Paraphrasing is restating an idea in your own words, at a similar length to the original. It is a normal, useful skill, used in essays, reports and everyday writing. But it is also a common source of accidental plagiarism, because many people think that changing a few words makes an idea their own. It does not.

What paraphrasing is

A paraphrase:

  • keeps the meaning of the original,
  • uses different wording and sentence structure,
  • is about the same length as the original,
  • and, when the idea comes from someone else, names the source.

A summary is shorter and covers only the main points. A quotation repeats the exact words, in quotation marks. Each of the three needs a citation if the idea or words are not yours.

Plagiarism is about credit

Plagiarism is presenting someone else's words or ideas as your own. Changing the wording does not change whose idea it is. So:

  • Rewording a passage without citing it is still plagiarism.
  • Rewording your own ideas to improve them is not.
  • Common knowledge, such as "water boils at 100 degrees Celsius at sea level", usually needs no citation, but if you are unsure, cite.

Rules differ between schools, publishers and employers, so check the ones that apply to you.

How to paraphrase well

  1. Read until you understand. You cannot restate what you do not follow.
  2. Close the source. Write the idea from memory, in your own words, as if explaining it to a friend.
  3. Compare with the original. Check that you kept the meaning and did not copy phrases by accident.
  4. Change the structure, not only the words. Swapping synonyms in the same sentence order is weak paraphrasing.
  5. Cite the source. Add the reference in the style your instructor or publisher requires.

An example

Original:

The company's revenue increased by twelve percent in the third quarter, mainly due to strong demand for its new product line.

Weak paraphrase (same structure, a few synonyms):

The firm's income rose by twelve percent in the third quarter, mostly because of high demand for its new range of products.

Better paraphrase:

Strong demand for new products helped the company earn 12 percent more in the third quarter. (Source: Annual Report, 2026)

The better version restructures the sentence and credits the source.

Where tools fit in

A Paraphrasing Tool can help you see alternative wordings, and modes such as Simple or Formal can change the register of a passage. Use it as a way to improve clarity, not to avoid reading or citing. After using it:

  • Check the meaning, names and numbers are unchanged.
  • Rewrite any phrase that still follows the original too closely.
  • Add the citation.
  • Follow your institution's rules on AI assistance.

Common mistakes

  • Replacing words with synonyms and keeping everything else.
  • Forgetting to cite because the words are different.
  • Changing the meaning while rewording.
  • Paraphrasing a passage you do not fully understand.
  • Stringing together paraphrases of one source and calling it your analysis.

Checklist

  • Do I understand the idea well enough to explain it without the source?
  • Is the structure different, not just the vocabulary?
  • Is the meaning unchanged?
  • Have I credited the source?

Paraphrasing well shows that you understand something. Credit shows that you are honest about where it came from.