Summarizing & Paraphrasing

What Will You Learn?

Good readers can explain what they've read in their OWN words. Today you'll learn two essential skills: summarizing (condensing an entire text to its main ideas) and paraphrasing (restating specific passages without plagiarizing). Both skills are tested on FAST - and both are essential for research writing!

Summarizing vs. Paraphrasing: What's the Difference?

SUMMARIZING

What: The WHOLE text condensed

Length: MUCH shorter than original

Includes: Main ideas only

Leaves out most details
Focuses on central message
Must be OBJECTIVE (no opinions)

PARAPHRASING

What: A SPECIFIC passage restated

Length: About the SAME as original

Includes: All details from the passage

Keeps all the information
Changes words AND structure
Maintains original meaning

Key Difference: Summarizing = Main ideas of the WHOLE. Paraphrasing = ALL details of a PART.

Original Text: The History of Video Games

Video games have evolved dramatically since their creation. The first commercially successful video game, Pong, was released by Atari in 1972. This simple tennis-style game featured two paddles and a bouncing ball, yet it captivated audiences and launched a billion-dollar industry. By the 1980s, games had developed complex storylines and improved graphics. The Nintendo Entertainment System, released in 1985, brought characters like Mario into millions of homes. Today, video games feature photorealistic graphics, immersive virtual reality, and competitive esports tournaments watched by millions worldwide. The gaming industry now generates more revenue than movies and music combined.

Example: Summarizing the Whole Passage

Good Summary: Video games have evolved from simple games like Pong in 1972 to today's photorealistic games and competitive esports, becoming a massive industry worth more than movies and music combined.

Why it works: Captures the main idea (evolution of games) and key point (now a huge industry) without excessive detail.

Weak Summary: Pong was released by Atari in 1972 and was a tennis-style game with two paddles and a ball. The Nintendo Entertainment System came out in 1985 and had Mario.

Why it's weak: Too many specific details, misses the main point about industry growth and evolution.

Example: Paraphrasing a Specific Sentence

Original: "The gaming industry now generates more revenue than movies and music combined."

Good Paraphrase: Today, video games make more money than the film and recording industries put together.

Why it works: Same meaning, completely different words AND sentence structure.

Poor Paraphrase (Plagiarism): The gaming industry now makes more revenue than movies and music combined.

Why it's plagiarism: Only changed one word ("generates" to "makes"). Structure is identical.

Avoiding Plagiarism When Paraphrasing

Just changing a few words is NOT paraphrasing - it's plagiarism. True paraphrasing requires:

Different words (synonyms, completely new vocabulary)
Different sentence structure (reorder ideas, change sentence type)
Same meaning (don't change what the original says)

Test yourself: Cover the original and write from memory. If your version is too similar, try again!

Essential vs. Non-Essential Information

When summarizing, include only ESSENTIAL information:

Essential (Include)	Non-Essential (Leave Out)
Main ideas/central message	Specific examples and statistics
Key arguments or conclusions	Detailed descriptions
Major events or findings	Minor supporting details

Your Turn!

1. Which is a SUMMARY and which is a PARAPHRASE? Write S or P.

___ "The article argues that sleep is essential for teen health and academic success."

___ "Getting enough rest helps adolescents perform better in school and stay healthy."

2. This "paraphrase" is actually plagiarism. Why?

Original: "Climate change is causing sea levels to rise at an alarming rate."

"Paraphrase": "Climate change is causing ocean levels to rise at a concerning rate."

3. Which sentence should NOT be included in a summary of the video game passage?

A. Video games have evolved significantly since the 1970s. B. Pong featured two paddles and a bouncing ball. C. The gaming industry is now larger than movies and music. D. Games today include esports and virtual reality.

4. Write a paraphrase of this sentence (remember: different words AND different structure!):

"Scientists have discovered that regular exercise improves brain function in teenagers."

5. What makes a summary OBJECTIVE? What should you avoid including?