Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing

Quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing are using someone else's words to provide support to your own work.

Summarizing is shortening what you have read and only writing down the key points and ideas. You can also use quoting and paraphrasing in your summary.


Writing a summary: Start with a sentence naming the writer and article title and stating the essay's main idea. The title of the article must be in quotation marks. Then write your summary, omitting nothing important and striving for overall coherence through appropriate transitions.

Be concise in order to compress your ideas. Focus on the most important general ideas put forth by the writers and leave out the supporting details.

Refer to the writer of the article throughout your summary. Ex. John Brown believes that poverty in Canada is caused by unemployment.

Never include your own opinions in a summary.

Conclude with a final statement reflecting the significance of the article-not from your own point of view, but from the writer's.



Quotes should not be used a lot, and should only be used when they add to your writing. You can insert a short quote within a sentence or a longer quote by itself.



Paraphrasing is using someone else's work without quoting, and it is more detailed than summarizing. Your goal is to express the same idea as the original.



Writing a response:

A response to an article is your own personal opinion about the content of the piece. You can use "I think" and "I believe: in a response. There are no right or wrong answers. You can agree or disagree with the writer. Try some of these questions if you are stuck:

a) What did you know about the topic?

b) What did you learn about the topic?

c) What else do you want to know about the topic?

d) How does this knowledge connect to your life?

e) How has this knowledge changed how you think?

f) How has this knowledge changed how you will act?

g) Would you recommend this article? Why or why not?