Alhooti, 2021
1
Using Other Sources in Your Own Paper
When writing a paper, using sources is usually unavoidable as it benefits the writer in
many ways. When using these sources, directly copying the same words from the source itself
and then only referring to them in the references list is not advisable and would only lead you to
plagiarize. However, this mistake can be avoided by following these three correct methods.
These are paraphrasing, quoting, and summarizing.
Paraphrasing
Paraphrasing requires the writer to rewrite what he wants to cite in his/her own words.
Paraphrased sentences are usually found to be much shorter than what is originally written.
However, this should not be confused with summarizing.
Paraphrasing Tips
• Understand the material completely by reading it more than one time. This could help the
writer in rephrasing sentences without going back to the original source.
• Use a different word from what is originally written. This could also help the writer.
However, it should not be relied on completely.
• The sentence’s structure could be changed including verb choices.
• Only changing words and leaving the sentence structure as it is would not work and could
make any student fall in plagiarism.
• When you paraphrase, remember to cite the idea as it is an idea of another writer.
Paraphrasing, Quoting and Summarizing Tip Sheet
