ES5000 Chap.5 Quoting, Paraphrasing and Summarising
Quoting, Paraphrasing and Summarising
Three ways to bring in another writer's ideas
The Week 3 handout presents quoting, paraphrasing and summarising as different ways of including other people's ideas in your writing. A quotation copies a short passage word for word inside quotation marks. A paraphrase restates a section in your own words and phrasing while keeping its meaning.
A summary states only the main ideas and findings in your own words, so it is usually much shorter than the original.
Every one of them needs an in-text citation in the required style, and the handout adds that using them properly both strengthens your credibility and helps you avoid plagiarism.
Choosing the method
Quotations are for occasions when the exact words matter: when they carry the meaning powerfully, when you could not say it better, when you are introducing a position you will discuss, or when the words themselves are evidence.
Paraphrase is the usual alternative, and it shows that you understood the source. Summary suits long passages, sources whose main ideas are all you need, and detail that would distract your reader.
Handling a quotation
The handout's ICE method has three steps. Introduce the quotation with the author's name, any necessary context and a signal verb, which APA puts in the past tense.
Cite it with quotation marks, the exact original wording and punctuation, and the in-text citation. Explain it by saying what it means and why it matters to your paragraph, leaving no room for the reader to guess.
The style sheet adds a layout rule: short quotations sit inside quotation marks, and long ones start on a new line and are indented.
Paraphrase and summary as routines
Both begin with understanding the source fully and both involve writing from your understanding rather than from the page. A paraphrase must change more than a few words; the handout specifically rules out swapping in a synonym every few words.
A summary opens with the main idea, covers the major points and leaves out examples and evidence.
What this chapter covers
- 01
Quotation, paraphrase and summary compared
- 02
When exact words justify a quotation
- 03
The ICE method: introduce, cite, explain
- 04
Signal verbs and tense in APA
- 05
A paraphrase routine that avoids word swapping
- 06
A summary routine that keeps only the main ideas
Worked example · free
Summarising a passage in one sentence
- 2Identify the main finding.
- 2Decide which detail is essential and which can go.
- 2Write the sentence in your own words with the citation.
Key terms
- Direct Quotation
- An author's exact words reproduced inside quotation marks with an in-text citation.
- Paraphrase
- A restatement of a passage in your own words and structure that keeps its full meaning and carries a citation.
- Summary
- A shortened account of a text's main ideas in your own words, leaving out examples and detail, with a citation.
- ICE Method
- The three-step routine for quotations taught in the course: introduce, cite, explain.
- Signal Verb
- A reporting verb, such as argued or found, that introduces another writer's words or ideas.
Quoting, Paraphrasing and Summarising FAQ
When should I quote instead of paraphrasing?
Quote when the exact wording matters: when it expresses an idea powerfully, when you could not improve on it, when you are about to discuss the author's position, or when the words themselves are your evidence. In most other cases a paraphrase serves the reader better and shows your understanding.
Do I still need a citation if I paraphrase in my own words?
Yes. The ideas still belong to the original author, so a citation is required whether you quote, paraphrase or summarise. Leaving it out is one of the three ways the course's referencing handout says plagiarism happens.
What tense should signal verbs take in APA style?
The quoting handout says APA signal verbs are written in the past tense, as in Tan (2021) argued, while MLA uses the present tense. Follow APA for this course, since it is the required citation style.
How long can a quotation be before it needs special formatting?
The assignment style sheet sets the boundary at forty words. Shorter quotations go inside quotation marks in your sentence; longer ones start on a new line and are indented. Because the two rules meet at exactly forty words, it is simplest not to quote exactly that many.
Assessment move
For your next assignment, list every source you use and write Q, P or S beside each planned use before drafting. If more than a third are Q, convert some to paraphrase: it will lengthen your thinking and shorten your quotations.
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