Paraphrasing from Text

2. PARAPHRASING

 

Activity 4, page 56 continued

Look at the paraphrase in #2. This is the exact paraphrase of the quote in #1 of Activity 4.

Communication depends much more on vocabulary than on grammar.  [paraphrase of quote in #1]

How would you introduce this paraphrase by David Wilkins using MLA style?

Check your paraphrase to this:

According to Wilkins, communication depends much more on vocabulary than on grammar (111).

or

Author David Wilkins noted that communication depends much more on vocabulary than on grammar (111).

These are examples of a good paraphrase introduced by a Signal phrase or Introductory phrase.

 [Note: there are never "   " quotation marks in paraphrases]

Again, we are using MLA style only.

                                                                                                                                                                          

 

Another example: If I was paraphrasing from Hidden Figures, the paraphrase may look something like this:

Shetterly discovered that even though working a good job to help win the war meant a lot to Dorothy Vaughan, she still wanted her children to be with her (58).  [look at page 58 - this paraphrase pretty well sums up that first paragraph].

You will get a chance to practice a paraphrase in an upcoming page, but first we need to look at the last component of quoting, paraphrasing in text. We need to cite the original source at the end of the essay.

The next page shows how to make a Works Cited page at the end of your essay.