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.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Understanding Paraphrasing in Academic Writing

The first paragraph introduces the concept of paraphrasing and its significance in academic writing. It clarifies that paraphrasing involves more than just changing a few words; it requires a deep engagement with the material to understand and restate key points effectively. The paragraph emphasizes the importance of paraphrasing as a learning tool, helping students to engage with content and structure their arguments. It also highlights the difference between paraphrasing and plagiarism, noting that simply transcribing text is not a valid academic practice. The paragraph provides an example of how to paraphrase, using a piece by Prosser and Loxley on visual research methods, and demonstrates the process of extracting and rephrasing key points without using direct quotes excessively.

05:00

🔍 Developing Paraphrasing Skills and Utilizing References

The second paragraph continues the discussion on paraphrasing by emphasizing the importance of developing this skill over time. It suggests that understanding and utilizing other people's work is crucial for academic success and that paraphrasing helps in demonstrating comprehension and the ability to use source material effectively. The paragraph also addresses the challenge of encountering unfamiliar terms or phrases in academic texts, advising the use of reference sources to ensure a proper understanding. It concludes by encouraging perseverance in skill development, acknowledging the time and effort required to master paraphrasing and reiterating the value of this skill in academic writing.

Keywords

💡Paraphrasing

Paraphrasing is the act of reworking or restating an existing body of work in a way that demonstrates the individual's understanding of the topic. It involves extracting the essence of the original material and refashioning it while retaining the key points. In the video, paraphrasing is highlighted as a crucial academic skill that requires deep engagement with the content.

💡Academic Writing

Academic writing involves presenting relevant and appropriate material in a structured manner that supports the author's arguments or contentions. The video emphasizes that academic writing goes beyond merely transcribing large chunks of text and requires critical engagement with the source material to develop coherent and original arguments.

💡Engagement

Engagement refers to the process of actively interacting with the content to understand and interpret its key points. In the context of paraphrasing, engagement is crucial as it helps students recognize important words or phrases that form the framework of their paraphrased work. The video stresses that true engagement with the material leads to better paraphrasing skills.

💡Salient Developments

Salient developments refer to the significant advancements or key points in a particular field. In the video, the term is used to describe the focus of Prosser and Loxley's work on visual research methods in social sciences. Recognizing salient developments is essential for effective paraphrasing as it helps identify the core elements of the original text.

💡Visual Research Methods

Visual research methods involve using visual tools and techniques to collect and analyze data. The video uses Prosser and Loxley's work on visual research methods as an example to illustrate how to paraphrase. Even if visual research is not the viewer's field, the techniques for paraphrasing can be applied across various disciplines.

💡Direct Quotes

Direct quotes are verbatim excerpts from the original text that are incorporated into a new work. The video explains that while paraphrasing generally involves rephrasing, using short, concise direct quotes can sometimes be beneficial for clarity or emphasis. It advises avoiding large-scale transcription of direct quotes to ensure originality.

💡Keywords and Phrases

Keywords and phrases are the essential terms that capture the main ideas of a text. Identifying these keywords is a critical step in paraphrasing, as they form the 'scaffolding' for constructing a new piece of writing. The video demonstrates how to extract and use these keywords to build a coherent paraphrase.

💡Scaffolding

Scaffolding in the context of writing refers to the use of key terms and phrases as a framework to support the construction of new text. The video describes how recognizing and using keywords and phrases can help structure and guide the paraphrasing process, ensuring that the new text retains the original's core meaning.

💡Skill Development

Skill development is the process of acquiring and refining abilities through practice and learning. The video highlights that developing paraphrasing skills takes time and effort but is essential for academic success. It encourages perseverance in honing these skills, emphasizing their long-term benefits.

💡Comprehension

Comprehension is the ability to understand and interpret the meaning of a text. In the context of paraphrasing, comprehension is crucial as it ensures that the student can accurately restate the original material in their own words. The video emphasizes that true comprehension involves recognizing the relative importance of each part of the text and using that understanding to inform the paraphrasing process.

Highlights

Paraphrasing is defined as reworking or restating an existing body of work to demonstrate understanding.

Good learning skills are developed by understanding the importance of paraphrasing.

Paraphrasing requires engagement with material and recognizing important points to refashion them.

Paraphrasing is not simply changing a few words but involves a deeper understanding of the material.

It's crucial to know the key words or phrases that structure the paraphrased piece.

Academic writing requires using relevant material to support arguments, not just presenting others' text.

Transcribing large chunks of text shows the ability to type, not understanding or paraphrasing.

The example of paraphrasing is based on the work of Prosser and Loxley on visual research methods.

Paraphrasing involves extracting the essence of a piece, not just transcribing chunks of material.

Direct quotes can be incorporated into a paraphrased piece, but large-scale transcription should be avoided.

When reading papers, unfamiliar terms should be checked to understand the key points of the material.

The paraphrased piece should capture and rephrase the important points of the original without direct copying.

Reading through a piece and identifying important words or phrases helps structure subsequent work.

Key words and phrases act as scaffolding to build up your own work after understanding the material.

Skills development takes time, but perseverance in paraphrasing is worth the effort for academic writing.

The module concludes by emphasizing the importance of paraphrasing for comprehension and utilization of others' work.

Transcripts

welcome to a learning and city skill

session the folks on a task that many

students need to find a great degree of

difficulty with paraphrasing the session

begins with examining what exactly do we

mean by paraphrasing secondly you're

much more likely to develop good

learning skills if you do understand the

importance of developing that skill

therefore the second section explores

why a student should paraphrase the

following two sections then provide

worked examples of how an original piece

of work might be paraphrased and finally

the summary section reflects on the

session and draws the various lessons

together first of all we need to clarify

what exactly do we mean by the term

paraphrasing as the definitions indicate

there is a requirement to rework or

restate an existing body of work in a

way that demonstrates your understanding

of the topic it is important to know the

paraphrasing does not mean simply

changing one or two words it requires

you to really engage with the material

and recognize the important points and

refashion them while still retaining the

key points so why paraphrase as one of

the definitions indicators paraphrasing

is a teaching and learning device in

order to paraphrase a passage the reader

needs to engage with the content and

thus be able to recognize the key words

or phrases that will help structure to

subsequent paraphrased piece academic

writing requires the student to locate

relevant and appropriate material and

use it in such a manner that it supports

their arguments or contentions academic

writing requires more than simply

presenting large chunks of what are

people's text while the author's may

well have been correctly attributed and

duster is no plagiarizing simply

transcribing large chunks of text just

shows that you can type the example we

walk through is based on the walk of

processor and Loxley regarding the use

of visual research methods in the social

sciences even if the humanities or

social sciences and not your subject

areas the strategy and technique can be

applied to your own areas of interest or

study as I said previously paraphrasing

is all about extracting the essence of a

piece and not simply transcribing chunks

of the material therefore let us begin

by reading through the piece noting the

main words or phrases that will provide

the framework of

subsequent paraphrase the wards and

phrases that appeared to capture the

peace are does not you provide what you

highlight salient developments and the

subjects of sociology and anthropology

and are modes of image production using

these words and phrases we can now

construct our own paraphrase peace

Prosser and luxury begin by telling us

that our aim was not to provide a

widespread peace thus it is an

introductory piece their aim therefore

was to highlight a number of

developments they then move on to tell

us about the parameters of their

subsequent deliberations by focusing

only on the disciplines of sociology and

anthropology and only on still in moving

modes of production you will note that

two direct quotes are incorporated into

their piece this is not a problem

sometimes you may spend more time and

effort in trying to avoid using a direct

quote or may simply wish to use a

specific term or phrase in either case

the use of short concise quotes is very

useful just remember to try and avoid as

much as possible

large-scale transcription the next

example is based on the second paragraph

of the processor and Loxley paper once

again we will read to the piece

identifying the important words or

phrases that we will subsequently use to

construct our paraphrase piece of work

however it is useful at this point in

time to raise an important issue while

reading through papers you may often be

presented with an unfamiliar term or

phrase it is always advisable to use

some reference source such as I did when

faced with the unfamiliar term camera

obscura do you unfamiliar term may or

may not be crucial in developing our

understanding of the paper but if we

don't check it out we will not be in a

position to decide what are the key

words or phrases so having read through

the paragraph the words or phrases that

I felt captured the essence where has

long played converted the emergence in

the late Renaissance innovations and

perceptions

using these words and phrases the

paraphrased piece that I wrote was DOS

as you can see the piece is not intended

to be a direct copy of the original and

in this instance I didn't use any direct

quotes yet I feel that I have captured

and rephrased the important points

finally and in summary reading through a

piece and identifying the important

words or phrases requires you to really

think about the relative importance of

each sentence if you are not careful you

will think that everything is important

and be back to square one these key

words and phrases are crucial to

structuring and writing your subsequent

work once you have seed you can use them

like scaffolding to help build up your

own work these examples only provide a

small illustration as to how you might

engage with written material in order

that you can demonstrate your ability to

comprehend and utilize other people's

work in a manner that is skullery and

finally remember that the development of

skills takes time but it is worth

persevering thank you and well done for

completing this module