1. PARAPHRASING
By Shawna Shulman

2. WHAT IS PLAGIARISM?
 Plagiarism – copying someone else’s words and/or
ideas without giving credit to the author – is a serious
offence in the academic world and will not be tolerated
either at YUELI or at York University. Instructors will treat
any instance of plagiarism very seriously. This includes
any situation where students have another person
write, in full or in part, an assignment for them, or
copy materials from other students, printed
materials and/or the internet. Where the words or
ideas of others are represented, students must make it
clear that these words or ideas of others – not their own.
This is generally done by way of citation and quotation.
- York University Policy, 2012

3. WHY IS PLAGIARISM BAD?
 how can a teacher grade a student who uses
others’ work?
 no chance for improvement for a plagiarising
student
 person who authored original is not given credit
 unfair to students who did work

4. HOW CAN WE AVOID PLAGIARISM?
 1. use direct quotes
 E.g. According to Shulman (2012), “Plagiarism will
definitely result in serious consequences.”
 2. paraphrase
 E.g. According to Shulman (2012), there will be
significant punishments for anyone who presents
someone else’s work as their own.

5. GUIDELINES FOR PARAPHRASING
1. Change the structure or order of the sentence
and/or paragraph.
Chinese students seem to be under serious
stress because they have so much homework.
Because they have so much homework, Chinese
students seem to be under serious stress.

6. GUIDELINES FOR PARAPHRASING
2. Find appropriate synonyms.
student = pupil, learner serious = severe
homework = assignments seem = appear
Chinese learners appear to be under severe
stress because they have so many assignments.
(note: much  many)

7. GUIDELINES FOR PARAPHRASING
3. Change active voice to passive and vice versa.
(note: this strategy is not always
possible or desirable)
Chinese students seem to be under serious
stress because they have so much homework.
Chinese students seem to be under serious
stress because so much homework is being
given.

8. GUIDELINES FOR PARAPHRASING
4. Change word forms.
Chinese students seem to be under serious
stress because they have so much homework.
Students from China feel seriously stressed
because they have so much homework.

9. GUIDELINES FOR PARAPHRASING
 Now put all the strategies together:
Chinese students seem to be under serious
stress because they have so much homework.
Because so many assignments are being given to
students from China, they appear to be seriously
stressed.
 good paraphrase!

10. A LITTLE MORE COMPLICATED:
Let’s look at this article in the Toronto Star:
China flight crew gets millions in rewards for
foiling hijack attempt
How can we make a good summarising sentence by
paraphrasing the main idea given here?
(remember the source info)