Reading Comprehension SkillsReading Comprehension Skills
Paraphrasing
Paraphrasing means putting Paraphrasing means putting informationinformation into your own words into your own words
You can paraphrase: ◦A single word ◦A phrase or group of words◦A sentence or sentences◦An image ◦A chart◦A table or graph
WhyWhy paraphrase?paraphrase?
When we paraphrase…◦we demonstrate our comprehension
of a written text◦we demonstrate our comprehension
of a spoken text◦we enhance our understanding of a
text by putting it in our own wordsIf you can explain something in your
own words, then you have a good understanding of a topic
Characteristics Characteristics of a Good Paraphraseof a Good Paraphrase
A paraphrase must be correct.✓
A paraphrase must include your own words
A paraphrase must make sense.
Example Paragraph from a Example Paragraph from a Newspaper ArticleNewspaper Article
Notice key wordsNotice key words
Let’s look at our article again, but we will highlight key words and phrases:
The information at the bottom of the page is details
How to paraphrase?How to paraphrase?
Here are some ideas for creating your own words for the headline:
“Vancouver company creates GPS-enabled goggles to deliver instant feedback for skiing and snowboarding”
Synonyms
A synonym is a word that has the same meaning or a very close
meaning to the original word.Examples:
A synonym for Vancouver company is a local company. A synonym for GPS-enabled goggles is goggles with GPS A synonym for instant is immediate.
You do not have to change every word – certain key words cannot be changed
Our paraphrase now reads:
A local company creates goggles with GPS to deliver immediate feedback for skiing and snowboarding
How else do I paraphrase?How else do I paraphrase?
Grammar and Word Form Another idea is to change the grammar or word form:“Skiing and snowboarding has taken on a new high tech twist.”Could become:A new high tech innovation has been developed for skiers and
snowboarders
Note the active to the passive voice and the verb change: has taken on = has been developed
Note the the synonym for twist = innovation Note the word form change for skiing = skiers Note the word form change for snowboarding = snowboarders
Other Types of Documents: Graph Other Types of Documents: Graph ExampleExample
Highlighted InformationHighlighted Information
Paraphrased InformationParaphrased Information
Employment statistics remained fairly constant in September with a slight drop
Decrease in part time work was balanced with an increase in full time jobs
Young people aged 15-24 were especially affected.
Highlighted InformationHighlighted Information
ConclusionConclusion
When we paraphrase, we put parts of a text into our own words
Paraphrasing demonstrates understanding– if you can explain it in your own words, you have a good understanding of an idea or phrase
To paraphrase, use such techniques as synonyms, changing grammar and word forms
SourcesSources
http://www.slideworld.com/slideshows.aspx/The-Fundamentals-of-Summarizing-and-Paraphrasing-ppt-968465
www.quia.com http://www.statcan.gc.ca/subjects-sujets/labour-travail/lfs-epa/lfs-epa-
eng.htm http://communities.canada.com/vancouversun/blogs/techsense/archive/
2010/10/01/gps-enabled-goggles-deliver-instant-feedback-on-your-skiing-and-snowboarding.aspx?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+canada%2FiWCa+%28Digital+Life%29
www.esu.edu/~bsockman/PPT/paraphrasing.ppt
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