Guidelines for Quoting, Paraphrasing and Summarizing

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When you’re writing a paper you’ll be synthesizing information from a variety of sources. Sometimes you will directly quote it, sometimes you will summarize it and sometimes you’ll paraphrase it.

In all of these situations, you should cite your sources!

  • When you quote a source, you use the author’s words exactly, and indicate that with quotation marks.
  • When you paraphrase a source, you put it into your own words. This does not mean changing a few words by inserting synonyms, it means integrating the meaning of the original passage into your writing.
  • When you summarize a source, you significantly condense the ideas in the original source — without adding your own interpretation or analysis.

For more information about Quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing contact your 蘑菇传媒 Writing Center or try these online resources: