Study skills - Paraphrasing

Summary

This educational session delves into the art of paraphrasing, a crucial skill for students. It clarifies that paraphrasing involves more than just changing a few words; it requires deep engagement with the material to understand and restate key points. The session emphasizes the importance of paraphrasing for academic writing, where it serves as a teaching and learning tool, helping students to support their arguments with relevant material without plagiarizing. The speaker provides worked examples, demonstrating how to extract the essence of a piece and construct a paraphrased version that captures the original's intent and key points. The session concludes by highlighting the value of developing paraphrasing skills for effective academic writing and comprehension.

Takeaways

• 📚 Paraphrasing is reworking or restating an existing body of work to demonstrate understanding, not just changing a few words.
• 🧠 Developing good learning skills is more likely when you understand the importance of paraphrasing.
• 👨‍🏫 Paraphrasing is a teaching and learning device that requires engagement with the content to recognize key words or phrases.
• 📝 Academic writing necessitates locating and using relevant material to support arguments, not just transcribing text.
• 🚫 Avoiding plagiarism involves more than just attributing authors; it requires rephrasing and not transcribing large chunks of text.
• 🔍 The example provided walks through the process of paraphrasing a piece on visual research methods in social sciences.
• 📖 Paraphrasing involves extracting the essence of a piece and using key words or phrases to construct a new version.
• 💡 Incorporating direct quotes is acceptable in paraphrasing, but should be done sparingly to avoid large-scale transcription.
• 🔬 When encountering unfamiliar terms, it's important to reference sources to ensure understanding and proper paraphrasing.
• 📝 The process of paraphrasing involves reading, identifying key words or phrases, and then using them to build your own work.
• 🕰️ Developing paraphrasing skills takes time and practice, but it is a valuable skill for academic and professional writing.

Q & A

What is the primary focus of the session on paraphrasing?

The session focuses on understanding what paraphrasing means, why it is important for students, how to paraphrase effectively, and providing examples of paraphrasing.

What does paraphrasing involve according to the transcript?

Paraphrasing involves reworking or restating an existing body of work in a way that demonstrates understanding of the topic, and it requires engaging with the material to recognize and refashion the important points while retaining the key ideas.

Why is paraphrasing considered a teaching and learning device?

Paraphrasing is a teaching and learning device because it requires the reader to engage with the content, recognize key words or phrases, and structure a subsequent paraphrased piece, which helps in understanding and utilizing the material.

What is the role of direct quotes in paraphrasing?

Direct quotes can be incorporated into a paraphrased piece, but they should be short and concise. They are useful for avoiding plagiarism and for using specific terms or phrases, but large-scale transcription should be avoided.

What is the significance of identifying key words or phrases when paraphrasing?

Identifying key words or phrases is crucial for structuring and writing the subsequent work. They act as a framework for the paraphrased piece and help in capturing and rephrasing the important points of the original text.

How does the transcript suggest dealing with unfamiliar terms or phrases during paraphrasing?

The transcript advises using reference sources to understand unfamiliar terms or phrases, as they may be crucial for developing an understanding of the paper and identifying key words or phrases.

What is the example provided in the transcript regarding the use of visual research methods in social sciences?

The example is based on the work of Prosser and Loxley, which discusses the use of visual research methods in social sciences. The strategy and technique can be applied to other areas of interest or study, emphasizing the essence of paraphrasing.

What is the strategy for constructing a paraphrased piece as suggested in the transcript?

The strategy involves reading through the original piece, noting the main words or phrases, and then using these to construct a new piece that captures the essence of the original without direct copying.

How does the transcript address the issue of plagiarism in academic writing?

The transcript emphasizes that academic writing requires more than simply presenting large chunks of text from other authors. Paraphrasing helps to avoid plagiarism by demonstrating comprehension and utilizing other people's work in a scholarly manner.

What is the final advice given in the transcript regarding the development of paraphrasing skills?

The final advice is that developing skills takes time and perseverance. The transcript encourages students to practice paraphrasing and to remember that it is a valuable skill for academic writing.