The most direct way to use information from a source is by quoting it. In addition, there are two other ways to use outside information without copying the author's exact words: paraphrase and summary. If you are paraphrasing an author, you are taking an author's text sentence by sentence (point by point) and putting it in your own words. If you are summarizing an author, you are selecting only the parts of the author's text that are relevant to your paper. There are advantages and disadvantages to each.
Quote -- If the author's original words are clear, effective, and appropriate for your paper, and you cannot say them any better, a quote might be the best way to go. The length of the passage must also be considered. It is not out of the question to quote an entire paragraph, but a summary might be more appropriate when citing longer passages.
Paraphrase -- If you have a short portion of text that you want to include in your paper (usually 1 to 3 sentences), and you want to maintain all of the information but use your own words, a paraphrase is appropriate. The simple act of paraphrasing helps you understand the meaning of the original text, and it highlights your ability to comprehend. Paraphrases also help even out quote-heavy papers.
Summary -- If you have information to take from a text, but you only want to select specific parts, a summary is the tool to use. You can summarize a passage of any length, even entire chapters or essays. When summarizing, you can be choosy. You can pick out only the pieces you want, you can interpret the author's points, and you can drastically condense the information into a manageable form. Like a paraphrase, a summary highlights your understanding of a text, and it helps balance quote-heavy papers.
Want to learn more? See powerpoint about when to use quote, paraphrase, or summary?
written by Luke Rolfes, powerpoint presentation by Dr. Michael Hobbes
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