Summary vs. Paraphrase
|
Summary |
Paraphrase |
| A brief restatement, in your own words, of the content of a passage, focusing on the central idea(s). (The central idea of a passage is often found in the topic sentence of a paragraph or in the thesis statement of an essay.) | A precise restatement, in your own words, of the written or spoken words of someone else. A paraphrase can also be thought of as a "clarification" of a "translation" of a complex or difficult passage. |
| A summary is in your own words, but some key words may not be able to be changed. However, a summary can contain brief quotations of significant language. | A paraphrase is in your own words, but you must change both the words and the sentence structures of the original passage. In addition, a paraphrase can contain brief quotations of significant language. |
| A summary does not distort the meaning of the original passage. | A paraphrase does not distort the meaning of the original passage. |
| A summary can be selective. You can omit ideas that do not pertain to your purpose for summarizing as long as the omission is not a distortion of the meaning. | A paraphrase is specific and should not be selective. Since a paraphrase normally deals with a very specific portion of a text, the paraphrase should include all the elements of that portion. |
| A summary is much shorter than the original passage. | A paraphrase is roughly the same length, and even sometimes a bit longer, than the original passage. |
A (Poor) Example
Original Passage:
The cowbird, as well as other species of birds, lays its eggs in another bird's nest and thus avoids hatching and raising its own young.
Summary:
Cowbirds do not hatch or raise their own young.
Paraphrase:
Certain birds, including the cowbird, do not hatch and raise their own offspring but rather pass on these responsibilities by laying their eggs in other birds' nests.