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• How to Paraphrase | Step-by-Step Guide & Examples

How to Paraphrase | Step-by-Step Guide & Examples

Published on April 8, 2022 by Courtney Gahan and Jack Caulfield. Revised on June 1, 2023.

Paraphrasing means putting someone else’s ideas into your own words. Paraphrasing a source involves changing the wording while preserving the original meaning.

Paraphrasing is an alternative to  quoting (copying someone’s exact words and putting them in quotation marks ). In academic writing, it’s usually better to integrate sources by paraphrasing instead of quoting. It shows that you have understood the source, reads more smoothly, and keeps your own voice front and center.

Every time you paraphrase, it’s important to cite the source . Also take care not to use wording that is too similar to the original. Otherwise, you could be at risk of committing plagiarism .

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Table of contents

How to paraphrase in five easy steps, how to paraphrase correctly, examples of paraphrasing, how to cite a paraphrase, paraphrasing vs. quoting, paraphrasing vs. summarizing, avoiding plagiarism when you paraphrase, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about paraphrasing.

If you’re struggling to get to grips with the process of paraphrasing, check out our easy step-by-step guide in the video below.

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Putting an idea into your own words can be easier said than done. Let’s say you want to paraphrase the text below, about population decline in a particular species of sea snails.

Incorrect paraphrasing

You might make a first attempt to paraphrase it by swapping out a few words for  synonyms .

Like other sea creatures inhabiting the vicinity of highly populated coasts, horse conchs have lost substantial territory to advancement and contamination , including preferred breeding grounds along mud flats and seagrass beds. Their Gulf home is also heating up due to global warming , which scientists think further puts pressure on the creatures , predicated upon the harmful effects extra warmth has on other large mollusks (Barnett, 2022).

This attempt at paraphrasing doesn’t change the sentence structure or order of information, only some of the word choices. And the synonyms chosen are poor:

• “Advancement and contamination” doesn’t really convey the same meaning as “development and pollution.”
• Sometimes the changes make the tone less academic: “home” for “habitat” and “sea creatures” for “marine animals.”
• Adding phrases like “inhabiting the vicinity of” and “puts pressure on” makes the text needlessly long-winded.
• Global warming is related to climate change, but they don’t mean exactly the same thing.

Because of this, the text reads awkwardly, is longer than it needs to be, and remains too close to the original phrasing. This means you risk being accused of plagiarism .

Correct paraphrasing

Let’s look at a more effective way of paraphrasing the same text.

Here, we’ve:

• Only included the information that’s relevant to our argument (note that the paraphrase is shorter than the original)
• Introduced the information with the signal phrase “Scientists believe that …”
• Retained key terms like “development and pollution,” since changing them could alter the meaning
• Structured sentences in our own way instead of copying the structure of the original
• Started from a different point, presenting information in a different order

Because of this, we’re able to clearly convey the relevant information from the source without sticking too close to the original phrasing.

Explore the tabs below to see examples of paraphrasing in action.

• Journal article
• Newspaper article
• Magazine article

Once you have your perfectly paraphrased text, you need to ensure you credit the original author. You’ll always paraphrase sources in the same way, but you’ll have to use a different type of in-text citation depending on what citation style you follow.

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It’s a good idea to paraphrase instead of quoting in most cases because:

• Paraphrasing shows that you fully understand the meaning of a text
• Your own voice remains dominant throughout your paper
• Quotes reduce the readability of your text

But that doesn’t mean you should never quote. Quotes are appropriate when:

• Giving a precise definition
• Saying something about the author’s language or style (e.g., in a literary analysis paper)
• Providing evidence in support of an argument
• Critiquing or analyzing a specific claim

A paraphrase puts a specific passage into your own words. It’s typically a similar length to the original text, or slightly shorter.

When you boil a longer piece of writing down to the key points, so that the result is a lot shorter than the original, this is called summarizing .

Paraphrasing and quoting are important tools for presenting specific information from sources. But if the information you want to include is more general (e.g., the overarching argument of a whole article), summarizing is more appropriate.

When paraphrasing, you have to be careful to avoid accidental plagiarism .

This can happen if the paraphrase is too similar to the original quote, with phrases or whole sentences that are identical (and should therefore be in quotation marks). It can also happen if you fail to properly cite the source.

Paraphrasing tools are widely used by students, and can be especially useful for non-native speakers who may find academic writing particularly challenging. While these can be helpful for a bit of extra inspiration, use these tools sparingly, keeping academic integrity in mind.

To make sure you’ve properly paraphrased and cited all your sources, you could elect to run a plagiarism check before submitting your paper. And of course, always be sure to read your source material yourself and take the first stab at paraphrasing on your own.

If you want to know more about ChatGPT, AI tools , citation , and plagiarism , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

• ChatGPT vs human editor
• ChatGPT citations
• Is ChatGPT trustworthy?
• Using ChatGPT for your studies
• What is ChatGPT?
• Chicago style
• Critical thinking

 Plagiarism

• Types of plagiarism
• Self-plagiarism
• Avoiding plagiarism
• Academic integrity
• Consequences of plagiarism
• Common knowledge

To paraphrase effectively, don’t just take the original sentence and swap out some of the words for synonyms. Instead, try:

• Reformulating the sentence (e.g., change active to passive , or start from a different point)
• Combining information from multiple sentences into one
• Leaving out information from the original that isn’t relevant to your point
• Using synonyms where they don’t distort the meaning

The main point is to ensure you don’t just copy the structure of the original text, but instead reformulate the idea in your own words.

Paraphrasing without crediting the original author is a form of plagiarism , because you’re presenting someone else’s ideas as if they were your own.

However, paraphrasing is not plagiarism if you correctly cite the source . This means including an in-text citation and a full reference, formatted according to your required citation style .

As well as citing, make sure that any paraphrased text is completely rewritten in your own words.

Plagiarism means using someone else’s words or ideas and passing them off as your own. Paraphrasing means putting someone else’s ideas in your own words.

So when does paraphrasing count as plagiarism?

• Paraphrasing is plagiarism if you don’t properly credit the original author.
• Paraphrasing is plagiarism if your text is too close to the original wording (even if you cite the source). If you directly copy a sentence or phrase, you should quote it instead.
• Paraphrasing  is not plagiarism if you put the author’s ideas completely in your own words and properly cite the source .

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To present information from other sources in academic writing , it’s best to paraphrase in most cases. This shows that you’ve understood the ideas you’re discussing and incorporates them into your text smoothly.

It’s appropriate to quote when:

• Changing the phrasing would distort the meaning of the original text
• You want to discuss the author’s language choices (e.g., in literary analysis )
• You’re presenting a precise definition
• You’re looking in depth at a specific claim

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Gahan, C. & Caulfield, J. (2023, June 01). How to Paraphrase | Step-by-Step Guide & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved August 26, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/working-with-sources/how-to-paraphrase/

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Paraphrasing is the art of rewriting text into other words. This includes using synonyms, restructuring phrases, and connecting ideas in different ways. A state-of-the-art paraphraser provides automatic and simple-to-use rephrasing of complete sentences.

Why Should I Paraphrase My Sentences?

By paraphrasing existing sentences, you can elevate your writing and achieve different goals as a writer. That’s why rephrasing is helpful in plenty of cases: rewriting citations, strengthening the message of your text, and rewording your ideas while improving style.

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This feature is highly customizable, meaning you’re in control. Choose from five different categories—general, formal, concise, fluent, or simple—to transform your writing to better suit the context and tone. Paraphrasing helps you by refining and perfecting your masterpieces.

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What Other Features Does LanguageTool’s Paraphraser Provide?

The best part of using A.I. to paraphrase your writing is that the suggested sentences come free of spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors. Want to also improve style? Simply go back to the general correction to view stylistic suggestions.

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It’s an online tool that rewrites texts in a new (stylistically different) way by using alternative wording and a rephrased sentence structure.

This function is recommended for all types of texts, including professional, academic, and creative writing. It’s available for all LanguageTool users, but unlimited paraphrasing is only available in Premium.

A paraphrasing tool can easily enhance your writing by improving the tone and style of your text. Moreover, it helps you avoid having to write direct citations by rewriting copy-and-pasted text.

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For basic users, the paraphrasing feature is limited to three times daily. If you need more rephrased sentences, you can upgrade to LanguageTool Premium to get access to unlimited paraphrasing in six languages and several English dialects. Remember: No personal data is stored (ever) and privacy guidelines are strictly followed (always).

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How to Paraphrase: Dos, Don'ts, and Strategies for Success

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Is It Considered Plagiarism If You Paraphrase?

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How to Paraphrase and Tips for Paraphrasing Correctly

Write Down Paraphrases of a Source on Notecards

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As if the research process isn't hard enough already—finding relevant and reliable sources, reading and interpreting material, and selecting key quotations/information to support your findings/arguments are all essential when writing a research essay.

Academic writers and students face the additional stress of ensuring that they have properly documented their sources. Failure to do so, whether intentionally or unintentionally, could result in plagiarism, which is a serious academic offense.

That's why we've written this article: to provide tips for proper paraphrasing. We'll start with an overview of the difference between paraphrasing and quoting, and then we'll provide a list of paraphrasing dos and don'ts, followed by strategies for proper paraphrasing. 

We will include paraphrasing examples throughout to illustrate best practices for paraphrasing and citing paraphrased material .

As mentioned in our previous article on plagiarism , "simply taking another writer's ideas and rephrasing them as one's own can be considered plagiarism as well." 

Paraphrasing words is acceptable if you interpret and synthesize the information from your sources, rephrase the ideas in your own words, and add citations at the sentence level. It is NOT acceptable if you simply copy and paste large chunks of an original source and modify them slightly, hoping that your teacher, editor, or reviewer won't notice. 

Passing off another's work as one's own is a form of intellectual theft, so researchers and students must learn how to paraphrase quotes and be scrupulous when reporting others' work.

You might be familiar with all this. Still, you might be concerned and find yourself asking, "How do I paraphrase a source correctly without running the risk of unintentional plagiarism?" 

For many writers, especially those who are unfamiliar with the concepts of a particular field, learning how to paraphrase a source or sentence is daunting.

To avoid charges of plagiarism, you must not only document your sources correctly using an appropriate style guide (e.g., APA, Harvard, or Vancouver) for your reference list or bibliography but also handle direct quotations and paraphrasing correctly.

Quoting uses the exact words and punctuation from your source, whereas paraphrasing involves synthesizing material from the source and putting things in your own words. Citing paraphrases is just as necessary as citing quotations.

Even if you understand quoting versus paraphrasing, you might still need some additional paraphrasing help or guidance on how to paraphrase a quote. 

Summarizing is when you're discussing the main point or overview of a piece, while paraphrasing is when you're translating a direct quote into language that will be easy for your readers to understand .

It's easy to see how the two are similar, given that the steps to paraphrasing and summarizing both include putting ideas into your own words. 

But summarizing and paraphrasing are distinctly different. Paraphrasing highlights a certain perspective from a source, and summarizing offers more of an overview of an entire subject, theme, or book.

You can usually tell the difference between paraphrasing and summarizing by the length of what you're writing abore writing about. If you’re writing about a quote, that would be a smaller theme inside a larger work, so you'd paraphrase. 

If you're writing about the themes or plot of an entire book, you'd summarize. Summaries are usually shorter than the original work.

Learn How to Format Quotation Marks here.

When learning how to paraphrase a quote, you first need to consider whether you should be paraphrasing a text or quoting it directly.

If you find the perfect quote from a reliable source that fits your main topic, supports your argument, and lends authority to your paper but is too long (40+ words) or complex, it should be paraphrased. Long/complex quotes can also be shortened with omissions and editorial changes (as discussed below).

Introduce the quote with a signal phrase (e.g., "According to Ahmad [2017] . . .") and insert the entire quotation, indicating the text with quotation marks or indentation (i.e., a block quote).

If you only need to use parts of a long quotation, you can insert an ellipsis (. . .) to indicate omissions. You can also make editorial changes in square brackets [like this]. 

Keep in mind that you need to reflect the author's intent accurately when using this strategy. Don't change important words in a quotation so that it better fits your argument, as this is a form of intellectual fraud.

Changes in square brackets should only be used to clarify the text without altering meaning in the context of the paper (e.g., clarifying antecedents and matching verb tense). They signal to the reader that these changes were made by the author of the essay and not by the author of the original text.

Paraphrasing

Demonstrate that you clearly understand the text by expressing the main ideas in your own unique style and language. Now, you might be asking yourself, "Do paraphrases need to be cited like quotes?" The answer is a resounding "yes."

When deciding whether to paraphrase or use a direct quote, it is essential to ask what is more important: the exact words of the source or the ideas.

If the former is important, consider quoting directly. If the latter is important, consider paraphrasing or summarizing.

Direct quotation is best for well-worded material that you cannot express any more clearly or succinctly in your own style. It's actually the preferred way of reporting sources in the arts, particularly in literary studies.

Shortening a long quote is a great way to retain the original phrasing while ensuring that the quote reads well in your paper. However, direct quotations are often discouraged in the sciences and social sciences, so keep that in mind when deciding whether to paraphrase or quote.

Paraphrasing is best used for long portions of text that you can synthesize into your own words. Think of paraphrasing as a form of translation; you are translating an idea in another "language" into your own language. The idea should be the same, but the words and sentence structure should be totally different.

The purpose of paraphrasing is to draw together ideas from multiple sources to convey information to your reader clearly and succinctly. 

As a student or researcher, your job is to demonstrate that you understand the material you've read by expressing ideas from other sources in your own style, adding citations to the paraphrased material as appropriate. 

If you think the purpose of paraphrasing is to help you avoid thinking for yourself, you are mistaken.

When you paraphrase, be sure that you understand the text clearly . The purpose of paraphrasing is to interpret the information you researched for your reader, explaining it as though you were speaking to a colleague or teacher. In short, paraphrasing is a skill that demonstrates one's comprehension of a text.

Yes, paraphrases always need to be cited. Citing paraphrased material helps you avoid plagiarism by giving explicit credit to the authors of the material you are discussing. 

Citing your paraphrases ensures academic integrity. When you sit down to write your paper, however, you might find yourself asking these questions: "Do paraphrases need to be cited? How do I paraphrase?"

Here is a quick paraphrase example that demonstrates how to cite paraphrased ideas. The opening lines to one of Juliet's most famous speeches are "O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo? / Deny thy father and refuse thy name; / Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love, / And I'll no longer be a Capulet" (Romeo and Juliet, 2.2.880–884). 

If you needed to paraphrase these lines in an essay, you could do so as follows:

Juliet muses about why Romeo's family name is Montague and concludes that if either gave up their name (and thereby their family affiliations) for the other, they could be together (Romeo and Juliet, 2.2.880–884).

Generally speaking, you must include an in-text citation at the end of a paraphrased sentence. 

However, if your paraphrased material is several sentences long, then you should check with your preferred style guide. Some style guides (such as APA) call for a paraphrase citation after the first paraphrased sentence. Other style guides (such as MLA) call for a paraphrase citation after the last paraphrased sentence. 

Remember, no matter what style guide you use, it is not necessary to cite every single sentence of paraphrased material in a multi-sentence paraphrase.

Don't Start Paraphrasing by Picking Up a Thesaurus

This might shock you, but a thesaurus is NOT the answer to the problem of paraphrasing. Why? Using a thesaurus to swap out a few words here and there from an original source is a form of patchwriting, which is a type of plagiarism.

You shouldn't have to resort to a thesaurus unless you are completely unsure about what a word means—although, in that case, a dictionary might be a better tool. Ideally, you should be able to use clear, simple language that is familiar to you when reporting findings (or other information) from a study.

The problem with using a thesaurus is that you aren't really using your own words to paraphrase a text; you're using words from a book. Plus, if you're unfamiliar with a concept or if you have difficulty with English, you might choose the wrong synonym and end up with a paraphrase like this: "You may perhaps usage an erroneous word."

This is a common mistake among writers who are writing about a field with which they are unfamiliar or who do not have a thorough grasp of the English language or the purpose of paraphrasing.

If you choose to keep a few phrases from the original source but paraphrase the rest (i.e., combining quoting and paraphrasing), that's okay, but keep in mind that phrasing from the source text must be reproduced in an exact manner within quotation marks.

Direct quotations are more than three consecutive words copied from another source, and they should always be enclosed in quotation marks or offset as a block quotation.

A sentence that combines a direct quote with paraphrased material would look like this: 

In "The Laugh of the Medusa," Cixous highlights women's writing as a specific feat and speaks "about what it will do" when it has the same formal recognition as men's writing (Cixous 875).

The paraphrased paragraph of Cixous' essay includes a direct quote and a paraphrase citation.

Did you know that copying portions of a quote without quotation marks (i.e., patchwriting) is a form of plagiarism—even if you provide an in-text citation? If you've reworded sections of a quote in your own style, simply enclose any direct quotations (three or more words) in quotation marks to indicate that the writing is not your own.

When learning how to paraphrase, you need to distinguish between appropriate and inappropriate forms of paraphrasing. The Office of Research and Integrity , a branch of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, puts it this way:

Taking portions of text from one or more sources, crediting the author/s, but only making 'cosmetic' changes to the borrowed material, such as changing one or two words, simply rearranging the order, voice (i.e., active vs. passive) and/or tense of the sentences is NOT paraphrasing.

What does paraphrasing too closely look like? Here is an overly close paraphrase example of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' description of plagiarizing:

Using sections of a source, citing it, but only making surface-level changes to the language (such as changing a few words, the verb tense, the voice, or word order) fails as a paraphrase. True paraphrasing involves changing the words and syntactical structure of the original source. Keep reading for strategies for paraphrasing properly.

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In an article on how to paraphrase , the Purdue University Online Writing Lab suggests that you read the source text carefully and write paraphrases on notecards. You can then compare your version with the original, ensuring that you've covered all the key information and noting any words or phrases that are too closely paraphrased.

Your notecards should be labeled with the author(s) and citation information of the source text so that you don't lose track of which source you used. You should also note how you plan to use the paraphrase in your essay.

If you are a visual learner, the benefit of this strategy is that you can visualize the content you intend to paraphrase. 

Because a notecard is a tangible object, you can physically arrange it in an essay outline, moving the right information to the appropriate paragraph so that your essay flows well. (If you're not sure how to write an outline , check out our article.)

Plus, having a physical copy of paraphrased information makes it harder for you to accidentally plagiarize by copying and pasting text from an original source and forgetting to paraphrase or quote it properly. Writing out your paraphrase allows you to distance yourself from the source text and express the idea in your own unique style.

For more paraphrasing help, Jerry Plotnick from the University College Writing Centre at the University of Toronto provides a similar strategy for paraphrasing.

Plotnick advises that you take point-form notes of text that you want to use in your paper. Don't use full sentences, but instead "capture the original idea" in a few words and record the name of the source.

This strategy is similar to the notecard idea, but it adds another step. Instead of just reading the source carefully and writing your complete paraphrase on a notecard, Plotnick recommends using point-form notes while researching your sources. These notes can then be used to paraphrase the source text when you are writing your paper.

Like handwriting your paraphrases on notecards, taking notes and coming back to them later will help you distance yourself from the source, allowing you to forget the original wording and use your own style.

The Plotnick method above describes how to use point-form notes while researching a paper to keep your paraphrasing original. To paraphrase in your paper using Plotnick's method above, look at your sources and try the following:

Write down the basic point(s) you want to discuss on a notecard (in your own words).

Take your notecard points and turn them into sentences when you write your essay.

Add the reference for the source.

Compare your paraphrase to the original source to make sure your words are your own.

Practice Two-Step Paraphrasing: Sentence Structure and Word Choice

In an article on how to paraphrase by the Writing Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the first two strategies are acknowledged—taking notes and looking away from the source before you write your paraphrase. 

The authors then suggest another two-step strategy for paraphrasing: change the structure first and then change the words. Let's break down this process a bit further.

Sentences in English have two main components: a subject and a predicate . The subject is who or what is performing an action (i.e., a noun or pronoun), and the predicate is what the subject is doing (i.e., a verb). Sentences can be simple, compound, complex, or compound-complex. 

Here are some paraphrase examples using different sentence structures:

Simple: It was difficult.

Compound: It was difficult, but she knew there was no going back.

Complex: Although it was difficult, she knew there was no going back.

Compound-complex: Although it was difficult, she knew there was no going back, so she kept calm and carried on.

Once you have identified the structure of the original sentence, you can reconstruct it using one of the different types of sentences illustrated above.

You can also change passive voice to active voice, or vice versa.

The active voice is structured like this: Subject + Verb + Object (e.g., She learned how to paraphrase.)

The passive voice is structured like this: Object + "To Be" Verb + Past Participle (e.g., How to paraphrase was learned by the girl.)

See how awkward the passive sentence example is? It's best not to force a sentence into an unnatural sentence structure. 

Otherwise, you'll end up with Yoda-speak: "Forced to learn how to paraphrase a sentence, the girl was." (Did you like the unintentional "force" pun?)

Another way to distinguish your paraphrase from the original source is to use different sentence lengths. Often, scholarly articles are written using long, compound, complex, or compound-complex sentences. Use short sentences instead. 

Break down complex ideas into easy-to-understand material. Alternatively, you can combine several ideas from the source text into one long sentence, synthesizing the material. Try to stick with your own style of writing so that the paraphrased text matches that of the rest of your document.

Once the paraphrased sentence structure is sufficiently different from the original sentence structure, you can replace the wording of the original text with words you understand and are comfortable with.

Paraphrasing isn't meant to hide the fact that you are copying someone else's idea using clever word-swapping techniques. Rather, it is meant to demonstrate that you are capable of explaining the text in your own language.

One handy article on word choice by the Writing Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill lists some strategies for successful word choice, such as eliminating jargon and simplifying unnecessary wordiness. While this applies to academic writing in general, the "questions to ask yourself" are also useful as great paraphrasing help.

Once you have completed a sentence-long paraphrase, you include an in-text citation at the end of that sentence. However, if your paraphrased material is several sentences long, then you should check with your preferred style guide. 

Some style guides (such as APA) call for a paraphrase citation after the first paraphrased sentence. Other style guides (such as MLA) call for a paraphrase citation after the last paraphrased sentence. 

To paraphrase properly, you need to explain a text in your own words without using a direct quote . Keep in mind, however, that different styles require different formats when it comes to documenting paraphrased sources. Some styles require a citation after the first paraphrased sentence, while others require a citation after the last.

For this reason, we've outlined examples of how to paraphrase in the APA, MLA, and Chicago styles below. Be sure to check with your professor to see which style your essay requires.

APA guidelines for paraphrasing include citing your source on the first mention in either the narrative or parenthetical format. Here's a refresher of both formats:

Narrative format: Koehler (2016) noted the dangers of false news.

Parenthetical format: The news can distort our perception of an issue (Koehler, 2016).

Here's an example of how to paraphrase from a primary source in APA:

Dudley (1999) states that "direct quote" or paraphrase (Page #).

Note: It's not always necessary to include the page number, but it's recommended if it'll help readers quickly find a passage in a book.

Below are a couple of examples of how to paraphrase in APA. Keep in mind that for longer paraphrases, you don't have to add the citation again if it's clear that the same work is being paraphrased.

Short paraphrase:

Stephenson (1992) outlined a case study of a young man who showed increasing signs of insecurity without his father (pp. 23–27).

Long paraphrase:

Johnson et al. (2013) discovered that for small-breed dogs of a certain age, possession aggression was associated with unstable living environments in earlier years, including fenced-in yards with multiple dogs all together for long periods of time. However, these effects were mediated over time. Additionally, with careful training, the dogs showed less possession aggression over time. These findings illustrate the importance of positive reinforcement over the length of a dog's life.

When paraphrasing in MLA, include an in-text citation at the end of the last paraphrased sentence. 

Your in-text citation can be done either parenthetically or in prose, and it requires the last name of the cited author and the page number of the source you're paraphrasing from. Here are MLA citation examples :

Parenthetical:

Paraphrase (Author's Last Name Page #)

Author's Last Name states that paraphrase (Page #)

In addition to adding a short in-text citation to the end of your last paraphrased sentence, MLA requires that this source be included in your Works Cited page, so don't forget to add it there as well.

Here are two examples of how to paraphrase in MLA:

In an attempt to communicate his love for Elizabeth, all Mr. Darcy did was communicate the ways in which he fought to hide his true feelings (Austen 390).

Rowling explains how happy Harry was after being reunited with his friends when he thought all was lost (17).

Paraphrasing correctly in Chicago style depends on whether you're using the notes and bibliography system or the author-date system.

The notes and bibliography system includes footnotes or endnotes, whereas the author-date system includes in-text citations.

Below, you'll find the correct way to format citations when paraphrasing in both the notes and bibliography and author-date systems.

Notes and Bibliography

For the notes and bibliography system, add a superscript at the end of your paraphrase that corresponds to your footnote or endnote.

Johnson explains that there was no proof in the pudding. 1

Author-Date

For the author-date style, include the page number of the text you're referencing at the end of your paraphrase. If you mention the author, include the year the source was published.

Johnson (1995) explains that there was no proof in the pudding (21).

In summary, the purpose of paraphrasing is not to simply swap a few words; rather, it is to take ideas and explain them using an entirely different sentence structure and choice of words. It has a greater objective; it shows that you've understood the literature on your subject and are able to express it clearly to your reader.

In other words, proper paraphrasing shows that you are familiar with the ideas in your field, and it enables you to support your own research with in-text citations. 

Knowing when to paraphrase or quote strengthens your research presentation and arguments. Asking for paraphrasing help before you accidentally plagiarize shows that you understand the value of academic integrity.

If you need help, you might consider an editing and proofreading service, such as Scribendi. While our editors cannot paraphrase your sources for you, they can check whether you've cited your sources correctly according to your target style guide via our Academic Editing service.

Even if you need more than just paraphrase citation checks, our editors can help you decide whether a direct quote is stronger as a paraphrase, and vice versa. Editors cannot paraphrase quotes for you, but they can help you learn how to paraphrase a quote correctly.

What Is the Meaning of "Paraphrase"?

Paraphrasing is when you write text from another source in your own words. It's a way of conveying to your reader or professor that you understand a specific source material well enough to describe it in your own style or language without quoting it directly. 

Paraphrasing (and citing your paraphrases) allows you to explain and share ideas you've learned from other sources without plagiarizing them.

You can write things in your own words by taking original notes on the sources you're reading and using those notes to write your paraphrase while keeping the source material out of sight. 

You can also practice putting things in your own words by changing sentences from passive to active, or vice versa, or by varying word choice and sentence length. You can also try Jeremy Plotnick's idea of paraphrasing from your own point-form notes.

When you're paraphrasing something, it means you are putting someone else's writing in your own words. You're not copying or quoting content directly. Instead, you are reading someone else's work and explaining their ideas in your own way. 

Paraphrasing demonstrates that you understand the material you're writing about and gives your reader the opportunity to understand the material in a simplified way that is different from how the original author explained it.

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How to paraphrase (including examples)

Jessica Malnik

Paraphrasing has gotten a bad reputation due to its association with plagiarism . However, when used correctly, paraphrasing has the potential to elevate your writing and give you a better understanding of the research.

In this post, we’ll discuss what paraphrasing is, why we do it, and 6 steps to walk you through the process. We’ll also share what not to do with paraphrasing, along with some examples.

Paraphrasing definition and rules

Paraphrasing is simply a way of summarizing someone else’s content in your own words. When you paraphrase, you keep the meaning or intent of the original work without copying it word for word. However, paraphrasing can quickly become a form of plagiarism if done incorrectly. This is why it’s crucial to follow the rules of paraphrasing.

When borrowing the ideas from someone else’s content, there’s one important rule to follow: you must correctly cite your source. This can be done in a number of ways depending on the style guide you use. 

Source citing is different for MLA and APA formatting and style guides. You’ll need to familiarize yourself with the citation formats for whichever one you follow. However, in some cases, simply hyperlinking the source will be sufficient.

Why do we paraphrase?

There are a number of reasons that professional writers and students alike choose to paraphrase content. Here are just a few of the common reasons that a writer would choose to paraphrase instead of including a quote or summarization.

Process information better 

One benefit of paraphrasing is that it helps you process the author’s ideas. When you have to rewrite the material in your own words, it makes you really think about the context and how it fits into your piece. If you want to really understand the material you’re citing, try rewriting it. If you were to quote the same information, you would miss out on the benefit of analyzing the source material.

For example, if you are writing a research paper all about Shakespeare’s influence on modern-day literature, you don’t want to just use a ton of direct quotes, instead by paraphrasing original passages, it can help you comprehend and analyze the material better.  

Improve your credibility with readers

You can also improve your credibility by association with the sources you decide to paraphrase. 

When you rewrite the material, you create a connection between your content and the knowledge from the source. 

Your audience will have a better understanding of the direction of your piece if you’re paraphrasing a reputable source with established authority on the subject.

Present data in an interesting way

If you’re referencing a data-heavy webpage or study, then paraphrasing is an engaging way to present the information in your own writing style. 

This allows you to tell a story with the source material instead of simply citing numbers or graphs.

Show that you understand the source

Another reason for paraphrasing that’s particularly important in academic writing is to demonstrate that you’ve read and comprehended the source material. 

For example, if all of you are doing is copying and pasting the original words of a textbook, you aren’t really learning anything new. When you summarize the material in your own words, it helps you to understand the material faster.  

How to paraphrase in 6 steps

Paraphrasing is simple when you break it down into a series of steps. 

Here are the 6 steps you can use to paraphrase your sources:

1. Choose a reputable source

First, you need to pick a credible source to paraphrase. A credible source will likely have ideas and concepts that are worth repeating. Be sure to research the author’s name and publisher’s credentials and endorsements (if applicable).

You’ll also want to check the date of the publication as well to make sure it’s current enough to include in your writing.

2. Read and re-read the source material

You want to be sure that you understand the context and information in the original source before you can begin to rework it into your own words. Read through it as many times as you need so you’re sure that you grasp the meaning.

3. Take some notes 

Once you have an understanding of the passage, you’ll want to jot down your initial thoughts. 

What are the key concepts in the source material? 

What are the most interesting parts? 

For this part, it helps to break up the content into different sections. This step will give you a sort of mini-outline before you proceed with rephrasing the material.

4. Write a rough draft

Write your version of the content without looking at the original source material. This part is important. 

With the source hidden, you’ll be less likely to pull phrasing and structure from the original. You are welcome to reference your notes, though. This will help you write the content in your own words without leaning on the source but still hit the key points you want to cover.

5. Compare and revise

Once you have your initial draft written, you should look at it side by side with the original source. Adjust as needed to ensure your version is written in a way that’s unique to your voice. 

This is a good time to break out a thesaurus if you notice you have used too many of the same words as the original source.

6. Cite your source

Whether you use MLA, APA, Chicago, or another style guide, now is the time to give proper credit to the original author or source. When posting content online, you may only need to hyperlink to the original source.

Keep in mind that the paraphrased text will not change depending on the citation style that you follow. It will just change how it’s cited.

What you shouldn’t do when paraphrasing

Now that you understand the process of paraphrasing and can follow the steps, it’s important that you know what to avoid. When paraphrasing, here are a few things to keep in mind:

1. Do NOT write while you’re still researching

You might be tempted to start writing during the research phase. However, this sets you up to miss information or restate the copy too closely to the source material. Be sure to do your research first, take notes, and then start writing the piece.

2. Do NOT skip the citations

When you pull a small amount of information from a paraphrased source, you may think you don’t need to cite it. However, any idea or copy that’s taken from another source is considered plagiarism if you don’t give it credit, even if it is only a little bit of information.

Paraphrasing examples

Here are some examples to help you understand what paraphrasing looks like when done correctly and incorrectly

Excerpt from LinkedIn’s Official Blog:

“When reaching out to connect with someone, share a personalized message telling the person why you would like to connect. If it’s someone you haven’t been in touch with in a while, mention a detail to jog that person’s memory for how you met, reinforce a mutual interest and kickstart a conversation.”

Here’s another example. This one is from the U.S. Department of Education:

“ The U.S. Department of Education does not accredit educational institutions and/or programs. However, the Department provides oversight over the postsecondary accreditation system through its review of all federally-recognized accrediting agencies. The Department holds accrediting agencies accountable by ensuring that they enforce their accreditation standards effectively. ”

Here’s one more example to show you how to paraphrase using a quote from Mark Twain as the source material:

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So, throw off the bowlines, sail away from safe harbor, catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore, Dream, Discover.”

Paraphrasing can be a beneficial tool for any writer. It can give you credibility and a deeper understanding of the topic. However, to successfully use paraphrasing, you must be careful to properly cite your sources and effectively put the material into your own words each time.

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How and When to Paraphrase Quotations

Paraphrasing Can Be a Powerful Writing Tool

• Love Quotes
• Great Lines from Movies and Television
• Quotations For Holidays
• Best Sellers
• Classic Literature
• Plays & Drama
• Shakespeare
• Short Stories
• Children's Books
• M.B.A, Human Resource Development and Management, Narsee Monjee Institution of Management Studies
• B.S., University of Mumbai, Commerce, Accounting, and Finance

Paraphrasing is one tool writers use to avoid plagiarism. Along with direct quotations and summaries, its a fair use of another person's work which can be incorporated into your own writing. At times, you can make more impact by paraphrasing a quotation instead of quoting it verbatim.

What Is Paraphrasing?

Paraphrasing is a restatement of a quotation using your own words. When you paraphrase, you restate the original author's ideas in your own words. It's important to differentiate paraphrasing from patchwriting; patchwriting is a form of plagiarism in which a writer directly quotes portions of a text (without attribution) and then fills in the gaps with their own words.

When Should You Paraphrase?

Quoting a source directly can be powerful, but sometimes paraphrasing is a better choice. Usually, paraphrasing makes more sense if:

• the quotation is long and wordy
• the quotation itself is poorly written
• the quotation itself is technical or uses difficult-to-understand or obsolete language

An Effective Method of Paraphrasing a Quotation:

Before you begin paraphrasing, it's important to fully understand the quotation, its context, and any important cultural, political, or hidden meanings. Your job, as a paraphraser, is to accurately convey the author's meaning as well as any subtext.

• Carefully read the original quotation and make sure to understand its central idea.
• Note down anything that grabs your attention. If you feel that some element (word, phrase, thought) contributes to the central idea of the quotation, make a note of it.
• If there are any words, ideas, or meanings that are unclear, look them up. For example, if you're paraphrasing the work of a person from a different culture or time, you may want to look up references to people, places, events, etc. that are not familiar to you.
• Write a paraphrase in your own words. Meticulously avoid using the original words, phrases, and expression. At the same time, make sure that your words convey the same central idea.
• If you need to use an interesting word or phrase from the original text, use quotation marks to indicate that it is not your own.
• Cite the author, the source, and the date given in the text, to credit the owner of the quotation. Remember: Though the words of the paraphrase are your own, the thought behind it isn't. To not mention the author's name is plagiarism.

How does a Paraphrase Differ From a Summary?

To the untrained eye, a paraphrase and a summary may look alike. A paraphrase, however:

• May restate just a single sentence, idea, or paragraph rather than an entire text;
• May be shorter than or just as long as the original text;
• May be used in the context of a wide range of written materials such as an essay, letter to the editor, article, or book;
• describes the original text in different words without omitting details.

A summary, by contrast:

• is an abridged version of the entire original text.
• must be shorter than the original text.
• always eliminates details, examples, and supporting points.
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Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing

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This handout is intended to help you become more comfortable with the uses of and distinctions among quotations, paraphrases, and summaries. This handout compares and contrasts the three terms, gives some pointers, and includes a short excerpt that you can use to practice these skills.

What are the differences among quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing?

These three ways of incorporating other writers' work into your own writing differ according to the closeness of your writing to the source writing.

Quotations must be identical to the original, using a narrow segment of the source. They must match the source document word for word and must be attributed to the original author.

Paraphrasing involves putting a passage from source material into your own words. A paraphrase must also be attributed to the original source. Paraphrased material is usually shorter than the original passage, taking a somewhat broader segment of the source and condensing it slightly.

Summarizing involves putting the main idea(s) into your own words, including only the main point(s). Once again, it is necessary to attribute summarized ideas to the original source. Summaries are significantly shorter than the original and take a broad overview of the source material.

Why use quotations, paraphrases, and summaries?

Quotations, paraphrases, and summaries serve many purposes. You might use them to:

• Provide support for claims or add credibility to your writing
• Refer to work that leads up to the work you are now doing
• Give examples of several points of view on a subject
• Call attention to a position that you wish to agree or disagree with
• Highlight a particularly striking phrase, sentence, or passage by quoting the original
• Distance yourself from the original by quoting it in order to cue readers that the words are not your own
• Expand the breadth or depth of your writing

Writers frequently intertwine summaries, paraphrases, and quotations. As part of a summary of an article, a chapter, or a book, a writer might include paraphrases of various key points blended with quotations of striking or suggestive phrases as in the following example:

In his famous and influential work The Interpretation of Dreams , Sigmund Freud argues that dreams are the "royal road to the unconscious" (page #), expressing in coded imagery the dreamer's unfulfilled wishes through a process known as the "dream-work" (page #). According to Freud, actual but unacceptable desires are censored internally and subjected to coding through layers of condensation and displacement before emerging in a kind of rebus puzzle in the dream itself (page #).

How to use quotations, paraphrases, and summaries

Practice summarizing the essay found here , using paraphrases and quotations as you go. It might be helpful to follow these steps:

• Read the entire text, noting the key points and main ideas.
• Summarize in your own words what the single main idea of the essay is.
• Paraphrase important supporting points that come up in the essay.
• Consider any words, phrases, or brief passages that you believe should be quoted directly.

There are several ways to integrate quotations into your text. Often, a short quotation works well when integrated into a sentence. Longer quotations can stand alone. Remember that quoting should be done only sparingly; be sure that you have a good reason to include a direct quotation when you decide to do so. You'll find guidelines for citing sources and punctuating citations at our documentation guide pages.

Quoting and Paraphrasing

Download this Handout PDF

College writing often involves integrating information from published sources into your own writing in order to add credibility and authority–this process is essential to research and the production of new knowledge.

However, when building on the work of others, you need to be careful not to plagiarize : “to steal and pass off (the ideas and words of another) as one’s own” or to “present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source.”1 The University of Wisconsin–Madison takes this act of “intellectual burglary” very seriously and considers it to be a breach of academic integrity . Penalties are severe.

These materials will help you avoid plagiarism by teaching you how to properly integrate information from published sources into your own writing.

1. Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 10th ed. (Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster, 1993), 888.

How to avoid plagiarism

When using sources in your papers, you can avoid plagiarism by knowing what must be documented.

Specific words and phrases

If you use an author’s specific word or words, you must place those words within quotation marks and you must credit the source.

Information and Ideas

Even if you use your own words, if you obtained the information or ideas you are presenting from a source, you must document the source.

Information : If a piece of information isn’t common knowledge (see below), you need to provide a source.

Ideas : An author’s ideas may include not only points made and conclusions drawn, but, for instance, a specific method or theory, the arrangement of material, or a list of steps in a process or characteristics of a medical condition. If a source provided any of these, you need to acknowledge the source.

Common Knowledge?

You do not need to cite a source for material considered common knowledge:

General common knowledge is factual information considered to be in the public domain, such as birth and death dates of well-known figures, and generally accepted dates of military, political, literary, and other historical events. In general, factual information contained in multiple standard reference works can usually be considered to be in the public domain.

Field-specific common knowledge is “common” only within a particular field or specialty. It may include facts, theories, or methods that are familiar to readers within that discipline. For instance, you may not need to cite a reference to Piaget’s developmental stages in a paper for an education class or give a source for your description of a commonly used method in a biology report—but you must be sure that this information is so widely known within that field that it will be shared by your readers.

If in doubt, be cautious and cite the source. And in the case of both general and field-specific common knowledge, if you use the exact words of the reference source, you must use quotation marks and credit the source.

Paraphrasing vs. Quoting — Explanation

Should i paraphrase or quote.

In general, use direct quotations only if you have a good reason. Most of your paper should be in your own words. Also, it’s often conventional to quote more extensively from sources when you’re writing a humanities paper, and to summarize from sources when you’re writing in the social or natural sciences–but there are always exceptions.

In a literary analysis paper , for example, you”ll want to quote from the literary text rather than summarize, because part of your task in this kind of paper is to analyze the specific words and phrases an author uses.

In research papers , you should quote from a source

• to show that an authority supports your point
• to present a position or argument to critique or comment on
• to include especially moving or historically significant language
• to present a particularly well-stated passage whose meaning would be lost or changed if paraphrased or summarized

You should summarize or paraphrase when

• what you want from the source is the idea expressed, and not the specific language used to express it
• you can express in fewer words what the key point of a source is

How to paraphrase a source

General advice.

• When reading a passage, try first to understand it as a whole, rather than pausing to write down specific ideas or phrases.
• Be selective. Unless your assignment is to do a formal or “literal” paraphrase, you usually don?t need to paraphrase an entire passage; instead, choose and summarize the material that helps you make a point in your paper.
• Think of what “your own words” would be if you were telling someone who’s unfamiliar with your subject (your mother, your brother, a friend) what the original source said.
• Remember that you can use direct quotations of phrases from the original within your paraphrase, and that you don’t need to change or put quotation marks around shared language.

Methods of Paraphrasing

• Look away from the source then write. Read the text you want to paraphrase several times until you feel that you understand it and can use your own words to restate it to someone else. Then, look away from the original and rewrite the text in your own words.
• Take notes. Take abbreviated notes; set the notes aside; then paraphrase from the notes a day or so later, or when you draft.

If you find that you can’t do A or B, this may mean that you don’t understand the passage completely or that you need to use a more structured process until you have more experience in paraphrasing.

The method below is not only a way to create a paraphrase but also a way to understand a difficult text.

Paraphrasing difficult texts

Consider the following passage from Love and Toil (a book on motherhood in London from 1870 to 1918), in which the author, Ellen Ross, puts forth one of her major arguments:

• Love and Toil maintains that family survival was the mother’s main charge among the large majority of London?s population who were poor or working class; the emotional and intellectual nurture of her child or children and even their actual comfort were forced into the background. To mother was to work for and organize household subsistence. (p. 9)

Children of the poor at the turn of the century received little if any emotional or intellectual nurturing from their mothers, whose main charge was family survival. Working for and organizing household subsistence were what defined mothering. Next to this, even the children’s basic comfort was forced into the background (Ross, 1995).

According to Ross (1993), poor children at the turn of the century received little mothering in our sense of the term. Mothering was defined by economic status, and among the poor, a mother’s foremost responsibility was not to stimulate her children’s minds or foster their emotional growth but to provide food and shelter to meet the basic requirements for physical survival. Given the magnitude of this task, children were deprived of even the “actual comfort” (p. 9) we expect mothers to provide today.

You may need to go through this process several times to create a satisfactory paraphrase.

Successful vs. unsuccessful paraphrases

Paraphrasing is often defined as putting a passage from an author into “your own words.” But what are your own words? How different must your paraphrase be from the original?

The paragraphs below provide an example by showing a passage as it appears in the source, two paraphrases that follow the source too closely, and a legitimate paraphrase.

The student’s intention was to incorporate the material in the original passage into a section of a paper on the concept of “experts” that compared the functions of experts and nonexperts in several professions.

The Passage as It Appears in the Source

Critical care nurses function in a hierarchy of roles. In this open heart surgery unit, the nurse manager hires and fires the nursing personnel. The nurse manager does not directly care for patients but follows the progress of unusual or long-term patients. On each shift a nurse assumes the role of resource nurse. This person oversees the hour-by-hour functioning of the unit as a whole, such as considering expected admissions and discharges of patients, ascertaining that beds are available for patients in the operating room, and covering sick calls. Resource nurses also take a patient assignment. They are the most experienced of all the staff nurses. The nurse clinician has a separate job description and provides for quality of care by orienting new staff, developing unit policies, and providing direct support where needed, such as assisting in emergency situations. The clinical nurse specialist in this unit is mostly involved with formal teaching in orienting new staff. The nurse manager, nurse clinician, and clinical nurse specialist are the designated experts. They do not take patient assignments. The resource nurse is seen as both a caregiver and a resource to other caregivers. . . . Staff nurses have a hierarchy of seniority. . . . Staff nurses are assigned to patients to provide all their nursing care. (Chase, 1995, p. 156)

Word-for-Word Plagiarism

Critical care nurses have a hierarchy of roles. The nurse manager hires and fires nurses. S/he does not directly care for patients but does follow unusual or long-term cases. On each shift a resource nurse attends to the functioning of the unit as a whole, such as making sure beds are available in the operating room , and also has a patient assignment . The nurse clinician orients new staff, develops policies, and provides support where needed . The clinical nurse specialist also orients new staff, mostly by formal teaching. The nurse manager, nurse clinician, and clinical nurse specialist , as the designated experts, do not take patient assignments . The resource nurse is not only a caregiver but a resource to the other caregivers . Within the staff nurses there is also a hierarchy of seniority . Their job is to give assigned patients all their nursing care .

Why this is plagiarism

Notice that the writer has not only “borrowed” Chase’s material (the results of her research) with no acknowledgment, but has also largely maintained the author’s method of expression and sentence structure. The phrases in red are directly copied from the source or changed only slightly in form.

Even if the student-writer had acknowledged Chase as the source of the content, the language of the passage would be considered plagiarized because no quotation marks indicate the phrases that come directly from Chase. And if quotation marks did appear around all these phrases, this paragraph would be so cluttered that it would be unreadable.

A Patchwork Paraphrase

Chase (1995) describes how nurses in a critical care unit function in a hierarchy that places designated experts at the top and the least senior staff nurses at the bottom. The experts — the nurse manager, nurse clinician, and clinical nurse specialist — are not involved directly in patient care. The staff nurses, in contrast, are assigned to patients and provide all their nursing care . Within the staff nurses is a hierarchy of seniority in which the most senior can become resource nurses: they are assigned a patient but also serve as a resource to other caregivers. The experts have administrative and teaching tasks such as selecting and orienting new staff, developing unit policies , and giving hands-on support where needed.

This paraphrase is a patchwork composed of pieces in the original author’s language (in red) and pieces in the student-writer’s words, all rearranged into a new pattern, but with none of the borrowed pieces in quotation marks. Thus, even though the writer acknowledges the source of the material, the underlined phrases are falsely presented as the student’s own.

A Legitimate Paraphrase

In her study of the roles of nurses in a critical care unit, Chase (1995) also found a hierarchy that distinguished the roles of experts and others. Just as the educational experts described above do not directly teach students, the experts in this unit do not directly attend to patients. That is the role of the staff nurses, who, like teachers, have their own “hierarchy of seniority” (p. 156). The roles of the experts include employing unit nurses and overseeing the care of special patients (nurse manager), teaching and otherwise integrating new personnel into the unit (clinical nurse specialist and nurse clinician), and policy-making (nurse clinician). In an intermediate position in the hierarchy is the resource nurse, a staff nurse with more experience than the others, who assumes direct care of patients as the other staff nurses do, but also takes on tasks to ensure the smooth operation of the entire facility.

Why this is a good paraphrase

The writer has documented Chase’s material and specific language (by direct reference to the author and by quotation marks around language taken directly from the source). Notice too that the writer has modified Chase’s language and structure and has added material to fit the new context and purpose — to present the distinctive functions of experts and nonexperts in several professions.

Shared Language

Perhaps you’ve noticed that a number of phrases from the original passage appear in the legitimate paraphrase: critical care, staff nurses, nurse manager, clinical nurse specialist, nurse clinician, resource nurse.

If all these phrases were in red, the paraphrase would look much like the “patchwork” example. The difference is that the phrases in the legitimate paraphrase are all precise, economical, and conventional designations that are part of the shared language within the nursing discipline (in the too-close paraphrases, they’re red only when used within a longer borrowed phrase).

In every discipline and in certain genres (such as the empirical research report), some phrases are so specialized or conventional that you can’t paraphrase them except by wordy and awkward circumlocutions that would be less familiar (and thus less readable) to the audience.

When you repeat such phrases, you’re not stealing the unique phrasing of an individual writer but using a common vocabulary shared by a community of scholars.

Some Examples of Shared Language You Don’t Need to Put in Quotation Marks

• Conventional designations: e.g., physician’s assistant, chronic low-back pain
• Preferred bias-free language: e.g., persons with disabilities
• Technical terms and phrases of a discipline or genre : e.g., reduplication, cognitive domain, material culture, sexual harassment

Chase, S. K. (1995). The social context of critical care clinical judgment. Heart and Lung, 24, 154-162.

How to Quote a Source

Introducing a quotation.

One of your jobs as a writer is to guide your reader through your text. Don’t simply drop quotations into your paper and leave it to the reader to make connections.

Integrating a quotation into your text usually involves two elements:

• A signal that a quotation is coming–generally the author’s name and/or a reference to the work
• An assertion that indicates the relationship of the quotation to your text

Often both the signal and the assertion appear in a single introductory statement, as in the example below. Notice how a transitional phrase also serves to connect the quotation smoothly to the introductory statement.

Ross (1993), in her study of poor and working-class mothers in London from 1870-1918 [signal], makes it clear that economic status to a large extent determined the meaning of motherhood [assertion]. Among this population [connection], “To mother was to work for and organize household subsistence” (p. 9).

The signal can also come after the assertion, again with a connecting word or phrase:

Illness was rarely a routine matter in the nineteenth century [assertion]. As [connection] Ross observes [signal], “Maternal thinking about children’s health revolved around the possibility of a child’s maiming or death” (p. 166).

Formatting Quotations

Short direct prose.

Incorporate short direct prose quotations into the text of your paper and enclose them in double quotation marks:

According to Jonathan Clarke, “Professional diplomats often say that trying to think diplomatically about foreign policy is a waste of time.”

Longer prose quotations

Begin longer quotations (for instance, in the APA system, 40 words or more) on a new line and indent the entire quotation (i.e., put in block form), with no quotation marks at beginning or end, as in the quoted passage from our Successful vs. Unsucessful Paraphrases page.

Rules about the minimum length of block quotations, how many spaces to indent, and whether to single- or double-space extended quotations vary with different documentation systems; check the guidelines for the system you’re using.

Quotation of Up to 3 Lines of Poetry

Quotations of up to 3 lines of poetry should be integrated into your sentence. For example:

In Julius Caesar, Antony begins his famous speech with “Friends, Romans, Countrymen, lend me your ears; / I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him” (III.ii.75-76).

Notice that a slash (/) with a space on either side is used to separate lines.

Quotation of More than 3 Lines of Poetry

More than 3 lines of poetry should be indented. As with any extended (indented) quotation, do not use quotation marks unless you need to indicate a quotation within your quotation.

Punctuating with Quotation Marks

Parenthetical citations.

With short quotations, place citations outside of closing quotation marks, followed by sentence punctuation (period, question mark, comma, semi-colon, colon):

Menand (2002) characterizes language as “a social weapon” (p. 115).

With block quotations, check the guidelines for the documentation system you are using.

Commas and periods

Place inside closing quotation marks when no parenthetical citation follows:

Hertzberg (2002) notes that “treating the Constitution as imperfect is not new,” but because of Dahl’s credentials, his “apostasy merits attention” (p. 85).

Semicolons and colons

Place outside of closing quotation marks (or after a parenthetical citation).

Question marks and exclamation points

Place inside closing quotation marks if the quotation is a question/exclamation:

Menand (2001) acknowledges that H. W. Fowler’s Modern English Usage is “a classic of the language,” but he asks, “Is it a dead classic?” (p. 114).

[Note that a period still follows the closing parenthesis.]

Place outside of closing quotation marks if the entire sentence containing the quotation is a question or exclamation:

How many students actually read the guide to find out what is meant by “academic misconduct”?

Quotation within a quotation

Use single quotation marks for the embedded quotation:

According to Hertzberg (2002), Dahl gives the U. S. Constitution “bad marks in ‘democratic fairness’ and ‘encouraging consensus'” (p. 90).

[The phrases “democratic fairness” and “encouraging consensus” are already in quotation marks in Dahl’s sentence.]

Indicating Changes in Quotations

Quoting only a portion of the whole.

Use ellipsis points (. . .) to indicate an omission within a quotation–but not at the beginning or end unless it’s not obvious that you’re quoting only a portion of the whole.

Adding Clarification, Comment, or Correction

Within quotations, use square brackets [ ] (not parentheses) to add your own clarification, comment, or correction.

Use [sic] (meaning “so” or “thus”) to indicate that a mistake is in the source you’re quoting and is not your own.

Additional information

Information on summarizing and paraphrasing sources.

American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (4th ed.). (2000). Retrieved January 7, 2002, from http://www.bartleby.com/61/ Bazerman, C. (1995). The informed writer: Using sources in the disciplines (5th ed). Boston: Houghton Mifflin. Leki, I. (1995). Academic writing: Exploring processes and strategies (2nd ed.) New York: St. Martin?s Press, pp. 185-211.

Leki describes the basic method presented in C, pp. 4-5.

Spatt, B. (1999). Writing from sources (5th ed.) New York: St. Martin?s Press, pp. 98-119; 364-371.

Information about specific documentation systems

The Writing Center has handouts explaining how to use many of the standard documentation systems. You may look at our general Web page on Documentation Systems, or you may check out any of the following specific Web pages.

If you’re not sure which documentation system to use, ask the course instructor who assigned your paper.

• American Psychological Assoicaion (APA)
• Modern Language Association (MLA)
• Chicago/Turabian (A Footnote or Endnote System)
• American Political Science Association (APSA)
• Council of Science Editors (CBE)
• Numbered References

You may also consult the following guides:

• American Medical Association, Manual for Authors and Editors
• Council of Science Editors, CBE style Manual
• The Chicago Manual of Style
• MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers
• Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association

Academic and Professional Writing

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Planning and Writing a Grant Proposal: The Basics

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Writing Personal Statements for Ph.D. Programs

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Advice for Students Writing Thank-You Notes to Donors

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Words that introduce Quotes or Paraphrases

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Remember that you are required to cite your sources for paraphrases and direct quotes. For more information on MLA Style, APA style, Chicago Style, ASA Style, CSE Style, and I-Search Format, refer to our Gallaudet TIP Citations and References  link.

Words that introduce Quotes or Paraphrases are basically three keys verbs:

• Neutral Verbs( here )
• Stronger Verbs( here )
• Inference Verbs( here )

Neutral Verbs: When used to introduce a quote, the following verbs basically mean “says”

Examples of Neutral Verbs

The author  says. The author  notes. The author  believes. The author  observes. The author  comments. The author  relates. The author  declares. The author  remarks. The author  discusses. The author  reports. The author  explains. The author  reveals. The author  expresses. The author  states. The author  mentions. The author  acknowledges. The author  suggests. The author  thinks. The author  points out. The author  responds. The author  shows. The author  confirms.

Sample Sentences

• Dr. Billow  says  that being exposed to television violence at a young age desensitizes children to violence in real life (author’s last name p.##).
• As the author  notes , “In an ideal classroom, both gifted children and learning disabled children should feel challenged” (p.##).
• Burdow  believes  that being able to write using proper English grammar is an important skill (author’s last name p.##).
• Dr. Patel  observes  that “most people tend to respond well to hypnotherapy” (p. ##).
• We see this self doubt again in the second scene, when Agatha comments , “Oh, times like this I just don’t know whether I am right or wrong, good or bad” (p. ##).
• Goeff then relates  that his childhood was “the time he learned to live on less than bread alone” (p. ##).
• The author declares , “All people, rich or poor, should pay the same taxes to the government” (p. ##).
• Godfried remarks , “Ignorance is a skill learned by many of the greatest fools” (author’s last name p.##).
• The article discusses the qualities of a good American housewife in the 1950s (author’s last name p.##).
• After the war is over, the General reports that “It seemed a useless battle to fight even from the start” (p.##).
• Danelli explains , “All mammals have hair” (p.##).
• The author reveals his true feelings with his ironic remark that we should “just resort to cannibalism to defeat world hunger” (p. ##).
• Forton expresses disapproval of the American welfare system (author’s last name, year, p. ##).
• The author states that “More than fifty percent of all marriages end in divorce” (p. ##).
• He also mentions , “Many children grow up feeling responsible for their parents’ mistakes” (p. ##).
• Jones acknowledges that although the divorce rate is increasing, most young children still dream of getting married (author’s last name, year, p. ##).
• The author suggests that we hone our English skills before venturing into the work force (author’s last name, year, p. ##).
• The author thinks that the recent weather has been too hot (author’s last name, year, p. ##).
• Folsh points out that there were hundreds of people from varying backgrounds at the convention (author’s last name, year, p. ##).
• Julia Hertz responded to allegations that her company was aware of the faulty tires on their cars (author’s last name, year, p. ##).
• His research shows that 7% of Americans suffer from Social Anxiety Disorder (author’s last name, year, p. ##).
• Jostin’s research confirmed his earlier hypothesis: mice really are smarter than rats (author’s last, year, name p. ##).

Stronger Verbs: These verbs indicate that there is some kind of argument, and that the quote shows either support of or disagreement with one side of the argument.

Examples of Stronger Verbs The author agrees . . .The author rejects . The author argues . The author compares . (the two studies) The author asserts . The author admits . The author cautions . The author disputes . The author emphasizes . The author contends . The author insists . The author denies . The author maintains . The author refutes . The author claims . The author endorses .

Sample Sentences MLA Style

• Despite criticism, Johnston agrees that smoking should be banned in all public places (author’s last name p.##).
• The author argues that “subjecting non-smokers to toxic second-hand smoke is not only unfair, but a violation of their right to a safe environment” (p.##).
• Vick asserts that “cigarette smoke is unpleasant, and dangerous” (p.##).
• The author cautions that “people who subject themselves to smoky bars night after night could develop illnesses such as emphysema or lung cancer” (p.##).
• Rosentrhaw emphasizes that “second-hand smoke can kill” (p.##).
• Still, tobacco company executives insist that they “were not fully aware of the long term damages caused by smoking” when they launched their nationwide advertising campaign (author’s last name p.##).
• Though bar owners disagree, Johnston maintains that banning smoking in all public places will not negatively affect bar business (author’s last name p.##).
• Jefferson claims that banning smoking in public places will hurt America’s economy (author’s last name p.##).
• Johnson refutes allegations that his personal finances have been in trouble for the past five years (author’s last name, year, p. ##).
• Whiley rejects the idea that the earth could have been formed by a massive explosion in space (author’s last name, year, p. ##).
• Lucci compares the house prices in Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia (author’s last name, year, p. ##).
• Although they have stopped short of admitting that smoking causes cancer in humans, tobacco companies have admitted that “smoking causes cancer in laboratory rats” (p. ##).
• For years, local residents have been disputing the plans to build a new highway right through the center of town (author’s last name, year, p. ##).
• Residents contend that the new highway will lower property values (author’s last name, year, p. ##).
• The Department of Transportation denies claims that the new bridge will damage the fragile ecosystem of the Potomac River (author’s last name, year, p. ##).
• Joley endorses the bridge, saying “our goal is to make this city more accessible to those who live outside of it” (p. ##).

Inference Verbs: These verbs indicate that there is some kind of argument, and that the quote shows either support of or disagreement with one side of the argument. Examples of Inference Verbs The author implies . The author suggests . The author thinks . Sample Sentences MLA Style

• By calling them ignorant, the author implies that they were unschooled and narrow minded (author’s last name p.##).
• Her preoccupation with her looks suggests that she is too superficial to make her a believable character (author’s last name p.##).
• Based on his research, we can assume Hatfield thinks that our treatment of our environment has been careless (author’s last name p.##).

One phrase that is often used to introduce a quotation is: According to the author, . . .

• According to the author, children with ADD have a shorter attention span than children without ADD (author’s last name, year, p. ##).

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Paraphrase Online

Paraphrase online is a free online paraphrasing tool used to change words and rephrase sentences.

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The paraphrasing tool uses AI-based technology to present content differently without changing its main idea. Revamp your paragraphs with this paraphrase facility.

What is Paraphrasing?

Paraphrasing is the process of conveying the meaning of something written or spoken using different words, especially to gain more clarity. It involves rearranging the content of a text in a way that is clear and concise without changing its main message or ideas. It is a useful technique for summarizing or explaining a complex concept in simpler terms. It requires careful attention to the original text to avoid plagiarism and maintain accuracy.

How to Paraphrase Online?

The process of paraphrasing is quite simple and straightforward with our paraphrasing tool. You can follow the easy steps given below to paraphrase online.

Copy-paste text or upload file.

Select the language and paraphrase mode.

Hit the Paraphrase Text button.

Check rephrased results in the Output Section.

Paraphrasing Tool Online for Multiple Languages

How does online paraphrasing tool work.

The online Paraphrasing Tool is based on advanced algorithms that help you paraphrase text without taking anyone’s assistance.

It starts by understanding the context and flow of your uploaded text.

It identifies keywords contained in the text to preserve and not change them in the paraphrasing process.

It highlights and replaces the words and paraphrases with easy-to-understand synonyms without disturbing the context of the text.

Finally, it displays top-quality paraphrasing results on your screens in no time. If you want to know more about it, Wikipedia is the best resource in this regard.

Modes Provided by Our Paraphrase Tool

Unlike most paraphrase tools you’ll find over the web, this online paraphraser comes with different modes to provide users with effective paraphrasing results. These modes include the following:

The smart spin mode provides users with smart paraphrasing results. Firstly, it understands the context of your entered text and replaces words that just have a single synonym automatically. It also highlights the words that have multiple synonyms and allows you to pick them as per your choice.

Replace Manually

The replace manually mode gives you the complete authority to paraphrase text as you desire. It highlights all the words that can be replaced with synonyms and provides you with suggestions to replace them. By manually selecting synonym suggestions, you can finish the paraphrasing process on your own with this mode.

The ultra spin mode is a combination of smart spin and replace manually mode. Under this mode, the words in the entire content are replaced with their synonyms. In addition, the replaced words are highlighted, and suggestions are provided against them to help you choose your desired sentence or phrase as per the context of your article.

AI Rephraser

The AI rephraser is a premium paraphrasing mode that uses advanced AI technology to rephrase your entire text. This mode not only changes the words contained in your text with synonyms. It also modifies the sentence structure of the text to make it look entirely unique to the readers. With this mode, you can generate text that no one can say is paraphrased from another source!

Features of Paraphraser

The paraphraser online has some distinct features that make it stand out from others. Some of which are described below:

Files Uploading

This paraphrasing tool supports all kinds of file formats; if you wish to upload your text in the file instead of copy-pasting, then you don’t have to get it in a specific format. It allows you to upload all kinds of text file formats, which include .txt, .doc, .docx, .odt, .pdf, .rtf, and .tex.

Unlimited Free Paraphrasing

The paraphrase tool won’t impose any sort of restrictions on users for its usage. It allows everyone to paraphrase online as many times as they want without any cost.

24/7 Accessibility

You don’t need to wait for a specific time to use this paraphraser. It provides you this facility with 24/7 accessibility. Hence, you can easily access this utility from any corner of the world, anytime!

Copyright Checking

Besides allowing you to paraphrase text, this rephrase online also provides you with an option of copyright checking. If your primary concern is to get rid of plagiarism, you can turn to the plagiarism checker once you have completed the paraphrasing of your text on this web portal.

SEO and Human-Friendly Content

Your SEO efforts won’t go in vain if you choose to use this online paraphraser. While paraphrasing your entered text, this tool ensures to keep SEO essence alive and delivers human-friendly content.

Responsive Layout

The user-friendly interface of this paraphrasing tool provides you with an easy way to paraphrase online. You won’t have to face any troubles for using it; by following simple steps, you can rephrase text in a matter of seconds.

Sentence Rephraser Helps you to Write Better, Smarter, and Faster

Our sentence rephraser gives you an opportunity to bring improvements to already written text. From the tone of the article to its fluency, style, and vocabulary, this advanced paraphrasing tool will help you revamp your text as per your requirements. We aim to assist you in the writing process; you can surely write better and smarter in no time with the help of different modes. The tool also supports multiple languages and dialects of the English language, which can surely give you relief and help you paraphrase as you want!

Web-based Sentence Rephraser

We are providing many web-based content applications to our users like Paraphrasing tool, Text Compare and Word to PDF . But this is the most useful and best tool that can provide you with multiple variations of a single word or sentence. It is based upon the sentence syntax and its grammatical formation.If you are one of those people who want to create content in bulk, then this is undoubtedly the best paraphrasing tool to manage and spin your articles. By using this article paraphrase tool, you can create a perfect copy of your source article. It generates a variation by using the spinning algorithm, which is commonly known as paraphrasing.

Paraphrasing Tool Users

The paraphrase online helps people working in various domains of life. From the corporate to the education sector, this tool is a right fit for many individuals. Here are the most common users of the paraphrasing tool.

Webmasters don’t have to rely on content writers anymore to write every single sentence on the website. In case webmasters need a sentence or paragraph urgently, they can turn to the paraphrase generator and easily get plagiarism free text.

In academia, students are involved in writing tasks on a daily basis. Being a student, you will understand how hard it is to manage academic tasks. The tough routine often leaves them with no spare time to concentrate on writing assignments and leads them to plagiarize information from different sources over the web. Instead of getting involved in this act of academic dishonesty, you can make use of the paraphrasing tool to complete writing tasks in a short time. It allows you to write faster without facing any hassle.

Pro Tip: Proofread your content after paraphrasing through Grammar Checker .

Researchers

The researchers often need to make use of secondary research data to support their own findings. When using secondary research data, they cannot simply copy-paste information into their research, as it will give a bad impression to the readers. The researchers can save themselves by using this paraphrasing tool online. It can help you present the research of others in unique words.

Digital Marketers

Digital marketers need to produce content on a daily basis to aid their content marketing strategies and generate leads and revenue for online businesses. However, generating content isn’t a piece of cake, as you can easily run out of ideas at some point. In such a case, you can follow a different strategy in which you can rephrase existing content pieces and repurpose them to further reap its benefits. The paraphrasing tool free can help you out in repurposing old content. It can provide you with fresh and engaging content against your entered text without leaving any traces of plagiarism.

Are you sure you want to clear text and results?

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How to rephrase a sentence.

You can rephrase sentences with the online sentence rephraser. It allows you to easily paraphrase a sentence without investing time and effort.

When Can Paraphrasing Be Not Used?

It cannot be used when you have to write down specific terminologies. You cannot modify terminologies in your own words, as it won’t be of any help to the readers. In addition, when you are required to add the exact quotes of famous in your writing, you cannot paraphrase them.

Do I Need to Get Registered for Using this Paraphrase Online Facility?

No! You don’t need to get registered to use this paraphrase online facility. If you wish to get its premium membership, then you’ll need to create an account on plagiarismdetector.net.

What is the Important Point to be Considered While Paraphrasing?

The most important point to be considered while paraphrasing is the usage of unique vocabulary. A text can be effectively paraphrased with the help of your own words while maintaining the context of the original text.

Is it Legal to Use a Paraphrase tool?

Yes! It is legal to use a paraphrase tool because it provides the users with text that has a distinct sentence structure and unique words.

What is Understood by Paraphrasing?

Paraphrasing is a process in which a written text needs to be expressed with different words to make it easily understandable for the targeted audience.

Does this Paraphrasing Tool Free Steal My Work?

No! This paraphrasing tool free doesn’t steal your work. The uploaded text or files aren’t saved in its databases. Once the paraphrasing process is completed, your work gets safely removed from its servers.

How Do You Paraphrase Correctly?

The paraphrasing process requires discrete attention to individual sentences and words used in a text. If done incorrectly, it won’t allow you to maintain the original meaning of the text or get rid of plagiarism. Therefore, to avoid this nuisance, you can get your hands on a reliable paraphrasing tool. It can paraphrase any text correctly on your behalf and provide you with effective results.

What is the Difference Between Free and Paid Paraphraser?

The free paraphraser provides you with modes that replace words with their suitable synonyms and offer suggestions as well.

On the other hand, the paid paraphraser allows the users to get their hands on AI-based paraphrasing, which completely revamps the entire text and makes it look unique.

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How to Paraphrase

When you use sources in your paper, you will likely do a lot of paraphrasing. Often you will summarize, which means you will take longer pieces of information you learned from your research and put in your own words in order to explain it to your reader. If you are able to successfully put things in your own words, it shows your instructor that you understand the information that you are writing about. When you summarize and paraphrase, YOU MUST USE CITATIONS.  

Some tips for paraphrasing:

• You can print out your source and use a highlighter or use the highlighter function on your PDF or textbook viewer.
• Without looking at what you highlighted, write down notes of what you remembered.
• When you explain things out loud it forces your brain to think about your source different than when you read and retype something. 

Changing just a few words around IS NOT paraphrasing. 

How to Paraphrase - Video from APA

The video below will walk you through how to paraphrase when writing a research paper and how & when you should use a direct quote. It will also show you how to properly cite paraphrases, including longer paraphrases (paragraph length), and how to properly cite a direct quote. 

The video is a recording of a webinar hosted by APA. The content begins about two minutes in. 

How to Avoid Plagiarism

• APA Avoiding Plagiarism Guide

How to Quote

Quoting is when you take a bit of information from your source and you use it word for word. When you use quotes, you need to use quotation marks to show which pieces of information are directly from your source. If your quote is at the end of a sentence, the period will go after your in-text citation. And don't forget the page number in your citation! See the In-Text Citations tab for more information on how to create your citation.

Effective teams can be difficult to describe because “high performance along one domain does not translate to high performance along another” (Ervin et al., 2018, p. 470).

Quotes are best when they are short and used sparingly. However, if you must include a longer quote this is done differently. A quote that is more than 40 words is called a block quotation. When you use a block quotation, the whole quotation is indented and you do not have to use quotation marks. The rule about where to put the period is different here are well- the period goes at the end of the sentence and NOT after the citation. 

Ask the Library!

Contact the library,  phone: 712-325-3478,  email: [email protected],   ask a librarian.

Questions about formatting, citations, or finding sources? 

Schedule an appointment with library staff by clicking the Schedule Appointment button.

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Contact the writing center,  phone: 712-388-6841,  email: [email protected].

Questions about your writing assignments? The Writing Center can help with outlining, organizing, paraphrasing, and other writing questions. Click the button to schedule. 

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CWP: Craft of Prose: Examples of Paraphrase

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Paraphrases—rewordings of text—need to be cited. Paraphrasing without providing a citation is plagiarism. Even paraphrases with citations can be instances of plagiarism if they are so similar to the original that the paraphraser claims credit for the original author's language.

A paraphrase that avoids plagiarism:

• cites the source of the material being paraphrased.
• differs enough from the original that it doesn't require quotation marks.

Paraphrase Examples

Wines drunk at Greek tables did not always come from Greece itself. The wine snobbery of the time extolled the merits of wines from the slopes of Mount Lebanon, from Palestine, Egypt and Magna Graecia-Greater Greece, i.e., southern Italy. The ten litres a day drunk by the famous wrestler Milo of Croton was a wine famous in Calabria, where Milo lived: this wine, Ciro, is still made.

from Maguelone Toussaint-Samat's A History of Food (Cambridge: Blackwell, 1992. 263).

Wines drunk by Greeks were not always made in Greece itself. The wine snobs of that period celebrated wines from Mount Lebanon, Palestine, and Egypt. The famous wrestler Milo of Croton, who consumed ten liters of wine a day, drank wine made in Calabria outside of Greece; this wine, Ciro, is still made.

This paraphrase plagiarizes in two ways:

1. By having no citation, the paraphrase misleads readers into believing that the ideas, facts and sense of the passage are a result of the author's own research and knowledge.

2. The language of the paraphrase is too similar to the original. Even if the author had provided a citation, some instructors would consider this plagiarism.

Not Plagiarism:

Although Greeks were picky about their wine, they enjoyed wine from outside Greece. Upstanding Greeks enjoyed wine from many of Greece's local trading partners—including Palestine, Egypt and southern Italy. One story tells of the famous wrestler Milo of Croton, who consumed ten liters of foreign wine daily (Toussaint-Samat 263).

This paraphrase cites the original and rephrases its words to create an original construction.

Paraphrase that Uses Too Much of the Original Language

Up, up, up, groping through clouds for what seemed like an eternity....No amount of practice could have prepared them for what they encountered. B-24s, glittering like mica, were popping up out of the clouds all over the sky.

from Thomas Childers. Wings of morning: the story of the last American bomber shot down over Germany in World War II , Reading, Mass.: Addison-Wesley (1990), 83. 

Up, up, up he went, until he got above the clouds. No amount of practice could have prepared the pilot and crew for what they encountered-B-24s, glittering like mica, were popping up out of the clouds over here, over there, everywhere.

This comes from The Wild Blue: The Men and Boys Who Flew the B-24s over Germany  by Stephen E. Ambrose. Ambrose cites but does not quote Childers' original work despite using its imagery and language.  Ambrose should have either used Childers' passage as a direct quotation or modified his own passage so that it consisted of his own language.

Not Plagiarism

 Despite their training, the pilot and crew's experience was surreal and surprising, seeing for the first time "B-24s, glittering like mica, ... popping up out of the clouds all over the sky" (Ambrose 83).

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Additional Resources

GENERAL RESOURCES:

• American Psychological Association Plenty of resources, including Quick Answers about reference and formatting questions. Also links to the APA blog which features timely posts and explanations for frequently asked questions.
• The Basics of APA Style A free online tutorial for those who are new to APA style.

FORMATTING / STYLE:

• Purdue University Online Writing Lab (OWL): General Format General APA guidelines including how to format your header and first page.

IN-TEXT CITATIONS:

• Purdue OWL: In-Text Citations: The Basics Explains the basics of citing within your text. Includes examples for multiple authors and different types of sources.

REFERENCES:

• Purdue OWL: Reference List Basics Explains basic formatting rules for your references page. Then, once you are ready to create a reference entry for a source, use the menu on the left of the screen to select the right type of source (Articles in Periodicals, Books, Electronic Sources, Other Print or Non-Print Sources). This menu also includes helpful information about creating tables, PowerPoint presentations, and more.
• Citing Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers NorQuest College Library has developed a citation style for personal communication with Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers.

APA Style Manual

Plagiarism Explanation in <3 Minutes

Key Elements of a Citation

There are certain pieces of information that you should note as you are doing your research.  In various types of citations, these elements will be important to recognize and take note of:

•   Author's full name (and whether or not there are multiple authors).
•  Full precise title of book, journal article, dissertation, etc.
• If resource is book, dissertation, or AV item, place of publication . name of publisher , and date of publication .
•  If resource is an article from a journal or newspaper, you need to note not only the author and title of the article but also the precise title of the journal/newspaper in which the article was published,  the volume and/or issue number, the date of the publication , and the pagination of the article.
• If the resource is digital, note if it has been assigned a " D.O.I. " = Digital Object Identification (number).
• If you found the article as the result of a search on an online database, note the name of the database NOT the name of the vendor (EBSCO, ProQuest, Gale, Web of Science, etc. are vendors, NOT databases names).

Direct Quotes, Summaries & Paraphrases

• Direct Quotations
• Common Knowledge

YOU SHOULD CITE WHEN:

• Referring to a source and stating someone else's opinions, thoughts, ideas, or research
• Using an image or media file that you did not create

WHEN REFERRING TO A SOURCE, YOU HAVE THREE OPTIONS FOR USING IT:

• Directly Quoting  
• Summarizing  
• Paraphrase 

"Which option you should choose depends on how much of a source you are using, how you are using it, and what kind of paper you are writing, since different fields use sources in different ways." Grounds for Argument. When to Quote, Paraphrase, or Summarize a Source . Used under CC BY NC SA

Image:   Random quote  by  Gabriel Jones . Used under  CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

YOU DO NOT NEED TO CITE:

• Your thoughts and your interpretations
• Common knowledge​

WHAT IS A DIRECT QUOTATION:  

" Must be identical to the original, using a narrow segment of the source. They must match the source document word for word and must be attributed to the original author."   Purdue University Online Writing Lab. (2012).  Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing

• If summarizing or paraphrasing cannot capture the essence or meaning of the text 
• To retain a specific or unique phrasing used by the source's author
• If you are analyzing the text itself (often in English or language classes)

BE ADVISED:

Most of the time when you cite a source, you want to summarize or paraphrase. Direct quotations should be used sparingly when the situation meets the criteria above.  When you do use direct quotations:

• Do not take the quote out of context. The author's meaning should not change.
• Be sure to integrate multiple sources within your text. You don't want to have a paper or a passage that seems to have come only from one source, with little original text from you.
• Use transitions to make sure your quote adds to your paper without interrupting its flow.

HOW TO CITE A DIRECT QUOTATION:  

• Place quotation marks around the entire word-for-word passage, whether it's a phrase or a sentence.
• Attribute with an in-text citation ; most citation styles request that you provide a page or paragraph number when directly citing.  
• If your quotation is longer, check with your citation style guide to see if additional formatting is necessary (block quotations, for example).  
• When and How Much to Quote From the Harvard Guide to Using Sources

WHAT IS A SUMMARY:  

" Involves putting the main idea(s) into your own words, including only the main point(s).... Summaries are significantly shorter than the original and take a broad overview of the source material."   Purdue University Online Writing Lab. (2012).  Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing

"Similar to paraphrasing, summarizing involves using your own words and writing style to express another author's ideas. Unlike the paraphrase, which presents important details, the summary presents only the most important ideas of the passage."  University of Houston-Victoria Student Success Center (n.d.).  Decide when to Quote, Paraphrase & Summarize.

• To provide necessary background information for your audience
• When broad, concise information will suffice 

HOW TO CITE A SUMMARY:   

• Attribute with an  in-text citation ; some citation styles request that you provide a  page or paragragh number  whenever available.
• You should not be using any word-for-word quotations or language unique to the source, so you do NOT need quotation marks around your summary.
• When and How to Summarize From the Harvard Guide to Using Sources

WHAT IS A PARAPHRASE:  

"A  paraphrase is a detailed restatement in your own words of a written or sometimes spoken source material. Apart from the changes in organization, wording, and sentence structure, the paraphrase should be nearly identical in meaning to the original passage. It should also be near the same length as the original passage and present the details of the original." University of Houston-Victoria Student Success Center (n.d.). Decide when to Quote, Paraphrase & Summarize.

Paraphrasing is "your own rendition of essential information and ideas expressed by someone else, presented in a new form."  Purdue University Online Writing Lab. (2012).   Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing

• "When the wording is less important than the meaning of the source"  University of Houston-Victoria Student Success Center (n.d.).  Decide when to Quote, Paraphrase & Summarize.
• If a summary would not provide enough specific details

HOW TO CITE A PARAPHRASE:   

• When paraphrasing, you must change both the sentence structure and language of the original text.  Therefore, since you will be changing the text, you do NOT need quotation marks around your paraphrase.
• Purdue OWL: Paraphrasing Includes 6 steps to effective paraphrasing and examples.
• When and How to Paraphrase From the Harvard Guide to Using Sources

COMMON KNOWLEDGE:

It doesn't necessarily mean that most people would know it offhand. And sometimes it's a judgment call because what seems like common knowledge to one person isn't to another. H ere are good rules of thumb:

• If you can find the same information in multiple places, stated in relatively the same way, it's common knowledge  ( Generally, it is said that you should find the information three to five sources)
• If most people are aware of this fact, or if it's general reference, it's common knowledge

CAUTION:  Opinions and unique terminology/phrasing do not qualify as common knowledge.

Tips for Avoiding Plagiarism

READ THE SOURCE IN ITS ENTIRETY

• It's easy to take something out of context if you only read a portion of it! If you read the entire source, you should have a better feel of the author's meaning.

TAKE DETAILED NOTES AS YOU READ

• Anytime you note something word-for-word, immediately place it in quotation marks. Also note what page or section you found it on.
• On each page, make sure you note the original source and the date you accessed the source. This will make citation much easier, especially if you are working with multiple sources or doing research over a long stretch of time.
• Try not to mix your own thoughts and commentary with excerpts from your source. Keep them on separate pages, draw two columns on your page, or switch your pen color.
• If you find it difficult to take notes with electronic sources - or if you find yourself drawn to the copy-paste method - print out your sources and deal with them in print form.

RETURN TO YOUR NOTES LATER

• In order to do this, you must not procrastinate on your projects. If you don't have sufficient time, you won't do your best work, and it may lead you to make poor decisions when including your sources. Remember, if you get caught plagiarizing, the situation or your intentions won't be an excuse. Build in time to synthesize and properly work in your sources.
• Make sure the source is fresh in your mind, but not right in front of you. If you see the original text, you are more likely to want to use their terms and sentence structure.
• Check your writing against the original. Remember, you should have changed the sentence structure and the language but the meaning of the source should still be the same. Any language that is unique to the source should be placed in quotation marks or removed. You may find it necessary to do several edits.

CONSULT WITH THE EXPERTS

• If you need a second opinion, ask!  Ask a librarian, a classmate, the Writing Center, or your professor. 
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Lowe's CEO Said Conservatives Should Shop at Home Depot if They Don't Like 'Our Values'?

A fake cnbc graphic showed ellison's photo next to the quote, "if conservatives do not like our values, they should take their money to home depot.", jordan liles, published aug. 26, 2024.

About this rating

Ellison never said this. Users shared a fake CNBC screenshot displaying a photo of Ellison next to the fabricated quote.

A rumor circulating online in late August 2024 claimed the business news TV channel CNBC reported that Lowe's CEO Marvin Ellison said, "If conservatives do not like our values, they should take their money to Home Depot." 

If such a quote were real, it might be expected to send shockwaves through the American political landscape ahead of the November 2024 U.S. elections , especially considering the fact some co-founders of the Home Depot showed past support of former U.S. President Donald Trump, the current Republican candidate for president.

For example, on Aug. 23, X user @SuzyLiberty2 posted ( archived ), "Lowe's went and got woke." The post received over 500,000 views and featured a screenshot that purportedly showed CNBC aired the quote on its TV channel in the form of an image graphic.

However, the truth is that no record exists of Ellison ever saying these words. The official Lowe's account on X replied to numerous angry users with a statement addressing the fake graphic and quote. The company's reply read, " This statement is false. Lowe's CEO did not make this comment. Everyone is welcome at Lowe's."

Lowe's director of external communications Steve Salazar also pointed us to the same company statement on X after we reached out by email for further comment.

@SuzyLiberty2, one of the users who shared the fake quote, later replied ( archived ), "It turned out to be false never mind."

Some users asked in replies why @SuzyLiberty2 had not yet deleted their original post.

We contacted @SuzyLiberty2 via a direct message on X to ask if she created the fake graphic or if she remembered where she first viewed it and will update this story if we receive a response.

Ellison's Genuine Quotes 1st Aired on CNBC

An unknown user created the meme by altering a genuine graphic from an Aug. 20 CNBC broadcast in which the news channel quoted Ellison talking not about conservatives and the Home Depot, but rather Lowe's financial outlook. Readers can watch video of the real CNBC TV segment on CNBC.com , the Internet Archive or YouTube .

During the genuine segment, two graphics showed Ellison's authentic thoughts aired by CNBC:

In the first real graphic, Ellison talked about inflation and interest rates. (CNBC.com)

The second authentic graphic mentioned consumer sentiment. (CNBC.com)

Other Posts Featuring the Fake Quote

Another user whose post received a high amount of views was @SaltyGoat17, who wrote of the fake quote in the graphic, "Your terms are acceptable!! Who else plans to NEVER walk into a Lowe's again?!?" That post and others later received a "manipulated media" label from the social media platform as well as community notes, including one that directed users to a fact-check article from Fact Crescendo .

We advise readers against placing blind trust in quotes displayed online.

Further posts from misinformed users who promoted the doctored CNBC graphic and fake Ellison quote appeared on Facebook, TikTok and Truth Social.

For example, one Facebook user ( archived ) linked to a TikTok video ( archived ) that displayed the false rumor. The Facebook user said, " So we're gonna use politics to completely put Lowe's out of business. Good job CEO."

Another Facebook user who also wrongly believed the fake Ellison quote and promoted the altered CNBC graphic wrote ( archived ), "As per Lowe's CEO… conservatives take your business to Home Depot." Additionally, they added a vulgar remark directed at Lowe's.

Meanwhile, in a Truth Social post ( archived ), a user shared a post from X displaying the fake Ellison quote and added, "Stop shopping at Lowe's."

Altus, Kristen. "Home Depot Founder Says Trump Assassination Attempt Is a Chance to 'Carve a Very Significant Place in History.'" FOX Business , 17 July 2024, https://www.foxbusiness.com/media/home-depot-founder-trump-assassination-attempt-opportunity-carve-very-significant-place-history.

Fact Crescendo Team. "Fake Quote Attributed to Lowe's CEO Marvin Ellison." Fact Crescendo , 26 Aug. 2024, https://english.factcrescendo.com/2024/08/26/lowes-ceo-marvin-ellison-did-not-comment-on-conservatives-or-home-depot/.

@Lowes. "This Statement Is False. Lowe's CEO Did Not Make This Comment. Everyone Is Welcome at Lowe's." X , 26 Aug. 2024, https://x.com/Lowes/status/1828107590804672781.

"Lowe's Cuts Full-Year Outlook as It Expects Home Improvement Sales to Weaken." YouTube , CNBC Television, 20 Aug. 2024, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95otzExRa0Q.

"Power Lunch." TV News Archive via Internet Archive , CNBC, 20 Aug. 2024, https://archive.org/details/CNBC_20240820_180000_Power_Lunch/start/2746.2/end/2811.

Repko, Melissa. "Lowe's Cuts Full-Year Outlook as It Expects Weaker Home Improvement Sales." CNBC , 20 Aug. 2024, https://www.cnbc.com/2024/08/20/lowes-low-q2-2024-earnings.html.

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Ulmer, Alexandra. "Home Depot Billionaire to Fund Trump Even If He Is Convicted." Reuters , 28 Nov. 2023, https://www.reuters.com/world/us/home-depot-billionaire-says-hed-likely-still-fund-trump-if-candidate-convicted-2023-11-28/.

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Mounjaro Scores Yet Another Win: Why Eli Lilly Is Still a Buy

• Eli Lilly's crown jewel performed well in another pivotal clinical trial.
• The medicine's potential looks even more attractive than it already did.
• Eli Lilly's earning projections and innovative abilities justify its valuation.
• Motley Fool Issues Rare “All In” Buy Alert

The drugmaker looks unstoppable.

To paraphrase a Shakespeare quote, bad news and misfortune tend to come in groups. But that may also apply to good news. Just ask Eli Lilly ( LLY 1.47% ) , a pharmaceutical company that has been flying on all cylinders. The drugmaker continues to impress investors with exceptional financial results, impressive regulatory wins, and exciting clinical progress.

Much of the company's recent success has to do with tirzepatide, a medicine for diabetes (marketed as Mounjaro) and for obesity (marketed as Zepbound) that has been on the market only since mid-2022 but is already generating more than $4 billion in sales per quarter. No, that's not a typo.

Lilly recently announced positive results from a pivotal clinical trial of Mounjaro that could lead to even stronger sales. Here's the rundown on these new developments, and on why Eli Lilly's shares are still worth buying.

Mounjaro helps prevent the disease it treats

According to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 38.4 million Americans had diabetes as of 2021. Mounjaro's complex mechanism of action helps patients with type 2 diabetes -- 90% to 95% of the diabetic population -- reduce blood sugar levels and increase insulin production.

That's all well and good, but once people have diabetes, they can't get rid of it. What if Mounjaro could decrease the risk of developing the disease in the first place? According to Eli Lilly, that's precisely what it does.

The company conducted a study that lasted 176 weeks (a little over three years), and another 17 weeks of observation after the treatment ended. This clinical trial looked at 1,032 individuals who had prediabetes (higher-than-average blood sugar levels) and who were overweight or obese. Mounjaro decreased the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 94% compared to a placebo.

There's still plenty of growth left

Eli Lilly's shares climbed by 3% on the news , a meaningful jump for a stock closing in on a trillion-dollar valuation. It's not hard to understand why the market was excited about these developments, as 1 American in 3 has diabetes. Though not all of them meet the second criterion in this pivotal study, many do.

Between those with type 2 diabetes, those with prediabetes, and overweight and obese patients who may or may not suffer from either condition, Mounjaro and Zepbound might easily target around 100 million patients in the U.S. alone, through indications it has already won, and those it is likely to win. That list also includes patients with sleep apnea.

Most medicines never generate $1 billion in sales per year. In light of all this, analyst projections regarding Mounjaro's peak sales don't look that out of touch with reality: Some predicted it could generate as much as $25 billion in annual revenue .

Still, detractors might point out that Eli Lilly's shares have skyrocketed by more than 800% in the past five years. Lilly's forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio is a dizzying 59.

The average for the healthcare sector  is a much more modest 19. Can Eli Lilly possibly justify this valuation?

Well, its portfolio also now includes Kisunla, a medicine for Alzheimer's disease that recently earned approval. Some of the company's older products are also performing well, including Verzenio, a cancer medicine. Other newer products have been overshadowed by Mounjaro, but could also have blockbuster potential ; these include cancer drug Jaypirca and ulcerative colitis treatment Omvoh, both of which earned the green light last year.

Analysts think Eli Lilly's earnings per share will grow at an average of 76% through the next five years, and they've raised their projections several times over the past year -- just as Lilly boosted its revenue guidance by $3 billion during its second-quarter earnings announcement.

Mounjaro and its cast of supporters are surprising everyone, even (so it seems) the company's management. And Lilly's recent success speaks volumes about its ability to develop breakthrough medicines.

So, despite the company's strong performance in recent years and despite a rich-looking forward P/E, it's still worth investing in Eli Lilly.

Prosper Junior Bakiny has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .

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ESPN analyst drops interesting take about Deion Sanders' shutting out media

Jason jones | 22 hours ago.

• Colorado Buffaloes

Deion Sanders and Colorado recently made headlines by banning Denver Post columnist Sean Keeler from asking questions at his press conferences. CU athletics cited Keeler's critical reporting, describing it as "sustained, personal attacks" against Sanders and the Buffaloes program. Coach Prime defended his stance by asserting that he approaches media interactions with "peace and love" rather than hostility.

On ESPN’s "Get Up," analyst Paul Finebaum weighed in on Monday, expressing his disapproval of Sanders' actions. Finebaum, who has previously supported Sanders throughout his career, criticized the Hall-of-Famer for what he perceives as a pattern of behavior from his time at Jackson State to his current role at Colorado. He also emphasized his disappointment with Sanders' treatment of the media.

“He did this at Jackson State,” Finebaum said. “This is a trait of Deion Sanders. He wants to have it his way and I find him to be a bully and a hypocrite. And quite frankly, as someone who has been a fan of his throughout his entire career, even at Colorado, I am mortified by his actions.”

. @finebaum reacts to Colorado banning a reporter from asking Deion Sanders questions. pic.twitter.com/hWHu9gjGvt — Get Up (@GetUpESPN) August 26, 2024

Sanders' contract contains a clause that allows him to speak only to "mutually agreed upon media," which excludes Keeler due to his critical reporting. Keeler has used terms like "false prophet" and "circus" to describe Sanders and the Colorado program, contributing to the conflict.

Deion Sanders says Buffs players know "the world is watching" before NDST opener

Finebaum argued that Sanders' behavior contradicts his public persona of promoting love and joy. He compared Sanders' actions to those seen in autocratic regimes, suggesting that the contract clause is an unusual and troubling aspect of Sanders' approach to media relations. His critique highlights a broader debate about the balance between a coach's media freedoms and the role of the press in holding public figures accountable.

Denver Post writer blasts CU for Prime hire with "lifetime of skeletons" in closet

As Colorado prepares for its season opener against North Dakota State on August 29, the hype surrounding Sanders and the Buffs continues to spark debate.

JASON JONES

As Trump attacks, Harris says Biden was right to withdraw from Afghanistan

WASHINGTON — Vice President Kamala Harris said that she stands behind President Joe Biden's decision to leave Afghanistan, as the Democratic nominee came under attack from Donald Trump on the third anniversary of the botched U.S. withdrawal.

In a statement on Monday, Harris referred to "our Administration" and emphasized her support, despite the chaotic pullout, which included the deaths of 13 American service members in a suicide bombing at the Kabul airport on Aug. 26, 2021.

"As I have said, President Biden made the courageous and right decision to end America’s longest war," Harris said. "Over the past three years, our Administration has demonstrated we can still eliminate terrorists, including the leaders of al-Qaeda and ISIS, without troops deployed into combat zones. I will never hesitate to take whatever action necessary to counter terrorist threats and protect the American people and the homeland."

Trump has hit Harris repeatedly over Afghanistan since she became her party's nominee.

"Three years ago, Kamala's and Biden's incompetence left 13 dead warriors, hundreds of civilians killed and grievously wounded, and $85 billion worth of the finest military equipment on the planet abandoned to the Taliban," Trump said Monday on Truth Social . (The Taliban took possession of an estimated $7 billion in military hardware provided to the Afghan National Army.)

Harris has described herself as being the last person in the room when Biden decided to move forward with plans that began under Trump to leave Afghanistan. A photo of Biden holding a secure video call on the withdrawal at Camp David, the presidential retreat in Maryland, during the debacle showed Harris as a participant.

When the president delivered an address on the withdrawal, Harris was one of four senior U.S. officials who stood behind him on camera.

Trump and his campaign in a flurry of statements on Monday across multiple platforms said it "ranks among the worst foreign policy debacles in American history," and argued that there had been no accountability for it − or the swift Taliban takeover that followed.

In a video released to his Truth Social platform, the former president called it the "most embarrassing moment in the history" of the country and hit Harris for her past comments. "She repeatedly praised the decisions," he said.

Trump participated in a wreath-laying at Arlington National Cemetery on Monday as Biden vacationed in Delaware and Harris met with her advisers.

Trump's running mate, Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance , hosted a press call on Monday alongside family members of the soldiers who died in the bombing in which he criticized the Biden-Harris administration for not holding officials accountable.

"Nobody expects perfection from our government, but we do expect accountability," Vance said. "The fact that Kamala Harris can't even bring herself today to offer any real answer for what happened or for what she's going to do over the next six months to get to the bottom of what happened is, I think, insulting to the families who gave their loved ones in service of this country."

The administration admitted last April that it should have evacuated troops faster, once the withdrawal had begun, and that an intelligence assessment of the situation was wrong. But it blamed Trump's administration, too, saying it negotiated a withdrawal agreement with the Taliban without consulting U.S. allies or the Afghan government.

“President Biden’s choices for how to execute a withdrawal from Afghanistan were severely constrained by conditions created by his predecessor,” the document says.

In a statement on Monday , Biden remembered the thirteen Americans who perished and underscored his position that the U.S. can successfully fight terrorism from afar − without explicitly revisiting the events that preceded their deaths.

More: More than 200 Bush, McCain, Romney alums endorse Harris for president, criticize Trump

"They embodied the very best of who we are as a nation: brave, committed, selfless. And we owe them and their families a sacred debt we will never be able to fully repay, but will never cease working to fulfill," Biden said.

The vice president's office declined to comment on Trump's attacks and referred an inquiry to her campaign.

White House national security spokesman John Kirby said "there are many ways" for leaders to observe the third anniversary, Trump's wreath-laying among them.

"Another way is to continue to work, maybe not with a lot of fanfare, maybe not with a lot of public attention, maybe not with TV cameras, but to work with might and main every single day to make sure that the families of those, of the fallen and of those who were injured and wounded — not just at Abbey Gate, but over the course of the 20 some odd years that we were in Afghanistan — have the support that they need," he said, referring to the scene of the airport bombing.

More: Trump golf course set to host Jan. 6 'Awards Gala' fundraiser for Capitol riot defendants

The withdrawal from Afghanistan led to a marked drop in support for Biden nationally. His favorability rating never bounced back, and Trump made a point of raising the issue in his opening statement at their June debate.

Harris and Trump are scheduled to debate on Sept. 10, and Trump is sure to bring it up, said Thomas Alan Schwartz , a professor of history at Vanderbilt College.

"She's taking a risk," Schwartz said of Harris' identifying herself with the issue. "It is not something that most Americans feel good about."

Harris has been under pressure to share a detailed policy agenda and identify areas in which she differs with Biden. While she mentioned Israel's war in Gaza during her acceptance speech at the Democratic convention last week, Harris hasn't delivered a foreign policy speech since taking over the ticket.

While her advisers have said Harris doesn't feel hemmed in to sharing Biden's positions on every issue, Peter Feaver, who served under multiple presidents on the National Security Council, said it's "probably politically safer for her to stick with the administration on this one, given that it would otherwise create quite a significant breach of daylight between her and President Biden."

"She wouldn't gain anything politically from it, and instead, she'd be inviting a maelstrom of media attention," he said.

Contributing: Karissa Waddick, USA TODAY

Elon Musk’s 2006 Climate Manifesto For Tesla Is Gone From Its Website

The “Secret Master Plan” underscored Musk’s mission for Tesla: lead a shift from a “mine-and-burn hydrocarbon economy towards a solar electric economy” with ever more affordable electric vehicles.

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Tesla CEO Elon Musk in the company's electric Roadster, its first model, in January 2009.

Elon Musk’s 18-year-old manifesto in which the tech entrepreneur laid out his vision for the electric car maker shortly after its first public event has vanished from the company’s blog page, along with all posts by Musk and Tesla executives before 2019.

The “ Secret Master Plan ,” the company’s de facto constitution, laid out Musk’s perspective that Tesla’s key purpose was to show how electric vehicles and solar power could help fight climate change, in part by creating more and more affordable EVs — a view that has dramatically changed with the billionaire's politics in recent years.

This month, Musk appeared to break with his earlier views on the risks of relying on carbon-spewing oil and gas, in his interview with climate-skeptic Donald Trump, who he’s endorsed for president.

“My views on climate change and oil gas … are pretty moderate,” Musk said during their discussion . “I don’t think we should vilify the oil and gas industry and the people that have worked very hard in those industries to provide the necessary energy to support the economy.”

It’s a far cry from his positions from Tesla’s early days: “The overarching purpose of Tesla Motors (and the reason I am funding the company) is to help expedite the move from a mine-and-burn hydrocarbon economy towards a solar electric economy, which I believe to be the primary, but not exclusive, sustainable solution,” Musk wrote in the 2006 blog. In it, he also promised that each successive Tesla model would be cheaper than one that preceded it, with a goal of making EVs widely affordable.

Tesla's "Secret Master Plan" blog post from August 2006 no longer appears on the carmaker's website.

Despite Tesla’s success as the world’s most valuable automaker and record sales last year of 1.8 million cars, Musk has also backed off his goal for the company to sell 20 million vehicles annually by the end of the decade. Instead, he’s pivoted into promoting robotaxis and autonomous vehicles as key to Tesla’s future and profitability.

Searches for the post that Musk published on Aug. 2, 2006 – when he was the fledgling automaker’s top investor and before he took over as CEO – now go only to the company’s blog page, where the oldest entry is a Jan. 18, 2019 post. The updated version of his vision, “Master Plan, Part Deux,” published July 20, 2016, ahead of Tesla’s acquisition of failing Musk-backed solar panel installer SolarCity, also is no longer available. Versions of the missing Tesla blogs can be found via the Wayback Machine archive and the text and images appear on numerous Tesla fan sites .

The 2006 blog was posted shortly after Tesla’s first public event in July 2006, when it invited the media and public officials, including then California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, for the unveiling of its Roadster EV, a Lotus Elise sports car powered by the startup’s battery pack and motor system. It served as the company’s foundational declaration of purpose at a time when the electric vehicle market was nonexistent. And in the years since it was published, Musk’s manifesto turned him and Tesla into darlings of the environmental community, helped it raise funds prior to its 2010 IPO and was even studied at Stanford University’s business school .

Former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger gets a test ride in Tesla Roadster at the company's first public event in July 2006.

The purge of older Tesla blogs comes after media outlets began reporting last week that an October 2016 company post claiming “All Tesla Cars Being Produced Now Have Full Self-Driving Hardware” had disappeared. The company is facing a class-action lawsuit accusing Musk and the carmaker of misleading buyers about the autonomous driving capabilities of its vehicles. Though Musk has said the company is a leader in such technology, Tesla engineers have repeatedly confirmed its Autopilot and FSD (full self-driving) features are driver-assistance technologies that require a person to be ready to take control of the vehicle at all times.

California regulators have also charged the company with false advertising concerning its claims for Autopilot and FSD, and the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration earlier this year identified 13 fatal crashes involving Autopilot and determined that using that name to describe the system “ may lead drivers to believe that the automation has greater capabilities than it does and invite drivers to overly trust the automation .”

Musk and Tesla didn’t respond to a request for comment.

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