Summarizing & Paraphrasing

Student Concept Worksheet Answers

Question	Answer
1	First = S (Summary), Second = P (Paraphrase) The first covers the whole article's argument; the second restates a specific claim in different words.
2	It's plagiarism because only 2-3 words were changed ("sea" to "ocean," "alarming" to "concerning") while the sentence structure remains identical. True paraphrasing requires changing BOTH words AND structure.
3	B. Pong featured two paddles and a bouncing ball. This is a specific detail that supports the main point but isn't essential. A summary can convey "games evolved" without describing Pong's mechanics.
4	Sample: Research has shown that teens who exercise regularly experience improved cognitive function. OR: According to researchers, working out on a regular basis helps adolescent brains function better. Accept any response that changes both words AND structure while maintaining meaning.
5	An objective summary reports only what the text says without adding the reader's opinions or reactions. Avoid phrases like "I think," "I learned," "It was interesting," or any evaluative language.

Practice Worksheet Answers

Question	Answer
1	B. Honeybees have complex social structures and communication systems, and their pollination of plants makes them essential for human food production. This captures all three main points: social structure, communication, and importance for food.
2	1) It includes opinion ("really interesting") instead of being objective. 2) It misses the main point about bees' importance for food production/agriculture.
3	B. Bees pollinate plants that humans depend on for food. This is essential because it's the key reason bees matter to humans. The other details support this but aren't as central.
4	Sample: Researchers have calculated that approximately a third of humanity's diet depends on pollination by bees. OR: About 33% of what people eat would not exist without bees carrying pollen between plants.
5	B. As bees disappear around the globe, experts worry about how we will feed people in the years to come. This changes both words AND structure while maintaining the meaning. Option A just swaps a few words.
6	Sample: Research shows procrastination is an emotional regulation problem, not laziness. People avoid tasks that cause negative feelings, which provides short-term relief but creates a cycle of increasing stress. Breaking this cycle requires addressing emotions and using strategies like breaking tasks into smaller pieces.
7	B. I think the strategies for overcoming procrastination are really helpful. "I think" and "really helpful" are opinions, not objective reporting of what the text says.
8	Sample: Putting off work helps us feel better right away, but it harms our well-being over time. OR: While avoidance temporarily improves mood, it damages long-term health and success.
9	B. The sentence structure is almost identical to the original (still plagiarism).
10	Sample: Negative emotions like anxiety or boredom prompt us to seek escape, so we completely avoid dealing with challenging work. OR: Our minds try to escape uncomfortable feelings by steering us away from difficult tasks altogether.
11	Summaries and paraphrases are different in scope and purpose. Summarizing condenses an ENTIRE text to just its main ideas - it's much shorter and leaves out most details. Paraphrasing restates a SPECIFIC passage in new words - it's about the same length and includes all the details. Both use your own words, but they serve different purposes: summaries show you understand the big picture; paraphrases let you use specific information without plagiarizing.
12	Use a SUMMARY when you need to briefly explain what a whole text is about (e.g., "The article argues that bees are essential for food production"). Use a PARAPHRASE when you want to include specific information from a source in a research paper without directly quoting it (e.g., restating a specific statistic or claim in your own words for an essay).

FAST Format Quiz Answers

Question	Answer
1	B. Human memory reconstructs rather than records events, making it changeable; understanding this can improve memory techniques and explain eyewitness errors.
2	B. Memories are reconstructed rather than recorded exactly.
3	B. Our brains don't store experiences the way a camera preserves footage of the exact reality. This changes both words AND sentence structure while maintaining meaning.
4	B. It includes the student's opinion ("really interesting") instead of being objective.
5	C. Urban farming uses city spaces to grow food, offering environmental and social benefits despite challenges like high land costs and limited growing conditions.
6	See rubric and sample response below.
7	B. Only a few words were changed while keeping the same sentence structure.
8	B. Specific statistics like "95% less water" and "year-round" Summaries focus on main ideas, not specific numbers or details.
9	See rubric and sample response below.
10	See rubric and sample response below.

Question 6 Scoring Rubric (Paraphrasing)

Score	Criteria
2	Changes BOTH vocabulary AND sentence structure; maintains original meaning accurately
1	Changes vocabulary but keeps similar structure, OR changes structure but uses too many original words
0	Too similar to original (plagiarism) OR changes the meaning significantly

Sample 2-Point Response for Question 6:
Farming in cities produces vegetation that cools down urban areas, cleans the air, and creates homes for bees and other pollinators.

Question 9 Scoring Rubric (Paraphrasing)

Score	Criteria
2	Successfully changes both vocabulary and structure while preserving the complete meaning
1	Partial change - either vocabulary or structure remains too similar to original
0	Plagiarism (too similar) or inaccurate meaning

Sample 2-Point Response for Question 9:
Supporters believe that the positive effects on communities and the environment make the costs of growing food in cities worthwhile, even with the difficulties involved.

Question 10 Scoring Rubric (Comparing Skills)

Score	Criteria
2	Clearly explains the difference in scope (whole text vs. specific passage) AND length (shorter vs. same length) AND provides appropriate examples of when to use each
1	Explains some differences but missing key aspects OR provides only one example
0	Does not distinguish between the two skills or explanation is incorrect

Sample 2-Point Response for Question 10:
Summarizing condenses an ENTIRE text into its main ideas - it's much shorter than the original and leaves out details. Paraphrasing restates a SPECIFIC passage in completely different words - it's about the same length and keeps all the information. You'd use a summary to quickly explain what an article is about. You'd use a paraphrase when writing a research paper and need to include specific information from a source without quoting it directly.

Quick Reference

Skill	Scope	Length	Content
Summarizing	Whole text	Much shorter	Main ideas only, objective
Paraphrasing	Specific passage	About same length	All details, new words + structure