When writing a research paper, you must include evidence from other scientists. However, simply copying and pasting their words, or just changing two or three synonyms, is considered plagiarism, even if you cite the source.
To write a professional paper, you need to paraphrase. This means rewriting the author's idea completely in your own words while keeping the original meaning.
💡The 4-Step Paraphrasing Technique
If you find a great paragraph in a study, don't just rewrite it sentence by sentence. Use this method instead:
💔 Read and Understand: Read the original text until you completely understand its core message.
💔 Step Away: Close the tab or look away from the screen. Do not look at the original text.
💔 Write from Memory: Write down the idea as if you were explaining it to a friend in plain English.
💔 Check and Cite: Compare your version with the original. Make sure you didn't accidentally copy the sentence structure. Then, always add the citation (e.g., Smith, 2024).
💔 Example: From Bad to Good
💔
Original Text:
"The rise of short-form video content has significantly decreased the attention spans of adolescent users globally."
💥 Bad Paraphrasing (Plagiarism):
"The growth of short videos has greatly reduced the attention spans of teenage users around the world."
(Why it’s bad: You just replaced a few words with synonyms, but kept the exact same sentence structure. Software will flag this).
📎 Good Paraphrasing:
"Teenagers worldwide are experiencing difficulties focusing for long periods, a trend that researchers link to the increasing popularity of platforms like TikTok and Reels (Author, Year)."
🔗Why it’s good: The sentence structure is completely new, the vocabulary is different, but the scientific point remains exactly the same
🤩Quick Tips for Better Rewriting:
🌷 Change the grammar structure: If the original sentence uses active voice, switch it to passive, or break one long sentence into two shorter ones.
🌷 Start from a different point: Instead of starting with the cause (short-form videos), start with the effect (teenagers' attention span).
🌷 Use Quotes Sparingly: Only use direct quotes if the original phrasing is incredibly unique or iconic. In 95% of cases, paraphrasing is preferred.
Writing a research paper is about showing that you understand the literature, not just that you can copy it.