When you paraphrase, you express information from a source in your own words while retaining the original meaning. To properly cite a paraphrased sentence, you must include an in-text citation at the end of the paraphrased portion, typically before the final punctuation. This practice is crucial for avoiding plagiarism and giving proper credit to the original author.
Understanding Paraphrasing and Citation
Paraphrasing involves transforming someone else's ideas into your unique voice and sentence structure. Unlike direct quotes, which require quotation marks, paraphrased content demonstrates your comprehension of the source material. However, even though the words are your own, the ideas are not, making citation essential.
Key principles for citing paraphrased material:
- Placement: The in-text citation should appear directly after the paraphrased content. If a single paragraph contains multiple sentences paraphrased from the same source, one citation at the end of the last paraphrased sentence in that paragraph is often sufficient, provided it's clear all information comes from that source.
- Accuracy: Ensure your paraphrase accurately reflects the original meaning without distorting it.
- Originality: Your paraphrase should be substantially different from the original wording. Simply changing a few words is not sufficient.
Common Citation Styles for Paraphrasing
The specific format of your in-text citation will depend on the citation style you are using (e.g., APA, MLA, Chicago). Here's a breakdown of common approaches:
1. APA Style (7th Edition)
In APA style, a paraphrased sentence is cited by including the author's last name and the year of publication in parentheses.
- Format: (Author's Last Name, Year)
- Placement: At the end of the paraphrased sentence or clause, before the period.
Example:
Mother-infant attachment became a leading topic of developmental research following the publication of John Bowlby's studies (Hunt, 1993).
You can also integrate the author's name into your sentence, followed by the year in parentheses:
Example:
According to Hunt (1993), mother-infant attachment emerged as a significant area of developmental research after John Bowlby's influential studies were published.
2. MLA Style (9th Edition)
MLA style typically requires the author's last name and the page number(s) where the information was found. If no page number is available (common for web sources), only the author's last name is needed.
- Format: (Author's Last Name Page Number)
- Placement: At the end of the paraphrased sentence or clause.
Example:
The protagonist's journey can be interpreted as a classic hero's quest (Smith 45).
Example (no page number):
Many scholars argue that the digital age has transformed communication (Jones).
3. Chicago Style (17th Edition)
Chicago style offers two primary systems: Notes-Bibliography and Author-Date.
a. Notes-Bibliography System
This system uses footnotes or endnotes to cite sources, with a comprehensive bibliography at the end of the paper. For paraphrased material, a note number is placed at the end of the sentence.
- Format (First Citation): Footnote/Endnote number. Author's First Name Last Name, Title of Work (Place of Publication: Publisher, Year), Page Number.
- Format (Subsequent Citations): Footnote/Endnote number. Author's Last Name, Shortened Title, Page Number.
Example (In-text):
The rise of digital media has significantly impacted traditional journalism.¹
Example (Footnote/Endnote):
- Jane Doe, The Future of News (New York: University Press, 2020), 78.
b. Author-Date System
Similar to APA, this system uses an in-text citation with the author's last name and year of publication, often with a page number.
- Format: (Author's Last Name Year, Page Number)
- Placement: At the end of the paraphrased sentence or clause.
Example:
Recent studies suggest a strong correlation between exercise and cognitive health (Johnson 2019, 112).
Table of Common Paraphrasing Citation Formats
| Citation Style | In-Text Citation Format (Paraphrasing) | Example |
|---|---|---|
| APA | (Author, Year) | (Miller, 2021) |
| MLA | (Author Page Number) | (Davis 73) |
| Chicago | (Author Year, Page Number) (Author-Date) | (Chen 2018, 99) |
| Chicago | Superscripted number linking to footnote (Notes-Bibliography) | ...information.¹ (Footnote: 1. Author, Title, page.) |
Best Practices for Paraphrasing and Citing
To ensure your academic work is ethical and well-referenced:
- Read and Understand: Before paraphrasing, thoroughly read and comprehend the original text.
- Write in Your Own Words: Put the source away and write the information from memory in your own unique language.
- Check for Similarity: Compare your paraphrase with the original. If there are too many similar phrases or sentence structures, revise it further.
- Always Cite: Even if you write a sentence completely in your own words, if the idea or specific information comes from another source, you must cite it.
- Vary Sentence Structure: Avoid simply rearranging words or substituting synonyms. Focus on rephrasing the entire concept.
- Use Signal Phrases: Introduce paraphrased information with signal phrases (e.g., "According to Smith," "As Johnson explains,") to smoothly integrate the source material into your writing.
Properly citing paraphrased sentences is fundamental to academic integrity, demonstrating both your understanding of the source material and your commitment to ethical scholarship.
