Paraphrasing
A paraphrase restates another’s idea (or your own previously published idea) in your own words. Paraphrasing allows you to summarize and synthesize information from one or more sources, focus on significant information, and compare and contrast relevant details.
Published authors paraphrase their sources most of the time, rather than directly quoting the sources; student authors should emulate this practice by paraphrasing more than directly quoting.
When you paraphrase, cite the original work using either the narrative or parenthetical citation format .
Although it is not required to provide a page or paragraph number in the citation, you may include one (in addition to the author and year) when it would help interested readers locate the relevant passage within a long or complex work (e.g., a book).
Webster-Stratton (2016) described a case example of a 4-year-old girl who showed an insecure attachment to her mother; in working with the family dyad, the therapist focused on increasing the mother’s empathy for her child (pp. 152–153).
These guidelines pertain to when you read a primary source and paraphrase it yourself. If you read a paraphrase of a primary source in a published work and want to cite that source, it is best to read and cite the primary source directly if possible; if not, use a secondary source citation .
This guidance has been expanded from the 6th edition.
Related handout
- Paraphrasing and Citation Activities (PDF, 357KB)
Long paraphrases
A paraphrase may continue for several sentences. In such cases, cite the work being paraphrased on first mention. Once the work has been cited, it is not necessary to repeat the citation as long as the context of the writing makes it clear that the same work continues to be paraphrased.
Velez et al. (2018) found that for women of color, sexism and racism in the workplace were associated with poor work and mental health outcomes, including job-related burnout, turnover intentions, and psychological distress. However, self-esteem, person–organization fit, and perceived organizational support mediated these effects. Additionally, stronger womanist attitudes—which acknowledge the unique challenges faced by women of color in a sexist and racist society—weakened the association of workplace discrimination with psychological distress. These findings underscore the importance of considering multiple forms of workplace discrimination in clinical practice and research with women of color, along with efforts to challenge and reduce such discrimination.
If the paraphrase continues into a new paragraph, reintroduce the citation. If the paraphrase incorporates multiple sources or switches among sources, repeat the citation so the source is clear. Read your sentences carefully to ensure you have cited sources appropriately.
Play therapists can experience many symptoms of impaired wellness, including emotional exhaustion or reduced ability to empathize with others (Elwood et al., 2011; Figley, 2002), disruption in personal relationships (Elwood et al., 2011; Robinson-Keilig, 2014), decreased satisfaction with work (Elwood et al., 2011), avoidance of particular situations (Figley, 2002; O’Halloran & Linton, 2000), and feelings or thoughts of helplessness (Elwood et al., 2011; Figley, 2002; O’Halloran & Linton, 2000).
From the APA Style blog
How to cite your own translations
If you translate a passage from one language into another on your own in your paper, your translation is considered a paraphrase, not a direct quotation.
APA Style webinar on citing works in text
Attend the webinar, “Citing Works in Text Using Seventh Edition APA Style,” on July 14, 2020, to learn the keys to accurately and consistently citing sources in APA Style.
APA Citation Guide (7th edition) : Welcome
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What is APA?
APA style was created by the American Psychological Association. It is a set of rules for publications, including research papers.
In APA, you must "cite" sources that you have paraphrased, quoted or otherwise used to write your research paper. Cite your sources in two places:
- In the body of your paper where you add a brief in-text citation.
- In the Reference list at the end of your paper where you give more complete information for the source.
What's New in the 7th Edition of APA?
Below is a summary of the major changes in the 7th edition of the APA Publication Manual.
Essay Format:
- Font - While you still can use Times New Roman 12, you are free to use other fonts. Calibri 11, Arial 11, Lucida Sans 10, and Georgia 11 are all acceptable.
- Headers - No running headers are required for student papers.
- Tables and Figures - There is a standardized format for both tables and figures.
Style, Grammar, Usage:
- Singular "they" required in two situations: when used by a known person as their personal pronoun or when the gender of a singular person is not known.
- Use only one space after a sentence-ending period.
Citation Style:
- Developed the 'Four Elements of a Reference" (Author, Date, Title, Source) to help writers to create references for source types not explicitly examined in the APA Manual.
- Three or more authors can be abbreviated to First author, et al. on the first citation.
- Up to 20 authors are spelled out in the References List.
- Publisher location is not required for books
- Ebook platform, format, or device is not required for eBooks.
- Library database names are generally not required
- No "doi:" prefix, simply include the doi.
- All hyperlinks retain the https://
- Links can be "live" in blue with underline or black without underlining
Commonly Used Terms
Citing : The process of acknowledging the sources of your information and ideas.
DOI (doi) : Some electronic content, such as online journal articles, is assigned a unique number called a Digital Object Identifier (DOI or doi). Items can be tracked down online using their doi.
In-Text Citation : A brief note at the point where information is used from a source to indicate where the information came from. An in-text citation should always match more detailed information that is available in the Reference List.
Paraphrasing : Taking information that you have read and putting it into your own words.
Plagiarism : Taking, using, and passing off as your own, the ideas or words of another.
Quoting : The copying of words of text originally published elsewhere. Direct quotations generally appear in quotation marks and end with a citation.
Reference : Details about one cited source.
Reference List : Contains details on ALL the sources cited in a text or essay, and supports your research and/or premise.
Retrieval Date : Used for websites where content is likely to change over time (e.g. Wikis), the retrieval date refers to the date you last visited the website.
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APA Citation Guide (7th edition): Quotes vs Paraphrases
- Book Examples
- Article Examples
- Media Examples
- Internet Resources Examples
- Other Examples
- Quotes vs Paraphrases
- Reference Entry Components
- Paper Formatting
What's the Difference?
Quoting vs paraphrasing: what's the difference.
There are two ways to integrate sources into your assignment: quoting directly or paraphrasing.
Quoting is copying a selection from someone else's work, phrasing it exactly as it was originally written. When quoting place quotation marks (" ") around the selected passage to show where the quote begins and where it ends. Make sure to include an in-text citation.
Paraphrasing is used to show that you understand what the author wrote. You must reword the passage, expressing the ideas in your own words, and not just change a few words here and there. Make sure to also include an in-text citation.
Quoting Example
There are two basic formats that can be used:
Parenthetical Style:
Narrative Style:
Quoting Tips
- Long Quotes
- Changing Quotes
What Is a Long Quotation?
A quotation of more than 40 words.
Rules for Long Quotations
There are 4 rules that apply to long quotations that are different from regular quotations:
- The line before your long quotation, when you're introducing the quote, usually ends with a colon.
- The long quotation is indented half an inch from the rest of the text, so it looks like a block of text.
- There are no quotation marks around the quotation.
- The period at the end of the quotation comes before your in-text citation as opposed to after, as it does with regular quotations.
Example of a Long Quotation
At the end of Lord of the Flies the boys are struck with the realization of their behaviour:
The tears began to flow and sobs shook him. He gave himself up to them now for the first time on the island; great, shuddering spasms of grief that seemed to wrench his whole body. His voice rose under the black smoke before the burning wreckage of the island; and infected by that emotion, the other little boys began to shake and sob too. (Golding, 1960, p.186)
Changing Quotations
Sometimes you may want to make some modifications to the quote to fit your writing. Here are some APA rules when changing quotes:
Incorrect spelling, grammar, and punctuation
Add the word [sic] after the error in the quotation to let your reader know the error was in the original source and is not your error.
Omitting parts of a quotation
If you would like to exclude some words from a quotation, replace the words you are not including with an ellipsis - ...
Adding words to a quote
If you are adding words that are not part of the original quote, enclose the additional words in square brackets - [XYZ]
Secondary Source Quotes
What is a secondary source.
In scholarly work, a primary source reports original content; a secondary source refers to content first reported in another source.
- Cite secondary sources sparingly—for instance, when the original work is out of print, unavailable, or available only in a language that you do not understand.
- If possible, as a matter of good scholarly practice, find the primary source, read it, and cite it directly rather than citing a secondary source.
Rules for Secondary Source Citations
- In the reference list, provide an entry only for the secondary source that you used.
- In the text, identify the primary source and write “as cited in” the secondary source that you used.
- If the year of publication of the primary source is known, also include it in the in-text citation.
Example of a Secondary Source Use
Quote & In-Text Citation
Reference List Entry
Paraphrases
Paraphrasing example.
When you write information from a source in your own words, cite the source by adding an in-text citation at the end of the paraphrased portion as follows:
If you refer to the author's name in a sentence you do not have to include the name again as part of your in-text citation, instead include the year of publication following his/her name:
NOTE : Although not required, APA encourages including the page number when paraphrasing if it will help the reader locate the information in a long text and distinguish between the information that is coming from you and the source.
Paraphrasing Tips
- Long Paraphrases
Original Source
Homeless individuals commonly come from families who are riddled with problems and marital disharmony, and are alienated from their parents. They have often been physically and even sexually abused, have relocated frequently, and many of them may be asked to leave home or are actually thrown out, or alternatively are placed in group homes or in foster care. They often have no one to care for them and no one knows them intimately.
Source from:
Rokach, A. (2005). The causes of loneliness in homeless youth. The Journal of Psychology, 139, 469-480.
Example: Incorrect Paraphrasing
Example: correct paraphrasing.
If your paraphrase is longer than one sentence, provide an in-text citation for the source at the beginning of the paraphrase. As long as it's clear that the paraphrase continues to the following sentences, you don't have to include in-text citations for the following sentences.
If your paraphrase continues to another paragraph and/or you include paraphrases from other sources within the paragraph, repeat the in-text citations for each.
Additional Resource
- Paraphrasing (The Learning Portal)
Tip sheet on paraphrasing information
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FAQ: How do I cite paraphrased information in APA style (in-text)?
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Answered By: Jennifer Harris Last Updated: Aug 19, 2022 Views: 258914
When you paraphrase, you use your own words. This is usually preferable to direct quotes because the information is written in your own style, but you must be careful not to change the meaning. When paraphrasing, you must still acknowledge where you got the idea from by including a parenthetical citation.
When citing paraphrased information, APA requires you to include the author and date. It is also recommended (but not required) that you include the page number. The format of the page number depends on if the information is on a single page or range of pages.
Examples of Citing Paraphrased Information at the Beginning of a Sentence
A review (Selby et al., 2017) identified several laws pertaining to cancer research in the UK that might be affected because of Brexit.
Patafio et al. (2016) investigated the relationship between cancer research funding and cancer research output and found that research output is not well correlated with the public health burden of individual cancers that was measure by mortality rates.
The authors (Lindqvist & Neumann) argue that security and privacy are crucial in the Internet of Things (IoT) because if future attacks are successful they can cause widespread destruction and even cost lives.
Bernard (2011) argues that Henry VIII's Catholicism was more than just Catholicism without the pope.
Examples of Citing Paraphrased Information in the Middle of a Sentence
Surgery is considered a last resort in the treatment of plantar fasciitis Owens (2017) argues.
Strength training as treatment for plantar fasciitis, according to (Huffer et al. 2017) , does not contribute to the improved function and pain relief.
Many physical therapists use ultrasound therapy as treatment; however, numerous studies highlighted in the review published by Sanke and Radwan (2015) show that the therapy does not have any effect on the condition.
Examples of Citing Paraphrased Information at the End of a Sentence
There are multiple types of cyberbullying (El Asam & Samara, 2016) .
A significant amount of youths' social interaction takes place through technology and children as young as 10 have access to mobile devices (Williford & DePaolis, 2016) .
The authors found that undergraduate students are afraid to report cyberbullying (Watts et al., 2017, p. 273) .
Example of how the original quotation might be paraphrased<
Original quotation:.
American commitment to self-government rested on the early experience of colonization. English common law was introduced with the first settlers, and each new colony soon had an elected assembly designed to represent and protect the interests of the settler population, acting like a local equivalent of the Westminster House of Commons. In theory, popular participation in government was balanced by a strong executive, in the person of the governor, supported by an advisory council. Bit in the first years of settlement, when colonies were sponsored by private companies rather than the Crown, governors and councils were often themselves elected, reinforcing the tendency towards local control (Conway, 2013, p. 33) .
The essay incorporating the paraphrasing:
The early settlers in Colonial American may have considered themselves English and loyal to the Crown. However, the local government structure supported a system of relative self-governance (Conway, 2013, p. 33) .
More Information
- APA guide (Shapiro Library)
Further Help
This information is intended to be a guideline, not expert advice. Please be sure to speak to your professor about the appropriate way to cite sources in your class assignments and projects.
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American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7 th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1037/0000165-000
Bernard, G. W. (2011). The dissolution of the monasteries. History , 96 (324), 390-409.
Conway, S. (2013). A short history of the American Revolutionary War . I.B.Tauris.
El Asam, A., & Samara, M. (2016). Cyberbullying and the law: A review of psychological and legal challenges. Computers in human behavior , 65 , 127-141. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2016.08.012
Lindqvist, U., & Neumann, P. G. (2017). The future of the internet of things. Communications of the ACM , 60 (2), 26-30. https://doi.org/10.1145/3029589
Owens, J. M. (2017). Diagnosis and management of plantar fasciitis in primary care. Journal for nurse practitioners , 13 (5), 354-359. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nurpra.2016.12.016
Patafio, F. M., Brooks, S. C., Wei, X., Peng, Y., Biagi, J., & Booth, C. M. (2016). Research output and the public health burden of cancer: Is there any relationship? Current Oncology , 23 (2), 75-80. https://doi.org/10.3747/co.23.2935
Sanke, P. L., & Radwan, T. S. (2015). Ultrasound as an effective treatment for chronic plantar fasciitis. Journal of foot & ankle surgery , 54 (4) 481-487.
Selby, P., Lawler, M., Baird, R., Banks, I., Johnston, P., & Nurse, P. (2017). The potential consequences for cancer care and cancer research of Brexit. Ecancermedicalscience , 11 (752-769), 1-3. https://doi.org/10.3332/ecancer.2017.ed63
Watts, L. K., Wagner, J., Velasquez, B., & Behrens, P. I. (2017). Cyberbullying in higher education: A literature review. Computers in human behavior , 69 , 268-274. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2016.12.038
Williford, A., & Depaolis, K. J. (2016). Predictors of cyberbullying intervention among elementary school staff: The moderating effect of staff status. Psychology in the schools , 53 (10), 1032-1044. https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.21973
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In-Text Citations: The Basics
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Note: This page reflects the latest version of the APA Publication Manual (i.e., APA 7), which released in October 2019. The equivalent resource for the older APA 6 style can be found here .
Reference citations in text are covered on pages 261-268 of the Publication Manual. What follows are some general guidelines for referring to the works of others in your essay.
Note: On pages 117-118, the Publication Manual suggests that authors of research papers should use the past tense or present perfect tense for signal phrases that occur in the literature review and procedure descriptions (for example, Jones (1998) found or Jones (1998) has found ...). Contexts other than traditionally-structured research writing may permit the simple present tense (for example, Jones (1998) finds ).
APA Citation Basics
When using APA format, follow the author-date method of in-text citation. This means that the author's last name and the year of publication for the source should appear in the text, like, for example, (Jones, 1998). One complete reference for each source should appear in the reference list at the end of the paper.
If you are referring to an idea from another work but NOT directly quoting the material, or making reference to an entire book, article or other work, you only have to make reference to the author and year of publication and not the page number in your in-text reference.
On the other hand, if you are directly quoting or borrowing from another work, you should include the page number at the end of the parenthetical citation. Use the abbreviation “p.” (for one page) or “pp.” (for multiple pages) before listing the page number(s). Use an en dash for page ranges. For example, you might write (Jones, 1998, p. 199) or (Jones, 1998, pp. 199–201). This information is reiterated below.
Regardless of how they are referenced, all sources that are cited in the text must appear in the reference list at the end of the paper.
In-text citation capitalization, quotes, and italics/underlining
- Always capitalize proper nouns, including author names and initials: D. Jones.
- If you refer to the title of a source within your paper, capitalize all words that are four letters long or greater within the title of a source: Permanence and Change . Exceptions apply to short words that are verbs, nouns, pronouns, adjectives, and adverbs: Writing New Media , There Is Nothing Left to Lose .
( Note: in your References list, only the first word of a title will be capitalized: Writing new media .)
- When capitalizing titles, capitalize both words in a hyphenated compound word: Natural-Born Cyborgs .
- Capitalize the first word after a dash or colon: "Defining Film Rhetoric: The Case of Hitchcock's Vertigo ."
- If the title of the work is italicized in your reference list, italicize it and use title case capitalization in the text: The Closing of the American Mind ; The Wizard of Oz ; Friends .
- If the title of the work is not italicized in your reference list, use double quotation marks and title case capitalization (even though the reference list uses sentence case): "Multimedia Narration: Constructing Possible Worlds;" "The One Where Chandler Can't Cry."
Short quotations
If you are directly quoting from a work, you will need to include the author, year of publication, and page number for the reference (preceded by "p." for a single page and “pp.” for a span of multiple pages, with the page numbers separated by an en dash).
You can introduce the quotation with a signal phrase that includes the author's last name followed by the date of publication in parentheses.
If you do not include the author’s name in the text of the sentence, place the author's last name, the year of publication, and the page number in parentheses after the quotation.
Long quotations
Place direct quotations that are 40 words or longer in a free-standing block of typewritten lines and omit quotation marks. Start the quotation on a new line, indented 1/2 inch from the left margin, i.e., in the same place you would begin a new paragraph. Type the entire quotation on the new margin, and indent the first line of any subsequent paragraph within the quotation 1/2 inch from the new margin. Maintain double-spacing throughout, but do not add an extra blank line before or after it. The parenthetical citation should come after the closing punctuation mark.
Because block quotation formatting is difficult for us to replicate in the OWL's content management system, we have simply provided a screenshot of a generic example below.
Formatting example for block quotations in APA 7 style.
Quotations from sources without pages
Direct quotations from sources that do not contain pages should not reference a page number. Instead, you may reference another logical identifying element: a paragraph, a chapter number, a section number, a table number, or something else. Older works (like religious texts) can also incorporate special location identifiers like verse numbers. In short: pick a substitute for page numbers that makes sense for your source.
Summary or paraphrase
If you are paraphrasing an idea from another work, you only have to make reference to the author and year of publication in your in-text reference and may omit the page numbers. APA guidelines, however, do encourage including a page range for a summary or paraphrase when it will help the reader find the information in a longer work.
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Notes: This citation guide is based on the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). The contents are accurate to the best of our knowledge. Some examples illustrate Seneca Libraries' recommendations and are marked as modifications of the official APA guidelines.
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Online Resources
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What's Different in 7th Edition?
- What's New in APA 7th Ed? Check out this infographic on the major changes from 6th edition!
What is APA?
American Psychological Association (APA) Style is a set of writing guidelines used for clear and precise scholarly communication in fields ranging from nursing to social work, as well as student papers, dissertations, and essays (American Psychological Association 3).
In APA, you must cite sources that you have paraphrased, quoted or otherwise refer to in your research paper.
Cite your sources in two places:
- In the body of your paper with an in-text citation
- In the References list at the end of your paper
Check out these quick tips for formatting your APA Style paper!
Margins : Add 1 inch margins on all sides.
Header : Starting with your title page, add page numbers at the top right corner of the page. No running headers are required for student papers.
Line Spacing : Double-space your text.
Paragraph Alignment & Indentation : Indent the first line of each paragraph by 0.5 inch. Align your paragraphs to the left margin.
Style, Grammar, Usage:
- Singular "they" required in two situations: when used by a known person as their personal pronoun or when the gender of a singular person is not known.
- Use only one space after a sentence-ending period.
Recommended Fonts: Unless specified by your instructor, APA recommends the following fonts:
- 11-point Calibri
- 11-point Arial
- 10-point Lucida Sans Unicode
- 12-point Times New Roman
- 11-point Georgia
- 10-point Computer Modern
Commonly Used Terms
Citing : The process of acknowledging the sources of your information and ideas.
DOI (doi) : Some electronic content, such as online journal articles, is assigned a unique number called a Digital Object Identifier (DOI or doi). Items can be tracked down online using their doi.
In-Text Citation : A brief note at the point where information is used from a source to indicate where the information came from. An in-text citation should always match more detailed information that is available in the Reference List.
Paraphrasing : Taking information that you have read and putting it into your own words.
Plagiarism : Taking, using, and passing off as your own, the ideas or words of another.
Quoting : The copying of words of text originally published elsewhere. Direct quotations generally appear in quotation marks and end with a citation.
Reference : Details about one cited source.
Reference List : Contains details on ALL the sources cited in a text or essay, and supports your research and/or premise.
Retrieval Date : Used for websites where content is likely to change over time (e.g. Wikis), the retrieval date refers to the date you last visited the website.
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Tips on Paraphrasing
- Have you simply changed a few words to synonyms? Try again. Being handy with a thesaurus is not enough to make the sentence yours.
- Have you included exact sequences of words from the original? If so, make sure to put quotation marks around those phrases, or re-write until the entire paraphrase is your words.
- Have you retained the meaning of the original? Changing the author's meaning is not plagiarism, but academic honesty requires you to represent other's work accurately in your writing.
Polivy, J., & Herman, C. P. (2004). Sociocultural idealization of thin female body shapes: An introduction to the special issue on body image and eating disorders. Journal of Social & Clinical Psychology , 23, 1-6. doi:10.1037/0033-2909.134.3.460
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If you translate a passage from one language into another on your own in your paper, your translation is considered a paraphrase, not a direct quotation. APA
When you write information from a source in your own words, cite the source by adding an in-text citation at the end of the paraphrased
When you write information from a source in your own words, cite the source by adding an in-text citation at the end of the paraphrased portion
As the 7th edition APA manual explains, “the works you cite provide ... APA 7 notes that “published authors paraphrase their sources most of
When citing paraphrased information, APA requires you to include the author and date. It is also recommended (but not required) that you
When using APA format, follow the author-date method of in-text citation. This means that the author's last name and the year of publication for the source
There are two ways to do this: Cite by paragraph number - count down the website to see what number paragraph the direct quote is in and in the
When you write information from a source in your own words, cite the source by adding an in-text citation at the end of the paraphrased
https://www.scu.edu.au/learning-zone/how-to-videos/Hello and welcome to this short video on how to cite in-text by paraphrasing in APA 7th
Even if you have a citation, such borrowing would be considered plagiarism. Paraphrases should sound like you, using vocabulary and sentence structures that