Quoting vs. Paraphrasing vs. Summarizing

Quotation
Using the author's exact words verbatim and placing in quotations.
  • Use sparingly (no more than 1/4 of your in-text citations)
  • Quote uses unique, distinct or skilled phrasing
  • Hard to paraphrase accurately
  • Authority of the author is important
  • Disagree with the author's statement
  • Comparing / contrasting points of view
  • Words from the source are open to interpretation
Paraphrase
Restate what the author said in your own words while keeping all of the same material.
  • The paraphrase may be slightly shorter or around the same amount of words as the original.
  • Reproduce the line of thinking and ideas using the original order.
  • Use to support or refute what an authority (or source).
Summary
Introduce the central ideas / main points of a topic.
  • Should be much shorter than a paraphrase.
  • Rearrange ideas if you need to, but make sure the basic message isn't lost.
  • Provide a brief overview or provide background about your topic.
 

 

Introducing and Explaining quotations

​Introducing
  • X states, "[insert quotation here]"
  • As the foremost expert on [your topic] puts it, "[insert quotation here]."
  • According to X, "[insert quotation here]."
  • X himself/herself writes, "[insert quotation here]."
  • In her/his book, [name of book], X maintains that "[insert quotation here]."
  • Writing the in the journal [name of journal], X maintains that "[insert quotation here]."
  • In X's view, "[insert quotation here]."
  • X agrees when he/she writes, "[insert quotation here]."
  • X disagrees when she/he writes, "[insert quotation here]."
  • X complicates matters further when he/she writes, "[insert quotation here]."
Explaining
  • Basically, X is warning that [insert your explanation here].
  • In other words, X believes [insert your explanation here].
  • In making this comment, X urges us to [insert your explanation here].
  • X is corroborating the age old adage that [insert your explanation here].
  • X's point is that [insert your explanation here].
  • The essence of X's argument is that [insert your explanation here].
(adapted from They Say / I Say, 2nd ed.)

Introducing Summaries, Paraphrases and Quotations.

​Here are some verbs to help you introduce Summaries, Paraphrases and Quotations:
acknowledges
agrees
analyzes
argues
asks
asserts
balances
begins
believes
claims
comments
compares
complains
concedes
concludes
confirms
connects
considers
contends
contradicts
contrasts
points out
prepares
promises
proves
questions
recognizes
recommends
refutes
rejects
remarks
reports
 
reveals
declares
demonstrates
denies
describes
develops
discusses
distinguishes
between/among
emphasizes
endeavors to
establishes
estimates
explains
expresses
finds
 
focuses on
grants
illuminates
illustrates
implies
indicates
informs
insists
introduces
maintains
means
negates
notes
notices
observes
offers
 
​organizes
says
sees
shows
signals
specifies
speculates
states
suggests
supports
supposes
thinks
wishes
writes