human
interactions and daily activities. Electronic commerce allows consumers to
conveniently acquire products internationally. Moreover, educational
opportunities have expanded through remote learning facilitated by online
platforms. Interpersonal connections can occur virtually via social networking
sites. (Arrington)

15. Continue…
Original Text : "Climate change poses an existential threat to low-lying
island nations. As global temperatures rise, leading to increasing sea
levels, these island communities face the risk of being entirely submerged,
resulting in mass displacement of their populations."
Paraphrased : The study warns that the climate crisis endangers the very
existence of island countries with low elevations. Escalating global
warming trends are causing oceans to encroach on land, jeopardizing the
homelands of island residents who may ultimately have no choice but to
flee their native territories. (Arrington)

16. Challenges of Paraphrasing
● One of the most prevalent challenges is inadvertently mimicking the
sentence structures of the original text. This can result in unintentional
plagiarism. To overcome this, it's crucial to read the original text
thoroughly, understand the underlying concepts, and then express those
ideas using different words and sentence structures.
● Sometimes, researchers may struggle to find alternative ways to express
complex ideas, leading to inadequate paraphrasing. To address this
challenge, it's beneficial to engage in active reading and comprehension of
the original text. (Elizalde Esain)

17. ● Another challenge is ensuring that the paraphrased version accurately
reflects the original meaning and intent of the source material. To
overcome this, researchers should focus on capturing the essence of
the original ideas rather than merely replacing words with synonyms.
● Some researchers may lack confidence in their paraphrasing abilities,
leading to anxiety or avoidance of the task altogether. To build
confidence, it's important to practice paraphrasing regularly. (Elizalde
Esain)
Continue…

18. AI Paraphrasing Tools
Online paraphrasing tools are software applications designed to rewrite text in a
way that retains the original meaning while using different words and sentence
structures. These tools use algorithms to analyze and rephrase input text, offering a
quicker alternative to manual paraphrasing.
● QuillBot : Utilizes AI to rephrase sentences while preserving meaning.
● Spinbot : Offers quick text rephrasing with the option to customize the level
of rewriting.
● Paraphrase Online : Provides simple and efficient text rephrasing services.
● WordAi : Utilizes artificial intelligence to rewrite sentences and paragraphs
intelligently. (Rogerson)

19. ● Time-saving
● Enhanced productivity
● Language improvement
● Avoiding plagiarism (Rogerson)
Benefits of using Online Paraphrasing
Tools

20. Conclusion
Paraphrasing is an indispensable skill for research writers to master. It allows
for the seamless integration of external sources and ideas into one's own work
while avoiding pitfalls of plagiarism and excessive quoting. Although
paraphrasing comes with its own challenges, such as inadvertently drifting
from the original meaning or copying syntax too closely, active practice and
application of techniques like synonym use, sentence restructuring, and source
rotations can help overcome these obstacles. When executed effectively,
paraphrasing demonstrates comprehensive understanding of source material,
promotes cohesive narrative flow, improves overall writing abilities, and
upholds academic integrity benefiting the writer, their research, and the wider
scholarly community. As an essential tool for substantiating arguments and
analyses, paraphrasing merits dedicated development by all academics and
students.

21. Work Cited
Aprianto, Dedi, et al. “(PDF) Analyzing the Paraphrasing Techniques in Academic Writing Skills and the
Paraphrasing Challenges Across Gender.” ResearchGate, 15 January 2024,
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/377309823_Analyzing_the_Paraphrasing_Techniques_in_Acade
mic_Writing_Skills_and_the_Paraphrasing_Challenges_Across_Gender. Accessed 2 April 2024.
Arrington, Phillip. “A Dramatistic Approach to Understanding and Teaching the Paraphrase.” College
Composition and Communication, vol. 39, no. 2, 1988, pp. 185–97. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/358027.
Accessed 2 Apr. 2024.
Choy, Siew Chee, and Mun Yee Lee. "Effects of teaching paraphrasing skills to students learning summary
writing in ESL." Journal of teaching and learning 8.2 (2012).
D’Angelo, Frank J. “The Art of Paraphrase.” College Composition and Communication, vol. 30, no. 3, 1979, pp.

22. Elizalde Esain, Andrea. "English for Academic Purposes: The Challenge of Paraphrasing." (2015).
Inglis, Fred, and Lesley Aers. Key Concepts in Education. SAGE Publications, 2008.
Kissner, Emily. Summarizing, Paraphrasing, and Retelling: Skills for Better Reading, Writing, and
Test Taking. Heinemann, 2006.
MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. Modern Language Association of America, 2009.
Rogerson, Ann M., and Grace McCarthy. "Using Internet based paraphrasing tools: Original work,
patchwriting or facilitated plagiarism?." International Journal for Educational Integrity 13
(2017): 1-15.
Stewart, Donald. “Metaphor and Paraphrase.” Philosophy & Rhetoric, vol. 4, no. 2, 1971, pp. 111–
23. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/40236756. Accessed 2 Apr. 2024.