difference between paraphrasing and summarizing in counseling

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Encouragers, Paraphrasing and Summarising

A counsellor can encourage a client to continue to talk, open up more freely and explore issues in greater depth by providing accurate responses through encouraging, paraphrasing and summarising. Responding in this way informs the client that the counsellor has accurately heard what they have been saying. Encouragers, paraphrases and summaries are basic to helping a client feel understood.

Encouragers, also known as intentional listening , involve fully attending to the client, thus allowing them to explore their feelings and thoughts more completely. Paraphrasing and summarising are more active ways of communicating to the client that they have been listened to. Summarising is particularly useful to help clients organise their thinking.

The diagram below shows how encouragers, paraphrases and summaries are on different points of a continuum, each building on more of the information provided by the client to accurately assess issues and events.

Encouragers – Encouragers are a variety of verbal and non-verbal ways of prompting clients to continue talking.

Types of encouragers include:

• Non-verbal minimal responses such as a nod of the head or positive facial expressions
• Verbal minimal responses such as “Uh-huh” and “I hear what you’re saying”
• Brief invitations to continue such as “Tell me more”

Encouragers simply encourage the client to keep talking. For a counsellor to have more influence on the direction of client progress they would need to make use of other techniques.

Paraphrases – To paraphrase, the counsellor chooses the most important details of what the client has just said and reflects them back to the client. Paraphrases can be just a few words or one or two brief sentences.

Paraphrasing is not a matter of simply repeating or parroting what the client has stated. Rather it is capturing the essence of what the client is saying, through rephrasing. When the counsellor has captured what the client is saying, often the client will say, “That’s right” or offer some other form of confirmation.

Example: I have just broken up with Jason. The way he was treating me was just too much to bear. Every time I tried to touch on the subject with him he would just clam up. I feel so much better now. Paraphrase: You feel much better after breaking up with Jason.

Summaries – Summaries are brief statements of longer excerpts from the counselling session. In summarising, the counsellor attends to verbal and non-verbal comments from the client over a period of time, and then pulls together key parts of the extended communication, restating them for the client as accurately as possible.

A check-out, phrased at the end of the summary, is an important component of the statement, enabling a check of the accuracy of the counsellor’s response. Summaries are similar to paraphrasing, except they are used less frequently and encompass more information.

• July 21, 2009
• Communication , Counselling Process , Encouraging , Microskills , Paraphrasing
• Counselling Theory & Process

Comments: 23

Yeah,must say i like the simple way these basic counselling skills are explained in this article. More of same would be most welcome as it helps give a better understanding of the counselling process and the methods and techniques used within the counselling arena

I really find this information helpful as a refresher in my studies and work. Please keep up the excellent work of ‘educating’ us on being a better counsellor. Thank you!

Wonderfully helpful posting. Many thanks!

Thankyou so much. I am doing a assignment at uni about scitzophrenia and needed to clarify what paraphrasing truly meant. Cheers

So helpful to me as a counselor.

Thankx so much for these post. I’m doing Counselling and Community Services and I need to clarify what summarising and paraphrasing really meant. Once again thank you, this information it’s really helpful

Hello Antoinette friend and doing guidance and counselling need uo help about this question With relevent examples explain the following concepts as used in communicating to clients. (I;listening to verbal messages and using encouraged minimal prompts. 2)making use of non verbal communication and exhibiting attending behaviours using Gerald Eganis macro skill SOLER/ROLES. 3.paraphrasing 4.identifying and reflecting feelings and emotions from the clients story 5.summarizing 6.confrotation 7.counsellor self disclosure 8.asking open and close open ended concept 9.answering questions 10.clarifying

thanks I am doing a counselling community services at careers Australia

Really love the explanations given to the active listening techniques it was really useful and helpful good work done.

Helpful. Thanks!

I really like hw u explain everything in to simple terms for my understanding.

Hai ,thanks for being here .Am a student social worker,i need help an an able to listen to get the implied massages from the client.and to bring questions to explore with them .I love to do this work .What shall I do.how do i train my self in listening.

really appreciate.

You explanation of these three basic intentional listening are very helpful. Thank you for remained us.

very helpful indeed in making the client more open and exploring the issues more deeply

Very important cues.thanks

the article was helpful .thank you for explaining it in more clear and simple words.appreciate it alot .

I need to write about what counselling words mean ie I understand summarising and paraphrasing any more would be useful as I’m near the end of my course

I have a role play exam tomorrow on counselling and find above explanation very useful. thanks for sharing.

This explanation is clear and precise. Very easy to understanding than the expensive textbook. Please keep posting as this helps a lot. Thanks and God bless.

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One of the simple and memorable descriptions of this I’ve read, thanks so much!

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Reflecting Skills

Ensuring that you understand your clients, and that your clients feel understood by you is foundational to the counseling relationship. The skills on this page are particularly useful for building the counseling relationship by helping your clients to know that you are hearing and understanding what they are saying.

Summarizing, Paraphrasing, & Reflecting

Summarizing, paraphrasing, and reflecting are probably the three most important & most commonly used microskills. These skills can be used by counselors to demonstrate their empathy to clients, make the counseling session go "deeper", & increase clients' awareness of their emotions, cognitions, & behaviors. All three methods involve repeating back, in your own words, what the client has said. Counselors often go beyond simple repetition and include their own interpretations of the client's emotions or existential meaning to increase the "depth" of the session. These techniques can often be used in place of questions, as, like questions, they prompt the client to reflect or talk more. However, these techniques often have additional benefits of questions as they also demonstrate that the counselor empathizes with and understands each client. Summaries, paraphrases, and reflections can be described as:

• Broadest of the three methods for repeating information.
• Useful at the end or beginning of session. For example, summarizing the session to the client or reorienting the client to the previous session.
• Summaries can include condensed paraphrases & reflections.
• Not as broad as a summary, yet more broad than a reflection.
• Useful for pacing counseling sessions and for demonstrating empathy to clients.
• Paraphrases can contain condensed reflections.
• There are three broad types of reflection: Reflections of content, reflections of feeling, & reflections of meaning.
• Counselors can strengthen their reflections by constructing a reflection that integrates content, process, affect, and meaning. For example, "While talking about the loss of your dog (content) I experience you as alternating between anger and sadness (affect). That makes a lot of sense to me (self-disclosure), since you told me that seeing your dog at the end of a stressful day kept you grounded (meaning)".

Types of Reflections

Counselors can reflect a wide range of information, but reflections typically include one or more of the following:

• Reflecting content involves repeating back to clients a version of what they just told you. Reflecting content shows the client you understand and are listening to them. Typically, reflecting content alone is not as powerful as reflecting content with emotions and/or meaning.
• Reflecting a client's emotions is often useful for heightening the client's awareness of and ability to label their own emotions. It is important that counselors have a wide emotional vocabulary, so they can tailor their word choice to match a level of emotional intensity that is congruent with a client's experience. Feeling word charts are useful for reviewing a wide range of feeling words.
• As existential theorists observe, humans are meaning making creatures. Reflecting a client's meaning can increase the client's self-awareness while encouraging emotional depth in the session.

Emotional Heightening

Counselors can intentionally use language to increase or decrease the emotional intensity of their reflections, thereby altering a client's emotional arousal. Using evocative language and metaphors (e.g., "walking on eggshells") encourages clients to go deeper into a particular experience or emotion, which can heighten awareness and understanding. Conversely, a counselor might support a client in containing their emotions toward the end of the session, so the client is prepared to leave the session.

It is important that counselors attempt to match their reflections to the emotional intensity of the client's experience. Thus, intentionality is important when counselors reflect more or less emotion than the client expresses, as doing so can result in the client feeling misunderstood and not listened to.

An example of emotional heightening is:

• Client: "My wife and I can't stop fighting with each other, and things are really escalating."
• Counselor: "Your fights are becoming more explosive and hostile."

Paraphrasing in Counselling

Table of Contents

In essence, paraphrasing is a micro skill that allows counselors to create an authentic bond with their clients  Together with encouraging and summarizing, paraphrasing plays a crucial role in therapeutic communication, making the client feel understood and listened to.  In other words, paraphrasing in counseling is what makes the client say, “ Finally, someone who understands what I’m going through.” Without this essential ingredient, counseling sessions would be nothing more than dull and impersonal exchanges of ideas.

What is the difference between reflecting and paraphrasing in Counseling?

Paraphrasing and reflecting are close synonyms for most people, both playing a crucial role in any form of communication.

Although paraphrasing and reflecting are fundamental counseling communication skills [1], these two processes can have slightly different connotations in a therapeutic context.

In essence, reflecting is like putting a mirror in front of your clients, helping them gain a better sense of the thoughts, emotions, and behaviors they experienced in a situation that has meaning for them.

Of course, this does not mean you have to parrot their message; simply highlight the link between different ideas and emotions and how one influences the other.

When reflecting, it is vital to match the client’s tone and even body language so that he/she knows that you’ve received the message and the feelings that accompany his/her story.

On the other hand, paraphrasing is about capturing the essence of their story with a brief statement that emphasizes the underlying emotional vibe.

This technique is particularly useful when clients know how ideas and emotions can merge to create a subjective experience, but you want them to feel understood and listened to.

In a way, we could argue that paraphrasing is a brief version of reflecting.

Let’s look at a brief example of paraphrasing in counseling:

Client: I had a huge fight with Andrew last night. At some point, he stormed out and didn’t come back ‘til morning. I tried calling him all night, but his phone was switched off. I was worried sick and thought he did something stupid. This whole thing was like a nightmare that I could not wake up from.

Therapist : It seems this unpleasant event has put you through a lot of fear and anxiety.

Now let’s take a look at reflecting:

Therapist : I can only imagine how terrifying it must have felt to see your partner storm out after a huge fight without telling you where he is going or when he’ll be back.

As you can see, both processes require active listening. But while paraphrasing is a short statement that highlights the emotional tone of the situation, a reflective response captures “the vibe” of the story, along with other essential details.

How do you paraphrase?

Start by listening.

Whether the purpose is to paraphrase or reflect, listening is always the first step.

Through active listening, counselors gain a better sense of what their clients have experienced in a particular situation. Active listening means looking beyond the surface and trying to connect with the client on an emotional level.

To achieve this level of emotional depth, counselors listen with both their ears and their hearts. That means putting themselves in their clients’ shoes and zeroing in on the emotional aspect of the experience.

Focus on feelings and thoughts rather than circumstances

When we listen to another person’s story, the most visible aspects are related to the actual events that he or she has gone through.

But details like names, dates, locations, or other circumstantial issues are less relevant than how the person interpreted and consequently felt in a particular situation.

When it comes to paraphrasing, counselors are trained to look beyond circumstances and identify why a client has chosen to talk about a particular event.

In almost every case, the reason is a set of emotional experiences.

Capture the essence of the message

Although people can experience a wide range of emotions in a given situation or context, there’s always an underlying feeling that defines how they react.

That underlying emotional vibe is the “golden nugget” that counselors are looking to capture and express through paraphrasing.

If done right, paraphrasing in counseling creates an emotional bridge that sets the foundation for authentic and meaningful interactions. This will encourage clients to open up and share their struggles.

Offer a brief version of what has been said

The last step is providing a concise version that highlights the emotional tone of the story.

Once this message reaches the client, it creates a sense of understanding that builds trust and authentic connection.

Long story short, paraphrasing is a valuable tool for cultivating empathy and facilitating therapeutic change.

How does paraphrasing help in communication?

Cultivating clarity (on both sides).

Any form of communication, whether it’s a therapeutic process, a negotiation, or a casual chat between friends, involves exchanging ideas.

And when people exchange ideas and opinions, there’s always the risk of confusion and misunderstanding.

By paraphrasing what the other person has shared, not only that you cultivate empathy, but you also let him/her know that the message has been received and understood correctly.

Research indicates that paraphrasing in counseling helps clients clarify their issues. [2] The more clients understand the inner-workings of their problems, the better they can adjust their coping strategies.

In a nutshell, paraphrasing eliminates ambiguity and paves the way for clarity.

Facilitating emotional regulation

One of the main functions of paraphrasing is to build empathy between two or more people engaged in conversation.

But the effects of paraphrasing on emotions extend way beyond empathy and understanding.

One study revealed that empathic paraphrasing facilitates extrinsic emotional regulation. [3] People who receive empathy through paraphrasing feel understood, and that prompts them to engage in a more intense emotional regulation process.

What starts as extrinsic emotional regulation slowly becomes intrinsic emotional regulation. This is the reason why someone who’s going through a rough patch can feel better by merely talking to a person who listens in an empathic manner and doesn’t necessarily hand out solutions or practical advice.

Paraphrasing can be a vital skill in heated arguments where two people have opposing views that result in emotional turmoil.

If one of them manages to exercise restraint over their intense emotional reactions and tries to paraphrase what the other shares, it could change the whole dynamic of the conversation.

What is the role of paraphrasing in listening?

As we discussed throughout this article, paraphrasing is one of the critical aspects of active listening.

It’s what turns a passive individual who listens only to have something to say when it’s his/her turn to speak into an active listener who understands and resonates on an emotional level.

Furthermore, paraphrasing is a means by which we provide valuable feedback on the topic of discussion, keeping the conversation alive.

It is also the tool that allows therapists to build safe spaces where clients feel comfortable enough to unburden their souls by sharing painful experiences and gaining clarity.

To sum up, paraphrasing in counseling is a vital micro skill that creates an authentic connection, providing clients with the opportunity to experience a sense of understanding.

Knowing there is someone who resonates with your emotional struggles makes your problems seem less burdensome.

Reflecting and Paraphrasing

Part of the ‘art of listening’ is making sure that the client knows their story is being listened to.

This is achieved by the helper/counsellor repeating back to the client parts of their story. This known as paraphrasing .

Reflecting is showing the client that you have ‘heard’ not only what is being said, but also what feelings and emotions the client is experiencing when sharing their story with you .

This is sometimes known in counselling ‘speak ‘as the music behind the words .

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It is like holding up a mirror to the client; repeating what they have said shows the client they have your full attention. It also allows the client to make sure you fully understood them; if not, they can correct you.

Reflecting and paraphrasing should not only contain what is being said but what emotion or feeling the client is expressing.

Let’s look at an example:

Client (Mohammed): My ex-wife phoned me yesterday; she told me that our daughter Nafiza (who is only 9) is very ill after a car accident. I am feeling very scared for her. They live in France, so I am going to have to travel to see her, and now I have been made redundant, I don’t know how I can afford to go.

Counsellor: So, Mohammed, you have had some bad news about your little girl, who has been involved in an accident. You are frightened for her and also have worries over money now you have lost your job.

Client: Yes, yes ... that’s right.

Notice that the counsellor does not offer advice or start asking how long Mohammed and his wife have been separated, but reflects the emotion of what is said : ‘frightened' and 'worries'.

Reflecting and paraphrasing are the first skills we learn as helpers, and they remain the most useful.

To build a trusting relationship with a helper, the client needs not only to be ‘listened to' but also to be heard and valued as a person.

"Reflecting and paraphrasing should not only contain what is being said but what emotion or feeling the client is expressing."

Definition of Reflection in Counselling

Reflection in counselling is like holding up a mirror: repeating the client’s words back to them exactly as they said them.

You might reflect back the whole sentence, or you might select a few words – or even one single word – from what the client has brought.

I often refer to reflection as ‘the lost skill’ because when I watch counselling students doing simulated skill sessions, or listen to their recordings from placement (where clients have consented to this), I seldom see reflection being used as a skill. This is a pity, as reflection can be very powerful.

When we use the skill of reflection, we are looking to match the tone, the feeling of the words, and the client’s facial expression or body language as they spoke .

For example, they might have hunched their shoulders as they said, ‘I was so scared; I didn’t know what to do.’

We might reflect that back by hunching our own shoulders, mirroring their body language while also saying ‘I felt so scared; I didn’t know what to do.’

Using Reflection to Clarify Our Understanding

We can also use reflection to clarify our understanding, instead of using a question.

For example, suppose the client says:

‘My husband and my father are fighting. I’m really angry with him.’

For me to be in the client’s frame of reference, I need to know whether ‘him’ refers to the husband or the father. So I might reflect back the word ‘ him ’  with a quizzical look.

The client might then respond:

‘Yeah, my dad. He really gets to me when he is non-accepting.’

So you can get clarification in this way. You can adjust where you are to make sure that the empathic bond is strong and that you are truly within the client’s frame of reference.

"When we use the skill of reflection, we are looking to match the tone, the feeling of the words, and the client’s facial expression or body language as they spoke".

Definition of Paraphrasing in Counselling

Paraphrasing is repeating back your understanding of the material that has been brought by the client, using your own words.

A paraphrase reflects the essence of what has been said .

We all use paraphrasing in our everyday lives. If you look at your studies to become a counsellor or psychotherapist, you paraphrase in class.

Maybe your lecturer brings a body of work, and you listen and make notes: you’re paraphrasing as you distill this down to what you feel is important.

How Paraphrasing Builds Empathy

How does paraphrasing affect the client-counsellor relationship?

First of all, it helps the client to feel both heard and understood. The client brings their material, daring to share that with you.

And you show that you’re listening by giving them a little portion of that back – the part that feels the most important. You paraphrase it down.

And if you do that accurately and correctly, and it matches where the client is, the client is going to recognise that and to feel heard: ‘ Finally, somebody is there really listening, really understanding what it is that I am bringing.’

This keys right into empathy, because it’s about building that empathic relationship with the client. And empathy is not a one-way transaction .

..."Empathy [is] the ability to ‘perceive the internal frame of reference of another with accuracy and with the emotional components and meanings which pertain thereto as if one were the person, but without ever losing the 'as if' conditions." Carl Rogers (1959, pp. 210–211)

In other words, we walk in somebody’s shoes as if their reality is our reality – but of course it’s not our reality, and that’s where the ‘as if’ comes in.

I’ve heard this rather aptly described as ‘walking in the client’s shoes, but keeping our socks on’!

Empathy is a two-way transaction – that is, it’s not enough for us to be 100% in the client’s frame of reference , understanding their true feelings; the client must also perceive that we understand .

When the client feels at some level that they have been understood, then the empathy circle is complete.

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Clinical psychology

Psychotherapy, personality, how to use summarizing in counseling (9+ important benefits).

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Summarising in counseling

Summarising is one of the skills in counseling used by the therapist to accommodate the feelings, emotions, and thoughts of the client in a nutshell. In other words, summarising is used when the therapist wants to condense, crystallize, the main points that the client conveyed through his words and body language. 

If one is to give an accurate definition for summarising, then it would be best to choose the one by Feltham and Dryden. According to Feltham and Dryden, “summarising is accurately and succinctly reflecting back to the client, from time to time, within and across sessions, the substance of what she has expressed. 

The importance of summarising

th e summarising skill used by the therapist in a counseling session helps both the therapist and client to move forward sans confusions and misunderstandings. It reveals the current standing position of the process of therapy and allows the client to explore the varied dimensions of their progress to the given point. 

In counseling, summarising aids in the following ways:

How to summarize

Summarising vs paraphrasing, the end of a session.

Summarising is the key process for winding up the session. It brings the session to a clear close, without any misconceptions. It is an opportunity provided to the client for clearing any confusion and to make sense of the happenings of the session. It also provides the counselor with an assurance for their efforts taken and to continue with the subsequent sessions.

Summarising should begin around five to ten minutes before the session comes to a close. The therapist should hint to the client that the allotted time is nearing a close and start with the process of summarising, once the client is ready to begin. Make sure to include the most relevant thoughts, emotions, and opinions expressed by the client and how they perceive them, int the summary. 

The beginning of a session

The counselor can also jot down, in a notepad the points brought up by the client at the end of the summary, which can be used for the next session as well. 

FAQs: summarising in counseling

Why is summarising an important skill.

Summarising is an important skill in the field of academic writing. It allows you to grasp the most relevant points from a source of the text and rewrite them, using your own words. It lets you create a brief version of the original content and for quick reference. A good summary also indicates your ability to evaluate your understanding of the source and to turn it around the way you want it. 

What are the five counseling skills?

What are some counseling techniques.

Interpersonal counseling: interpersonal counseling is mostly diagnosis based and the disorder of the client is considered as a medical condition that requires appropriate intervention. The focus of this technique is on the attachment of the mental health outcomes to the well-being of the client. It is a time-limited counseling approach that helps the clients to identify the environmental stressors that are causing their issues. 

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Paraphrasing

What is Paraphrasing?

Paraphrasing is repeating back your understanding of the material that has been brought by the client in your own words. A paraphrase reflects the essence of what has been said.

We all use paraphrasing in our everyday lives. If you look at your studies to become a counsellor or psychotherapist, you paraphrase in class. Maybe your lecturer brings a body of work, and you list and make notes: you’re paraphrasing as you distil this down to what you feel is important.

The Power of Paraphrasing:

• The speaker feels heard.
• Helps the listener to adjust frame of reference.
• Highlights areas of high importance.
• Acts as an invite to explore deeper.
• Can indicate an end to the current discussion.

How Paraphrasing Builds Empathy

How does paraphrasing affect the client-counsellor relationship? First of all, it helps the client to feel both heard and understood. The client brings their material, daring to share that with you, and you show that you’re listening by giving them a little portion of that back – the part that feels the most important. You paraphrase it down. If you do that accurately and correctly, and it matches where the client is, the client is going to recognise that and feel heard: ‘Finally, somebody is really listening, really understanding what it is that I am bringing.’

This keys right into empathy, because it’s about building that empathic relationship with the client – and empathy is not a one-way transaction. Carl Rogers (1959, pp. 210-211) defines ‘empathy’ as the ability to ‘perceive the internal frame of reference of another with accuracy and with the emotional components and meanings which pertain thereto as if one were the person, but without ever losing the “as if” conditions’. In other words, we walk in somebody’s shoes as if their reality is our own – but of course it’s not our reality, and that’s where the ‘as if’ comes in. I’ve heard this rather aptly described as ‘walking in the client’s shoes, but keeping our socks on’!

Empathy is a two-way transaction – it’s not enough for us to be 100% in the client’s frame of reference and understanding their true feelings; the client must also perceive that we understand. When the client feels at some level that they have been understood, then the empathy circle is complete.

For example, if you watch a TV programme in which somebody achieves something that is really spectacular, you may find yourself moved for this person. You’re almost there with them on this journey, and as they’re receiving their award or their adulation, and the audience is clapping for what they’ve done, you may even be moved to tears. But the person on the TV cannot perceive your reaction – the empathy is empty, because it’s one-way.

So empathy is effective only if your client feels heard and understood – i.e. they sense that empathic connection. Using paraphrasing is a way of completing the empathy circle – a way of letting them know that we see and hear them.

Other Benefits of Paraphrasing

Paraphrasing also highlights issues by stating them more concisely. This is focusing down: it invites the client to go and delve deeper into part of what they have said. We can also use paraphrasing to check out the accuracy of our perception as a counsellor.

Below is an example of my use of paraphrasing to clarify my understanding of what was brought. This shows how paraphrasing affects the therapeutic relationship; because the paraphrase fits well for the client, she feels heard and understood. As this happens, the material deepens.

I really have a battle with doing things for the impression that others will have of me, or the approval that I will get from other people for what it is that I do. So much so that I will very often override myself, my family, so that I can gain the acceptance, I guess, of other people, whether friends, family or clients in a work situation. I will always favour what the action would be that would gain that acceptance, that would not bring up any sort of confrontation or maybe have a conflict situation arise from it.

So, I guess, I’m eager to please, wanting to make sure that all things are well and smooth – and that I’m liked and accepted with whatever the transaction or situation may be.

Counsellor:

As you’re saying that, it really feels like a lot of hard work. A lot of hard work, pre-empting whatever it is that they would have expected of you, and then ‘sacrificing’, I guess, is a word that came up for me – sacrificing your own wants/needs to be able to meet what you perceive is expected of you. Have I understood that correctly?

Yeah, the word ‘sacrifice’ really captures the feeling that comes up for me when I sort of reflect and look over that kind of situation. So often, I will sacrifice my own wants and my own desires…

In this example, the client really resonated with the word ‘sacrifice’, which the counsellor introduced as a paraphrase; she really felt understood. And it’s interesting to note that throughout the rest of this stimulated session, the word ‘sacrifice’ became almost a theme.

Another paraphrase in this example was ‘hard work’. Although the client hadn’t used this phrase herself, she was presenting visually as weighed down. Her shoulders looked heavy as she was bringing the material. So the counsellor was paraphrasing, not only the words of the narrative, but digging deeper, looking for the feelings and paraphrasing the whole presence of that client within that relationship.

Listening for ‘the Music behind the Words’

Here is another example of paraphrasing, from the same skills session. Try to see if you can hear, as Rogers would put it, ‘the music behind the words’, where the counsellor looks deeper than just the words the client is bringing, paraphrasing back their whole being.

Out of my own will or my own free choice, I would put that aside and favour what would be accepted – or what I think someone else would rather I do. And sometimes it’s hard. It leaves me with a situation of not knowing if they actually really realise what it is that I sacrificed, that I’ve given up, so that it can fall into what I think they would prefer in that situation.

It feels confusing to you in that situation of whether they even perceive what it is that you are sacrificing, what you’re giving up. That it almost feels like you’re giving up part of yourself to match what you think they may want or need from you. And I kind of got the feeling, as you were saying that you wonder if they even see that.

Yeah. As I was sort of verbalizing and talking through that, I actually realised that even within that sacrifice, it’s all my perception of what I think they might want me to do. And just saying that is actually a bit ridiculous. Because how am I to know what it is that they want or need to do? So here I am – disregarding my own desires, for lack of a better word – to do something I assume someone else would want me to do instead.

I thought it was really interesting that this client started off in what felt to me like an external locus of evaluation. She was confused, and wondering whether the people she refers to understood what she was giving up to meet their perceived expectations. Immediately after the counsellor’s paraphrase, this client experienced a moment of movement from an external to an internal locus of evaluation, where she realised it was all about her own perceptions and responsibility. In this way, she went from being powerless to having the power to change this situation.

Next Steps in Paraphrasing

Paraphrasing is so much more than just repeating the client’s words back to them using your own words. Although it might feel very simplistic – and there’s often a tendency to paraphrase the narrative/story that the client brings, rather than their feelings/process – there’s so much more to it than that and so much deeper that we can go. There’s real power in paraphrasing.

I suggest that you:

• Practice active listening and paraphrasing in your day-to-day life.
• Practice paraphrasing in your own stimulated skills sessions.
• Try to look for the full person when paraphrasing, e.g. not just the client’s words, but also their body language, facial expressions, and way of being within the counselling relationship.
• Record these sessions (with your peer’s consent) and listen back to them.
• Speak to your peers about paraphrasing.
• Evaluate each other’s skills and explore how you might paraphrase more effectively.
• Look whether you’re getting empathic connection within your paraphrasing.
• Search out moments of movement when you paraphrase.
• Ask how paraphrasing affects both the client and you, as a counsellor.

Paraphrasing is definitely something that should be debated. I hope that this chapter will encourage you to go out there with a new passion for – and a new way of looking at – paraphrasing!

Alternatives to Questions

What else can we use when we’re not sure what exactly a client means? For example, if a client was speaking about his brother and father, he might say: ‘I really struggle with my brother and my father. They don’t get on, and at times he makes me so angry.’ Who does the client mean by ‘he’: the brother or the father? Not knowing who makes him angry means I cannot be fully within the client’s frame of reference.

I could ask: ‘Sorry, just so I can understand, who it is that you’re angry at – your father or your brother?’ This risks ripping the client out of that emotion (the anger). Instead, we could use reflection: ‘He makes you so angry.’ This invites the client to expand on what he has said. He might say: ‘Yes, ever since I was a young boy, my dad was always…’ In this case, I didn’t need to ask a question – we’re still in the feelings, and I’ve got what I needed in order to be fully in the client’s frame of reference.

Of course, the client might not reveal the information I need in his answer – for example, if he responded to my reflection: ‘He does. He makes me really angry – in fact, so angry that I don’t know what to do about it anymore.’ In that case, I would still need to put in a question: ‘Is this your dad or your brother that you’re referring to?’

Rogers, C, 1959. ‘A Theory of Therapy, Personallity, and Interpersonal Relations, as Developed in the Client-Centered Framework’, in S Koch (ed.),  Psychology: A Study of a Science  (Vol.3), New York: McGraw-Hill, 184-256.

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Paraphrasing vs. Summarizing (Differences, Examples, How To)

It can be confusing to know when to paraphrase and when to summarize. Many people use the terms interchangeably even though the two have different meanings and uses.

Today, let’s understand the basic differences between paraphrasing vs. summarizing and when to use which . We’ll also look at types and examples of paraphrasing and summarizing, as well as how to do both effectively.

Let’s look at paraphrasing first.

What is paraphrasing?

It refers to rewriting someone else’s ideas in your own words. 

It’s important to rewrite the whole idea in your words rather than just replacing a few words with their synonyms. That way, you present an idea in a way that your audience will understand easily and also avoid plagiarism. 

It’s also important to cite your sources when paraphrasing so that the original author of the work gets due credit.

When should you paraphrase?

The main purpose of paraphrasing is often to clarify an existing passage. You should use paraphrasing when you want to show that you understand the concept, like while writing an essay about a specific topic. 

You may also use it when you’re quoting someone but can’t remember their exact words. 

Finally, paraphrasing is a very effective way to rewrite outdated content in a way that’s relevant to your current audience.

How to paraphrase effectively

Follow these steps to paraphrase any piece of text effectively:

• Read the full text and ensure that you understand it completely. It helps to look up words you don’t fully understand in an online or offline dictionary.
• Once you understand the text, rewrite it in your own words. Remember to rewrite it instead of just substituting words with their synonyms.
• Edit the text to ensure it’s easy to understand for your audience.
• Mix in your own insights while rewriting the text to make it more relevant.
• Run the text through a plagiarism checker to ensure that it does not have any of the original content.

Example of paraphrasing

Here’s an example of paraphrasing:

• Original:  The national park is full of trees, water bodies, and various species of flora and fauna.
• Paraphrased:  Many animal species thrive in the verdant national park that is served by lakes and rivers flowing through it.

What is summarizing?

Summarizing is also based on someone else’s text but rather than presenting their ideas in your words, you only sum up their main ideas in a smaller piece of text.

It’s important to not use their exact words or phrases when summarizing to avoid plagiarism. It’s best to make your own notes while reading through the text and writing a summary based on your notes.

You must only summarize the most important ideas from a piece of text as summaries are essentially very short compared to the original work. And just like paraphrasing, you should cite the original text as a reference.

When should you summarize?

The main purpose of summarizing is to reduce a passage or other text to fewer words while ensuring that everything important is covered.

Summaries are useful when you want to cut to the chase and lay down the most important points from a piece of text or convey the entire message in fewer words. You should summarize when you have to write a short essay about a larger piece of text, such as writing a book review.

You can also summarize when you want to provide background information about something without taking up too much space.

How to summarize effectively

Follow these steps to summarize any prose effectively:

• Read the text to fully understand it. It helps to read it a few times instead of just going through it once.
• Pay attention to the larger theme of the text rather than trying to rewrite it sentence for sentence.
• Understand how all the main ideas are linked and piece them together to form an overview.
• Remove all the information that’s not crucial to the main ideas or theme. Remember, summaries must only include the most essential points and information.
• Edit your overview to ensure that the information is organized logically and follows the correct chronology where applicable.
• Review and edit the summary again to make it clearer, ensure that it’s accurate, and make it even more concise where you can.
• Ensure that you cite the original text.

Example of summarization

You can summarize any text into a shorter version. For example, this entire article can be summarized in just a few sentences as follows:

• Summary:  The article discusses paraphrasing vs. summarizing by explaining the two concepts. It specifies when you should use paraphrasing and when you should summarize a piece of text and describes the process of each. It ends with examples of both paraphrasing and summarizing to provide a better understanding to the reader.

Paraphrasing vs. summarizing has been a long-standing point of confusion for writers of all levels, whether you’re writing a college essay or reviewing a research paper or book. The above tips and examples can help you identify when to use paraphrasing or summarizing and how to go about them effectively.

Inside this article

Fact checked: Content is rigorously reviewed by a team of qualified and experienced fact checkers. Fact checkers review articles for factual accuracy, relevance, and timeliness. Learn more.

About the author

Dalia Y.: Dalia is an English Major and linguistics expert with an additional degree in Psychology. Dalia has featured articles on Forbes, Inc, Fast Company, Grammarly, and many more. She covers English, ESL, and all things grammar on GrammarBrain.

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Why Are Rephrasing And Summarizing Crucial In Counseling

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Why are rephrasing and summarizing crucial in counseling?

By giving accurate responses through encouraging, paraphrasing, and summarizing, a counsellor can encourage a client to keep talking, open up more freely, and explore issues in more detail. Informing the client that the counsellor has correctly understood what they have been saying by responding in this manner. Clarifying emotions for the counselor and the client is the goal of summarizing in counseling.Counseling is a type of talk therapy. It is a process where a person, a couple, or a family meets with a qualified professional counselor to discuss problems and issues in their lives. Professional counseling is discreet and nonjudgmental.

In counseling, what benefit does summarizing have?

When summarizing, the therapist reflects back the main ideas discussed during the session to give the client a chance to review and correct the therapist if any details seem off. In order to help both the client and the counselor better understand their feelings, summaries are helpful. Summarizing entails expressing an idea succinctly, whereas paraphrasing entails expressing an idea in full using the majority of the data from the original source while maintaining the original meaning.The first and most important step in summarizing is to recognize the key points in the text that are being presented.Both your reading and writing skills will benefit from summarizing. To paraphrase, you must carefully read a passage, identifying the main ideas and ancillary ideas. Then, in a few sentences or a paragraph, you must sum up those ideas. Understanding the distinction between a summary and a paraphrase is crucial.A summary gives the reader all of the pertinent facts, concepts, or arguments from the original source. While written in your own words, a summary still only serves to explain the ideas of another author. It does not serve as a judgment, commentary, or analysis.Therefore, summaries serve three main purposes: (1) they make an article’s content clear so that readers can decide whether or not they want to read it; (2) they help readers organize their thoughts about what will come next; and (3) they help readers remember key details from the article.

What does summarizing mean at the end of counseling?

Each session should conclude with a summary to help the counselor create a better progress note and facilitate the development of counseling interventions. Additionally, it demonstrates to the client that you two are on the same page in terms of the tasks the client is completing and the objectives the client is achieving. By combining two or more of the client’s thoughts, feelings, or behaviors into a single general theme, the counselor creates a summary. When a counselor wants to make connections between two or more topics during choice points of a counseling interview, they typically use summarization as a skill.Key Qualities of a Summary A lead, which includes the title, author, and text type, appears at the start of a summary. In the same way that the text itself develops, summaries are written in chronological order. There are no opinions or conclusions in summaries.Students learn how to identify the most crucial ideas in a text, how to filter out unimportant information, and how to coherently combine the key ideas through summarizing. It helps students remember what they read when they are taught how to summarize. Nearly all content areas allow for the use of summarization techniques.The objective of a summary—of a piece of writing, a chapter, or a whole book—is to restate the key points of the original piece in as few words and in the most concise manner possible.An accurate, understandable, and condensed summary is preferred. Represents the original text truthfully – A summary must always do this. Clear – A summary should be simple to understand for the reader. This entails condensing long or complex texts into writing that is brief and (relatively) easy to understand.

What is the counseling process’s synopsis?

The five fundamental phases of counseling are: 1) Establishing the client-clinician relationship; 2) Clarifying and assessing the situation or problem; 3) Determining and setting counseling or treatment goals; 4) Creating and putting into practice interventions; and 5) Planning, concluding, and following up. Counseling skills are both hard (technical) and soft (interpersonal) abilities that a counselor uses to help their clients work through their personal problems and get past obstacles that are currently keeping them from living a full and happy life.

What are the key components of summarizing?

Compelling summaries are those that are thorough, succinct, coherent, and independent. These characteristics are described below: A summary must be thorough: You should identify all of the crucial ideas from the original passage and list them. The three elements that all summarization techniques have in common are the selection of key concepts, the elimination of irrelevant details, and the replacement of lengthy passages in the original work with a single, well-written sentence. Summarization is the retention, erasure, and replacement of information.Instead of outlining the text by condensing an idea, it is more helpful for the students to group the text’s main points together. Summarizing is an important tactic that helps readers remember text quickly.When: When you want to provide background information or an overview of a subject. You want to discuss information about a subject that you’ve learned from various sources. You want to ascertain a single source’s key points.The two types of summarization are extractive and abstractive. In order to create a summary, extractive summarization chooses a subset of the text’s sentences; abstractive summarization rearranges the language in the text and, if necessary, adds new words or phrases.Finding the main ideas and important details in each paragraph is made easier by summarizing. This is similar to panning for gold. Understanding the main ideas and important details is the key to effective learning.

What portion of summarizing *is most crucial?

Make sure to use your original language and sentence structure while condensing your sentences. Keep the original text’s logical order in mind. Make sure your own point of view is strictly objective (reporting only the text’s content). A summary should not include opinions. A summary should present a concise representation of main points, ideas, concepts, facts, or text in your own words. Summarizing calls for critical reading, thinking, and writing abilities that are essential for success in any course level.A longer passage, ranging from a few sentences to several paragraphs or even more, is summarized by restating the key points in your own words. Compared to the original source, your summary will contain a lot fewer words.Write down the text’s main points and then restate them in your own words and writing style as a summary. A third of the original length or less should be taken up by the summary.The original source of a paraphrase must also be mentioned. The material that has been paraphrased is typically shorter than the original passage because it has been condensed. In order to summarize, you must rephrase the main idea(s) and only mention the main idea(s).A summary should explain the main points of the text to readers who have not read the full piece or watched the presentation. It gives a brief explanation of the main idea or purpose of the essay and summarizes the arguments that support it.

What is the significance of summarizing?

Students learn how to identify the most crucial ideas in a text, how to filter out unimportant information, and how to coherently combine the main ideas through summarizing. Students’ reading retention is improved when they are taught how to summarize. In almost every subject area, summarization techniques are applicable. When you need to offer a quick summary of a longer text, choose to summarize rather than paraphrase. With summaries, you can cut out irrelevant or unimportant details, highlight key points, and make the author’s argument more clear.Summarizing aids in understanding and significantly increases the retention of information in long-term memory in students. One metacognitive strategy that increases remembering and understanding is summarizing. It promotes effective use of mental abilities.Outlines, abstracts, and synopses are the three main categories of informative summaries. Outlines show the structure or skeleton of a piece of writing. Using an outline, you can see how the various parts of the text relate to one another. A chapter’s synopsis is provided here.Summarizing functions similarly to outlining a play’s plot. For instance, if asked to sum up Shakespeare’s Hamlet, you might say: It is the tale of a young prince of Denmark who learns that his mother and uncle have murdered his father, the former king.Outlines, abstracts, and synopses comprise the three primary categories of informative summaries. Outlines display the structure or skeleton of a piece of writing. Outlines display the relationship and order of the various parts of the text. An outline for a chapter on summarization.

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Paraphrasing & Reflecting Feelings, self-disclosing.

Posted on May 31, 2022 June 7, 2022 Author Dr. Balaji Niwlikar Leave a comment

Paraphrasing & Reflecting Feelings-

A paraphrasing restates another’s idea (or your own previously published idea) in your own words . Paraphrasing allows you to summarize and synthesize information from one or more sources, focus on significant information, and compare and contrast relevant details.

Reflecting feelings is a statement made by a therapist or counselor that is intended to highlight the feelings or attitudes implicitly expressed in a client’s communication and to draw them out so that they can be clarified . Also called reflection response.

• Reflecting is like mirror.
• Giving back what just communicated.
• So the next person will understand you understand.

It is also used to make a client feel understood, encourage them to express themselves and open up more, and help them be aware of their own emotions and feelings.

Importance of reflecting.

• It helps in building relationships – in communicating trust, acceptance and understanding.
• Its gives clarification of problems & feelings.
• By reflecting you get the Information- about the person and the situation.
• Verification- check the perception
• It heightens the client’s awareness of and ability to label their own emotions.

Four different reflecting skills.

Reflecting feelings- .

• Focus on feeling not details – the act of identifying and acknowledging someone’s feeling and repeating it back to them.
• This reflection of feelings include both verbal and non verbal.
• Read body language even if feeling not expressed verbally.

Paraphrasing /Restating / reframing-

• Saying what you understand – restates another’s idea in your own words.
• So client will know you understand , if you don’t you are willing to be corrected
• Use your own words
• Slightly different word with same meaning 
• Rephrase both content and feelings 
• Convey empathy, acceptance and genuineness.

Affirmations (self talk)

• Positive statements about who we are and what our potential is.
• These help us feel good about ourselves, and focus on what we want.
• When children (or teens or adults) hear words of encouragement, they learn to respect themselves.

Summaring  or summarizing

• At the end of a session, After listening to the statements of the client , the counsellor summarizes the content presented by the client. 
• Through summarizing, the counsellor tries to find out if s/he has properly understood the frame of reference of the client 
• Helps the client to place his/her problem in perspective.
• It refers to the counsellor disclosing feelings about the client or the therapeutic interaction at that moment as it happens.
• In other words, using immediacy means that the therapist reveals how they themselves are feeling in response to the client. 
• For example, after listening to a student who suffered sexual abuse, the counsellor may share his/her feeling towards the student:

Counsellor: “ I appreciate you trusted me with one of the most traumatic experiences of your life. And I respect your courage for confronting the problem ”

Self-disclosure.

• This refers to the counsellor stating feelings about a similar situation as the client is presently in.
• For example, the counsellor disclosing to a student seeking help for dealing with public speaking phobia:
• Counsellor: “When I had to speak before the class, I used to stammer”
• The skills of self-disclosure as well as immediacy are closely associated.
• Self-disclosure promotes immediacy in your relationship with the client. 
• Self-disclosure intervention should be used in appropriate context and time only.
• According to Kottler and Kottler (2007),  “Self-disclosures are best employed when you wish 

(a) demonstrate that the student is not alone, 

(b) bridge perceived distance between you, and 

Features  of self-disclosures should have the following. 

• It should be concise .
• It must be devoid of self-indulgence .
• Usage should be conservative.

Plan for problem solving:

• Once the counselor has determined that all relevant information regarding the client’s concern is available and understood,
• Once the client has accepted the need for doing something about a specific problem, 
• The time is ripe for developing a plan to solve or remediate the concern of the client. 
• Here, however effective goal setting becomes the vital part of the counseling activity. 
• Correspondingly mistakes in goal setting can lead to nonproductive counseling procedures and clients loss of confidence in the counseling process. 
• Additionally, in this stage there are some sequential steps in viewing the processes involved. 

1) Define the problem 

2) Identify and list all possible solutions 

3) Explore the consequences of the suggested solutions. 

4) Prioritize the solutions on the basis of priority needs. 

• In the further development of this plan, the counselor recognizes that the client will frequently not arrive at basic insights, implications, or probabilities as fast as the counselor will. 
• However, most counselors will agree that it is better to guide the client toward realizing these understandings by himself or herself, rather than just telling the client outright. 
• To facilitate the clients understanding, the counselor may use techniques of repetition, mild confrontation, interpretation, information and obviously encouragement.

To check your knowledge about the topic, take the test given below,

MCQ test- Paraphrasing and reflecting feelings

Gladding, S. T. (2018). Counselling: A Comprehensive profession (9 th  Edn). Pearson

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Paraphrasing & Summarizing

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To help the flow of your writing, it is beneficial to not always quote but instead put the information in your own words. You can paraphrase or summarize the author’s words to better match your tone and desired length. Even if you write the ideas in your own words, it is important to cite them with in-text citations or footnotes (depending on your discipline’s citation style ). 

Definitions

• Paraphrasing allows you to use your own words to restate an author's ideas.
• Summarizing allows you to create a succinct, concise statement of an author’s main points without copying and pasting a lot of text from the original source.

What’s the difference: Paraphrasing v. Summarizing

Explore the rest of the page to see how the same material could be quoted, paraphrased, or summarized. Depending on the length, tone, and argument of your work, you might choose one over the other. 

• Bad Paraphrase
• Good Paraphrase
• Reread: Reread the original passage until you understand its full meaning.
• Write on your own: Set the original aside, and write your paraphrase on a note card.
• Connect: Jot down a few words below your paraphrase to remind you later how you envision using this material.
• Check: Check your rendition with the original to make sure that your version accurately expresses all the essential information in a new form.
• Quote: Use quotation marks to identify any unique term or phraseology you have borrowed exactly from the source.
• Cite: Record the source (including the page) on your note card or notes document so that you can credit it easily if you decide to incorporate the material into your paper.

Explore the tabs to see the difference between an acceptable and unacceptable paraphrase based on the original text in each example.

Original Text

“Business communication is increasingly taking place internationally – in all countries, among all peoples, and across all cultures. An awareness of other cultures – of their languages, customs, experiences and perceptions – as well as an awareness of the way in which other people conduct their business, are now essential ingredients of business communication” (Chase, O’Rourke & Wallace, 2003, p.59). 

More and more business communication is taking place internationally—across all countries, peoples, and cultures.  Awareness of other cultures and the way in which people do business are essential parts of business communication (Chase, O’Rourke & Wallace, 2003, p.59)

Compare the Original and Paraphrase

Too much of the original is quoted directly, with only a few words changed or omitted. The highlighted words are too similar to the original quote: 

More and more business communication is taking place internationally —across all countries, peoples, and cultures .  Awareness of other cultures and the way in which people do business are essential parts of business communication (Chase, O’Rourke & Wallace, 2003, p.59)

Original Text 

“Business communication is increasingly taking place internationally – in all countries, among all peoples, and across all cultures. An awareness of other cultures – of their languages, customs, experiences and perceptions – as well as an awareness of the way in which other people conduct their business, are now essential ingredients of business communication” (Chase, O’Rourke & Wallace, 2003, p.59).

The importance of understanding the traditions, language, perceptions, and the manner in which people of other cultures conduct their business should not be underestimated, and it is a crucial component of business communication (Chase, O’Rourke & Wallace, 2003, p. 59).

The original’s ideas are summarized and expressed in the writer’s own words with minimal overlap with the original text's language:

The importance of understanding the traditions, language, perceptions, and the manner in which people of other cultures conduct their business should not be underestimated, and it is a crucial component of business communication (Chase, O’Rourke & Wallace, 2003, p. 59).

• Bad Summary
• Good Summary
• Find the main idea: Ask yourself, “What is the main idea that the author is communicating?”
• Avoid copying: Set the original aside, and write one or two sentences with the main point of the original on a note card or in a notes document.
• Connect: Jot down a few words below your summary to remind you later how you envision using this material.

Business communication is worldwide, and it is essential to build awareness of other cultures and the way in which other people conduct their business. (Chase, O’Rourke & Wallace, 2003, p.59). 

Compare the Original and Summary

Too much of the original is quoted directly, with only a few words changed or omitted. The highlighted words are too similar to the original text:

Business communication is worldwide, and it is essential to build awareness of other cultures and the way in which other people conduct their business . (Chase, O’Rourke & Wallace, 2003, p.59). 

In a world that is increasingly connected, effective business communication requires us to learn about other cultures, languages, and business norms (Chase, O’Rourke & Wallace, 2003, p.59). 

The original’s ideas are summarized and expressed in the writer’s own words with minimal overlap:

In a world that is increasingly connected, effective business communication requires us to learn about other cultures , languages , and business norms (Chase, O’Rourke & Wallace, 2003, p.59). 

No matter what the source or style, you need to cite it both in-text and at the end of the paper with a full citation! Write down or record all the needed pieces of information when researching to ensure you avoid plagiarism. 

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Microskills: paraphrasing vs. summarizing in counseling practice.

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CounselingExam How often have you found yourself caught between paraphrasing and summarizing, unsure of the fine line that differentiates them? Don't fret! Stacy Frost and Dr. Linton Hutchinson are here to sweep away confusion and shed light on these two essential counseling skills in a way you've never encountered before. As hosts of Licensure Exams, they masterfully unpack the intricacies of paraphrasing and summarizing, demonstrating how paraphrasing involves capturing the crux of a client's specific message, while summarizing is about compacting the main points, problems, or themes over a session, or multiple sessions. As Stacy and Linton weave their unique perspectives into this enlightening conversation, you'll learn how effective paraphrasing can demonstrate understanding of a client's sentiment, and summarizing can aptly encapsulate an entire session into key points. Get ready to challenge yourself in an interactive session where they play a game of identifying whether a statement is a paraphrase or a summary. Plus, there's a contest for the listeners, with the first to correctly respond to a Facebook post winning a personal Zoom call with them. By the time you're done with this episode, you'll not only understand paraphrasing and summarizing like never before, but also be fully prepped to employ these skills in your practice. Ready to take your counseling skills up a notch? Tune in now!

If you need to study for your national licensing exam, try the free samplers at: LicensureExams This podcast is not associated with the NBCC, AMFTRB, ASW, ANCC, NASP, NAADAC, CCMC, NCPG, CRCC, or any state or governmental agency responsible for licensure.

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Hey, there you incredible therapists. Welcome to our podcast here at Licensure Exams. I'm Stacey Frost and I'm with my co-host, the man, the Mystery, the Legend.

Dr Linton Hutchinson hey.

Hi from hot and sunny Florida. Today we're talking about the differences between paraphrasing and summarizing two very important counseling skills that you will probably need for the exam. You'll be tested on a variety of skills and these two are often confused because they share some similarities.

Exactly and there are also some subtle differences. But before we get into that, let's start by defining each. So paraphrasing is the restatement of a specific message or an idea that has been expressed by the client, and the goal is to capture the essence of the client's statement, using different words but retaining the original meaning.

Right and summarization is a condensed version of a larger piece of information that they've given you, so it may span the entire session or even multiple sessions, and it's used by you to capture the main points, issues or themes discussed over a period of time.

Right. So paraphrasing and summarizing are similar in that they both involve repeating or restating a client's thoughts and feelings, but they're different in that paraphrasing is about restating a specific message or idea expressed by the client, while summarizing involves condensing several ideas that have been expressed by the client.

Yeah, that's right, Stacey. Well, I guess it's time to provide everyone with a couple of good examples.

Let's say, a client tells you I feel like I'm stuck in a dead-end job and it's really taking a toll on my mental health.

Okay, so paraphrasing this could sound something like you're trapped and your current career is affecting your well-being.

Yeah, good one. So with that statement, you've taken the client's sentiment and rephrased it, demonstrating your understanding of what they're trying to communicate to you. Now let's contrast this with a summarization.

At the end of the session, you might say something like you've discussed your feelings of stagnation in your job and how this is negatively impacting your mental health. With that, you've condensed the conversation from the entire session by focusing on the main points of discussion where number one the client's feeling of stagnation in their job and two, how it's impacting their mental health. Your summarization tells the client that you understand what's been discussed with them in the session.

Yep. Thank you very much, Linton, for summarizing that so clearly.

Right. Well, here's another example.

During the beginning of the session, your client says I'm feeling really overwhelmed by all the expectations that I have for myself these days. I just don't feel like I can keep up.

Well, you could respond by saying it sounds like you're feeling a lot of pressure from your own expectations and that it's really difficult for you to deal with the stress. What does that sound like to you, stacy? Is it a paraphrase or is it a summarization?

Well, this one is a little tricky, but I'm leaning toward a paraphrase.

Yes, Stacy, and why is that?

Well, the response focuses on a specific statement that the client made. You, as a therapist, are restating it in different words, while still capturing that main point they're trying to make. You're not condensing multiple conversations or a lot of different ideas, like a summarization would.

If this was an episode of Wheel of Fortune, I'd ring a bell at this point.

I used to watch that show all the time with my grandma. That and Jeopardy Good ones, all right. So yay, I get to move on to the next round. You got any more examples, lyndon?

Sure, how about this one?

A client says I don't know if I can trust my boyfriend. He lied to me last week.

Well, you could respond to him by saying it seems like you're finding it difficult to trust your boyfriend after being misled. Is that a paraphrase or a summarization?

Well, that one also sounds like a paraphrase. You've captured the real essence there of what the client said and you expressed it back to them in different words.

You got it All right, let's try this one.

The client says to you I'm not sure how to handle this conflict with my sister. We've been arguing a lot lately and it's really just been getting worse and I don't know what to do. She never listens to me, no matter how hard I try to get her to listen. My parents are always taking her side, so nothing ever changes.

So let's say that you continue talking about this issue with the client and at the end of the session you say we've discussed your conflict with your sister and how it's escalating, as well as the fact that neither of you are being heard. Your parents always seem to take her side, which has made the situation even more frustrating for you.

Okay, so this one pretty clearly to me seems like a summarization. You've got these multiple conversations that you've talked about during the session and ideas that you both discussed, and now you're presenting the client with a really condensed version of all those points.

Right Using. This is just a really great way to provide closure for the client on all the important topics that you covered during the session.

Exactly so, linton. I got the answers right. Is there a prize?

Yeah, absolutely, but the prize isn't for you, stacey, you're already the prize.

Aww, all right. Well, that sounds good to me. Let's go ahead and pay it forward then. So the first person to respond to this post on Facebook outlining the differences between paraphrasing and summarizing, like we've talked about in this episode, is going to get a Zoom call with me and Linton, and we'll answer any questions that you might have as you are studying for your exam.

All right. So, to recap, we talked about paraphrasing and summarizing. Paraphrasing is about restating a specific message from the client with slightly different words, while summarizing is about condensing multiple conversations or ideas in order to capture the main points discussed.

Well, I think that's about all we have for today. Thanks for joining us and make sure to tune in next time, Until we meet again, remember it's in there.

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Paraphrasing Vs. Summarizing: The Difference And Best Examples

Explore the critical distinctions between the paraphrasing and summarizing techniques and how to apply it into writing utilizing examples of each.

Ivana Vidakovic

Sep 16, 2022

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Are you frequently confused about the distinction between paraphrasing and summarizing and their purpose?

Paraphrasing and summarizing text are significant assets in writing that can help you create engaging and efficient content.

And each of these techniques has a different yet vital purpose in the writing process. Unfortunately, people often find it hard to distinguish their differences.

Not to mention that plagiarized and summarized content is allowed and acceptable only if it is not plagiarized in any way.

Thus, today we'll go through the critical distinctions between the paraphrasing and summarizing techniques and when and how to apply each writing strategy utilizing examples of each.

Let's begin!

Paraphrasing vs Summarizing — Definitions

Paraphrasing.

Paraphrasing means reading the text and putting it in your own words without changing the meaning of the original text. 

This action doesn't allow copy-pasting original text in any way — copy-pasted text is considered plagiarism unless you use it as a citation. 

What is the length of the paraphrased text?

The paraphrased version of the text is almost the same length or a little shorter than the original.

When to use paraphrasing?

You can use the paraphrasing writing technique when:

• You want to use someone else's writing for your reference .
• You want to avoid quotations . 
• When the idea is more important than writing style .
• When you need to improve the readability of your content .

Here is an example of what original vs paraphrased text looks like:

In simple words, paraphrasing is putting someone else's writing in your own words and thought s. 

Summarizing

When you want to get the main idea of a piece of writing, you can use the summarizing technique.

Summarizing is brief information of the original text in your own words that only includes the essential parts. 

What is the length of the summarized text?

The summary of the text is a lot shorter than the original . This is because it leaves out the meaning of the text and includes only the main idea or the most critical information.

When to use summarizing?

Here are some tips on when to use the summarizing technique:

• When you need to pick out only the writer's main ideas .
• When you need an overview of the whole piece .
• When you need to simplify the text .
• When only the most important parts of the text need to be discussed.

Here is an example of what original text vs summarized text looks like:

Summarizing involves extracting the original text's main ideas and compressing them into a clear overview.

Now that we know what definitions of each technique are let's discuss paraphrasing vs summarizing differences.

Paraphrasing vs Summarizing — Differences

Here are the 3 primary differences between paraphrasing and summarizing writing techniques:

• Paraphrasing is rewriting a text in your own words while summarizing is writing the most important parts of a piece in your own words .
• Paraphrasing has the same or a little shorter text length than the original one, while summarizing is much more concise than the original .
• You can use paraphrasing to make the original content easier to understand , while summarizing is used to mention only the most important points without any explanation .

Here is what the comparison between paraphrased and summarized text looks like:

When To Paraphrase and When To Summarize?

When paraphrasing, you put someone else's ideas into your own words.

Let's observe the following statement and possible 3 paraphrasing outcomes. 

In the example, paraphrasing includes all the details of the original text, the idea, and the impression you want to trigger with your audience, but in your own style .

On the other hand, when you are summarizing, you want to get a shorter version of the original text .

Let’s take a look at the same example.

Together quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing are the leading writing techniques when mentioning sources in your content . 

When deciding which to use, you should first think about what kind of content you want to write. 

For example, literature reviews and science reports are mostly just summaries. But conversely, all three techniques you can use in argumentative essays.

Even though paraphrasing and summarizing are important, you shouldn't rely on them too much, either. The most important thing is your opinion on the subject .

Let's move on and check the paraphrasing vs summarizing examples. 

Paraphrasing vs Summarizing Examples 

How to paraphrase.

When you paraphrase, keep these 3 things in mind:

• You must provide a reference .
• Use your language style when paraphrasing. 
• Changing just a few words here and there is not paraphrasing . 

The lack of paraphrasing words is just a lack of synonyms, nothing more. It has nothing to do with creativity.

Think about how the ideas fit with what you already know. Then, try some of the following tips to paraphrase with ease:

• Take notes of the original text — Pull the most critical details from the storyline you need to paraphrase. 

• Make full sentences from ideas — Create words around those key points in your own style.

• Provide a reference — If you have statistical or research data, mention the author or the literature you used for your statement.

• Analyze — The paraphrasing outcome will be more authentic and genuine by providing feedback, expressing your thoughts, or adding your own ideas. 

• Not every word needs to be changed — Keep the most important words the same for clarity's sake (e.g., autism, culture, children). But don't use whole phrases unless they are common in your field (e.g., psychogenic disorder).

Pro Tip: Nowadays, it is not so uncommon for writers to utilize paraphrasing tools such as TextCortex. 

Part of the reason is that paraphrasing tools help overcome writer’s block and boost creativity.

For instance, to paraphrase sentences or entire paragraphs with TextCortex, you must select the text you want to rewrite, click on the logo , and click on the ‘ Paraphrase ’ feature.

You can paraphrase the original output multiple times until you get the desired output. Additionally, TextCortex will provide you with several different paraphrasing variants for each generation.

How To Summarize?

The summary goes a lot further than a point-by-point paraphrasing. 

And to help you understand better, we will be using the following part of the article “ Fairytales much older than previously thought, say researchers ”:

When you want to summarize the text, you need to:

• Understand the context — Get the overall idea of the text you want to transform into a shorter version of the text. In the given example, the text talks about fairytales that have been around since the Bronze Age and when and where this information comes from.
• Pull out primary takeaways — Gather all relevant key points of the text and add a piece of brief information about them.

• Create a storytelling brief — It is not enough just to list the key elements. Instead, use storytelling technique s to transform the main takeaways into a compelling but short version of the original text.

•   A summary has to be shorter than the original text — The summary includes only essential points of the text, not the details.

Most people get confused when comparing paraphrasing and summarizing because those two writing techniques don’t exclude each other.

In simple words, a summary of the text can be paraphrased, and vice versa. 

Final Thoughts

As you can notice, paraphrasing and summarizing techniques are not as hard as they seem. And you probably use both in your regular conversations every day.

However, it becomes more official when it comes to writing articles, essays, and more. 

This is due to plagiarism rules — content labeled as plagiarism can be heavily penalized and damage your writing career before it even starts to blossom.

And if you are planning to become a writer or are a newbie that is not so confident in these writing techniques, we suggest you start utilizing the TextCortex rewriting extension .

Our Chrome extension can help you:

• Manage your writing faster .
• Produce more content in less time .
• Rewrite sentences and paragraphs in bulk.
• Transform bullets to emails .
• Expand your text for more information.
• Write blog posts from a single sentence .
• Assist you on more than 30 platforms .

In addition, with the Chrome rewriting extension, you will gain access to the TextCortex web application that can help you to write:

• Blog articles, 
• Product descriptions, 
• Social media posts
• Youtube captions,
• And more in 72+ languages.

Are you ready to start paraphrasing with ease?

Claim your free account today to get 15 daily creations to explore all TextCortex’s features without limitations. No credit card information is required.

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TextCortex is a powerful AI-powered writing tool that can help you reduce your writing time, handle big tasks, and create high-quality content without errors. With its customizable platform, personalized intelligence experience, advanced writing and research capabilities, and error-free content, TextCortex is the perfect tool for creative professionals who want to be a creative force in their industry.

Our AI copilot learned how to write from more than 3 billion sentences and has the ability to create unique content. However, fact-checking is something which still requires a human approval.

TextCortex supports more than 25 languages including English, Dutch, German, Ukranian, Romanian, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Italian.

Yes, TextCortex is completely free to use with all of its features. When you sign up, you receive 100 free creations. Then you will receive 20 recurring creations every day on the free plan.

Yes, we have a Text Generation API, please talk to us directly to implement it. You can reach out to us at [email protected]

Account sharing is not allowed. If you have a need for more than 5 seats for an account, you can directly contact us at [email protected]

Yes, TextCortex offers 14-day free trial for users to try out all features extensively with higher number of generations. But keep in mind that you can already try everything with the free plan. There is no feature that is locked behind a premium plan.

Overall, TextCortex AI has over 1000 five-star reviews on reputable review sites such as G2, Trustpilot and Capterra.

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Summarizing vs Paraphrasing: Key Differences and Best Practices

Welcome to our comprehensive guide on Summarizing vs Paraphrasing! Ever found yourself tangled in the web of long texts, struggling to extract the main points?

Or perhaps you've been stumped on how to restate another's idea without using direct quotations?

You're not alone.

In this guide, we'll discuss summarizing and paraphrasing, two essential writing techniques that can help you communicate information and ideas effectively. We'll delve into their definitions and key differences and provide practical tips to ace both.

Whether you're summarizing a chapter or paraphrasing a sentence, we've got you covered. So, buckle up and get ready to transform your writing skills. Let's dive into the world of summarizing and paraphrasing, where every word counts, and every idea matters.

Stay tuned!

Understanding Summarizing and Paraphrasing: Definitions and Differences

In writing , summarizing and paraphrasing are two essential skills. They serve as powerful tools for writers to convey the essence of an original source in a unique manner. This section will delve into the definitions and differences between these two common terms, providing a comprehensive understanding of their usage and importance.

We'll explore the meaning and definition of paraphrasing and summarizing, and how they differ in handling a sentence or paragraph versus a long text. Let's dive in.

What is Summarizing?

Summarizing is a common term in writing and editing . It's the process of condensing a long text, such as a book or an article, into a brief and concise version to improve readability . The main point here is to capture the general idea or the main details of the original source without losing the context.

This practice is not just about shortening the text. It's about understanding the key differences, the background information, and the essence of the content. A well-crafted summary provides a clear, succinct understanding of the material, making it an invaluable tool for readers.

What is Paraphrasing?

Paraphrasing, a common term in writing, is the art of rewriting a text in your own words while maintaining the original meaning and message. It's a skill that requires a deep understanding of the original source, as the goal is to convey the main point accurately, but with a fresh perspective.

Summarizing vs Paraphrasing: Key Differences

Summarizing is about condensing the main points of a long text into a brief and concise version , focusing on the general idea. It's like giving a snapshot of a book, the difference being the scope of the content.

Paraphrasing, on the other hand, involves rewriting a specific sentence or paragraph in your own words, without changing the original meaning. It's more about presenting the main detail in a new light.

While both processes require understanding the key differences in the original source, summarizing is more about the 'big picture', and paraphrasing is about the 'fine details'.

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How to Summarize: Guidelines and Tips

Mastering the art of summarizing can be a game-changer in your academic or professional journey. This section will provide you with practical guidelines and tips on how to summarize effectively.

Whether you're summarizing a paper, a chapter, or a book, these tips will help you identify the main points and present them concisely.

Steps to Summarizing Effectively

• Read the Material : Start by thoroughly reading the material you want to summarize. This could be a paper, a chapter, or a book. Understand the context and the main points of the passage.
• Identify the Main Points : Highlight or note down the key ideas. This will help you summarize the source effectively.
• Write a Draft : Write a brief draft summarizing the main points. Make sure it's in your own words.
• Review and Edit : Review your draft and make sure it accurately represents the main ideas of the source. Edit as necessary for clarity and conciseness.

Top Tips to Ace Summarizing

✅ Identify the Main Points : Start by identifying the main points of the passage. This will help you to focus on the most important information and ignore less significant details.

✅ Avoid Specific Details : When summarizing, avoid listing specific details and individual pieces of data. Instead, stick to general ideas, conclusions, and results.

✅ Keep it Brief and Concise : Remember, the goal of summarizing is to condense a longer text into a brief and concise overview. So, keep your summary short and to the point.

✅ Paraphrase to Avoid Plagiarism : If you're using an AI to help you summarize, make sure to paraphrase the AI's summary to avoid plagiarism. This will also help you to better understand and retain the information.

✅ Use APA Style : If you're summarizing for academic purposes, make sure to follow APA style guidelines . This will ensure that your summary is properly formatted and cited.

How to Paraphrase: Guidelines and Tips

Paraphrasing is an art that requires a deep understanding of the source material and the ability to express the same ideas in a fresh, unique way. This section will provide you with practical guidelines and tips to master this skill. Whether you're summarizing a paper chapter or trying to paraphrase a passage, these tips will come in handy.

Remember, the goal is not just to change a few words here and there but to share the same message in a new light. Let's explore the steps and tips for ace paraphrasing.

Steps to Paraphrasing Effectively

• Understand the Source : Read the original text thoroughly until you grasp its meaning. This is the first step in paraphrasing.
• Rewrite in Your Words : Write down the main points in your own words without looking at the original text. This helps to ensure that you're not just copying the original wording.
• Compare and Edit : Compare your version with the original. Make sure you haven't changed the meaning. Edit for clarity and impact.
• Add Your Interpretation : Add your own thoughts and interpretation to the material. This can help make your paraphrase unique.
• Use a Plagiarism Checker : Finally, run your text through a plagiarism checker to ensure it's sufficiently different from the original.

Top Tips to Ace Paraphrasing

✅ Understand the Source : Before you begin paraphrasing, ensure you fully comprehend the source material. This will help you share the same message in your own words.

✅ Use Synonyms : Swap out words from the original text with synonyms . This helps maintain the meaning while creating a unique turn of phrase.

✅ Change Sentence Structure : Rearrange the sentence structure or change the subject of the sentence to add variety to your paraphrase.

✅ Add Your Interpretation : Don't just rewrite the text, add your own thoughts and interpretation to the material.

✅ Use a Plagiarism Checker : To ensure your paraphrase is distinct enough from the original, use a plagiarism checker. This will help you avoid unintentional plagiarism.

✅ Cite the Source : Even when paraphrasing, it's important to cite the source. This gives credit to the original author and adds credibility to your work.

When to Use Summarizing and Paraphrasing

Understanding when to use summarizing and paraphrasing can significantly enhance your writing. These techniques serve different purposes and are best suited for specific situations. Let's delve into the ideal scenarios for each.

Ideal Situations for Summarizing

When you want to present the general idea of a lengthy document or speech, summarizing is the way to go.

• If you have multiple points that need to be condensed into a few key takeaways, summarizing is your best bet.
• Summarizing is also ideal when you want your reader to grasp the important parts of a complex topic quickly.
• Lastly, summarizing can help you effectively support a specific point with another idea.

Ideal Situations for Paraphrasing

When you want to state another idea in a different way, paraphrasing can be a powerful tool.

• If you're trying to highlight a specific point from a source, paraphrasing allows you to do so without directly quoting the material.
• Paraphrasing is also beneficial when you need to present multiple points from a source, but want your reader to grasp the important part of each point.
• Lastly, paraphrasing is ideal when you're dealing with complex ideas that need to be broken down into simpler terms for better understanding.

Comparing Examples of Summarizing and Paraphrasing

In this section, we'll explore practical examples of summarizing and paraphrasing. We'll explore how to condense a long text into a brief and concise summary and how to rephrase a passage while preserving the original source's main detail. These examples will provide a clear definition and example of each technique, offering valuable writing tips for both summarizing and paraphrasing.

Example of Summarizing and Paraphrasing

Consider a long text from an original source.

• Summarizing the difference between the two concepts, you might say, "Concept A focuses on individual growth, while Concept B emphasizes community development." This brief and concise statement captures the main detail without delving into the specifics of each concept.
• In contrast, if you were to paraphrase the passage, you would restate the same point and detail in your own words, maintaining the length and depth of the original passage. For instance, "Concept A is all about fostering personal advancement, whereas Concept B is more concerned with nurturing communal progress."

The Benefits of Summarizing and Paraphrasing

Both techniques offer unique advantages, aiding in comprehension and communication. Whether you're summarizing the difference between a long text and its main details or paraphrasing to grasp a complex topic, these methods are invaluable tools.

They not only help in presenting information and ideas in a digestible manner but also foster critical thinking. Let's explore these benefits in detail.

Advantages of Summarizing

• Summarizing the difference between a long text and its main details allows for a brief and concise understanding of the content.
• It's useful when you need to present the general idea of a complex topic without delving into individual details.
• Summarizing can support points made in a discussion by providing a condensed version of the important parts.
• It's an effective way to pinpoint the key ideas in a document, identifying any knowledge gaps.
• Summaries can serve as a convenient resource for future reference, saving reading time.

Advantages of Paraphrasing

• Paraphrasing allows you to have a better understanding of the source material, as you're required to interpret and rephrase the information in your own words.
• It helps you to explain the original text's meaning to others in a more digestible manner, which can be particularly useful when dealing with complex or technical subjects.
• Paraphrasing can spark new ideas on how to approach a subject, as the process of rewording can lead to fresh perspectives and insights.
• It can help you develop your writing style, as you're not just copying and pasting information, but actively engaging with it and presenting it in your own unique way.
• Lastly, paraphrasing is a great way to avoid plagiarism. By rewording and citing the original source, you're respecting the original author's work while also adding your own touch to the content.

Wrapping Up: Summarizing and Paraphrasing

In conclusion, mastering the art of summarizing and paraphrasing is a crucial skill in academic writing and beyond. It allows you to present another's ideas in your own voice without losing the essence of the original source.

Remember, summarizing is about condensing a long text into a brief and concise overview, focusing on the main points. On the other hand, paraphrasing involves restating specific points or details in your own words, maintaining the same level of detail as the original.

Whether you choose to summarize or paraphrase largely depends on the scope of the information and the purpose of your writing. In all cases, it's essential to cite the source to avoid plagiarism.

With practice and the right approach, you can effectively use these techniques to enhance your writing, making it more engaging and informative for your readers.

If you need help perfecting your written content, try Strategically AI for free. Our AI content platform plans, builds, and optimizes well-structured articles for your website.

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Paraphrasing vs Summarizing

Summaries and paraphrases are some of your most useful tools as a writer. Referencing other people’s writing is often necessary if you want to provide evidence for your claims and imbue your essays with a greater sense of integrity. In other instances, referencing powerful ideas can simply enhance the quality of your writing. For example, using a quote in your introductory paragraph can “hook” the reader and get them interested.

You can reference other people’s writing in a number of different ways. Here are the most common options:

Each of these options has its own set of various pros and cons. If you want to become an accomplished writer, you need to understand when to paraphrase, when to summarize, and when to quote.

Whether you’re paraphrasing, summarizing, or quoting, you need to make sure to properly acknowledge where these ideas are coming from or you risk committing plagiarism. It’s perfectly acceptable to reference other people’s work, as long as you give credit where it’s due.

When you understand the differences among paraphrasing, summarizing, and quoting, it becomes easier to write flowing, informative pieces that are free from plagiarism.

What is paraphrasing?

When you paraphrase someone else’s writing, you are presenting their ideas in your own words. An important part of paraphrasing is acknowledging whose ideas you are presenting and where they come from.

A paraphrased passage cannot be too similar to the source material. You can’t simply change one or two words and claim that you’re paraphrasing. Ideally, you should present these ideas in language that seems natural and easy for you and your readers to understand.

What is summarizing?

When you summarize someone else’s ideas, you are summing up their main points in a smaller piece of writing that the reader can easily understand.

Summaries are much shorter than the original material. For example, the summary of an entire book would not list every event that happens in the book. Rather, a book summary would review the most important moments in the plot and could be two or three pages long.

That being said, summaries can be even shorter than that. It’s possible to summarize an idea or a book in a single sentence.

When you summarize someone else’s work, it’s important to cover only the most important points . Just like paraphrasing or quoting, you must also attribute summarized ideas to the correct source.

What is quoting?

Quoting is when you write down the exact words of a writer and use quotation marks . You must attribute the correct speaker and source when quoting, and you must use the appropriate formatting guidelines laid out by your course or instructor.

Quoting may be preferable to other methods if you need to use clear evidence to back up your claims. By using the author’s exact words, you can show the accuracy of the evidence you’re using.

What is the difference between summarizing and paraphrasing?

The main differences between summarizing and paraphrasing come down to their functions.

A summary retells the main points, condensing an idea so that it is easier for the reader to digest. You can be selective when writing summaries, which means you don’t have to cover everything that the writer said. In addition, summaries are always shorter than the source material.

On the other hand, paraphrases serve to clarify a passage. Paraphrases are specific, which means that you need to cover each piece of information the writer is trying to convey.

In contrast to summaries, paraphrases don’t need to be shorter than the source material. While it’s true that a paraphrase might be condensed compared to the source material, it can also be longer than the source material. Alternatively, paraphrases can be roughly the same length as the source material.

How are summarizing and paraphrasing similar?

There are notable similarities between summaries and paraphrases. They both serve to make concepts easier to understand for the reader through slightly different methods. In addition, you should use both paraphrases and summaries when the core ideas of a passage are more important than the exact wording.

When should you paraphrase?

When you successfully paraphrase someone else’s ideas, you are showing the reader that you understand the key concepts. Unlike quoting, paraphrasing requires you to show what you think or understood about the idea.

You should paraphrase when you want to show that you’re capable of more than just copying and pasting. Only people who truly understand concepts can paraphrase them successfully. In other words, paraphrasing shows that you’re confident about the ideas you’re discussing.

Paraphrasing is also helpful when you’re in the middle of a speech and you can’t remember exactly what someone said. In this situation, you can’t really pause, take out a book, and look up the exact quote. Instead, you can start by saying something like, “Frederick Douglass once said something along the lines of…” and then finish by summing up the quote in your own words.

Finally, paraphrasing is a solid option when you want to reword a broader section of text into a more concise passage . You may choose to paraphrase when you encounter an idea that seems antiquated or inaccessible to the modern reader. By putting these ideas in your own words, you can make them relevant again.

When should you summarize?

Summaries are useful when you need a little more flexibility. You can spend an entire paragraph summarizing a concept or you can sum it up in a few sentences. Other summaries take the form of entire essays.

Summaries also allow you to cut right to the core concepts that the author was trying to convey . When you summarize a piece of writing, you can eliminate all the extra bits and pieces that aren’t really relevant or necessary. At the end of the day, summaries are all about condensing information so that you can refer to key points within the original passage.

Summaries are also handy when you’re providing your reader with background information on a topic. This might be especially helpful when you’re introducing a topic at the beginning of an essay.

Alternatively, you can quickly provide background information at any stage of your essay. For example, you might introduce a new piece of literature halfway through your writing, such as The Trial by Franz Kafka. At this point, you might find it necessary to sum up the plot of The Trial before moving on.

Essentially, you should use summaries when you want to condense information and cover the main points.

Summaries and paraphrases are usually preferable to direct quotes

Both summaries and paraphrases are usually preferable to direct quotes.

It’s all too easy to fill up your entire essay with quote after quote, but what purpose does that serve? Quotes only show that you’re able to copy and paste other people’s ideas, whereas summaries and paraphrases show that you actually understand these ideas enough to restructure them or condense them.

A page filled with direct quotes also becomes tiresome for the reader, especially if you become over-reliant on one source or author. When you use too many quotes, your writing tends to lose its flow, becoming jarring and difficult to follow.

Of course, quotes have their place in your writing. As previously mentioned, they allow you to provide strong evidence for your claims and give your writing a sense of authority. However, most instructors agree that quotes should be used sparingly. Think of quotes as your secret weapon, and only pull them out when you really need them.

Using paraphrases and summaries throughout your writing allows you to make use of various pieces of source material without relying too much on direct quotes. Add a mixture of quotes, paraphrases, and summaries into your writing, and you’ll see a drastic improvement in overall quality.

Remember, there is nothing wrong with borrowing other people’s ideas to strengthen the quality of your own writing. The best writers in the world don’t hesitate to paraphrase or summarize the works of other individuals, as they understand that human literature is a collaborative process.

Each new writer carries the torch a few steps further before passing their accomplishments to the next generation. There is no shame in using powerful ideas as a foundation from which to build upon.

Key takeaways

• Summaries and paraphrases both serve to make source material easier to understand
• You should use both summaries and paraphrases when the core ideas are more important than the exact wording
• A summary is a condensed version of the source material that covers all the main points
• When you paraphrase a passage, you put it in your own words and clarify its meaning
• Direct quotes are useful when the exact wording is important
• You can use direct quotes to provide more accurate evidence for your claims
• Quotes imbue your writing with a sense of authority
• You should paraphrase when you want to show that you understand the key ideas behind a passage
• Paraphrasing allows you to make passages more relevant and accessible to your readers
• The main purpose of a paraphrase is to clarify the text
• Paraphrases can be longer, shorter, or the same length as the source passage
• Summaries are always shorter than the source material
• Summaries are selective whereas paraphrases are specific
• Summaries allow you to eliminate unnecessary information from the source material
• Summaries provide background information on a topic or idea
• Both summaries and paraphrases are usually preferable to direct quotes
• You should use direct quotes sparingly

Published October 29, 2020.

By Andy Block. Block has a B.A. in English and an M.A. in comparative literature. After teaching in Asia, Europe, and New York City, briefly, Andy taught writing at a community college for more than a decade — before transitioning to a new career in EdTech.

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Difference Between Paraphrasing and Summarizing

• Categorized under Language | Difference Between Paraphrasing and Summarizing

Paraphrasing vs Summarizing

Paraphrasing and summarizing are both related terms. They are often confusing for people. Paraphrasing and summarizing are essential techniques for an effective and efficient essay. These are an absolute must when dealing with scientific concepts. Both paraphrasing and summarizing are allowed and accepted till due credit is given to the original source, and only till the work is not copied and is free from any kind of plagiarism.

Paraphrasing Paraphrasing is reading over a text and interpreting it in one’s own words without changing the meaning of the original text. This excludes copying of text in any form. It is like grabbing the idea about a topic from another writer’s work then transforming it into your own method of thoughts and words. Paraphrased material is almost equal to or slightly shorter in comparison to the original material. Paraphrasing is required sometimes to prove your point. It provides support and adds credibility to your own writing. It is also used to add depth to your work. Paraphrasing is used;

When another writer’s work has to be used. When quotes are not used in the text. When the ideas have a greater relevance than the style of writing. When you want to simplify the work of another person.

Summarizing Summarizing is the tool in writing which is used when you need the main idea of the text. It is a condensed form of the written text in your own words with only the highlights of the text. A summary is much shorter than the original text. It excludes the explanation of the text. Only the main idea or the basic information is included. Summarizing is used to refer to work that culminates into the present writing that you are doing. It is sometimes used when you want to draw attention to an important point. It is also applicable when you want to distance yourself from the original text.

Summarizing is used;

When only the main ideas of the writer are to be identified. When only an overview of the whole work is required. When simplification is required. When only the main highlights of the work have to be mentioned.

1.Paraphrasing is writing any particular text in your own words while summarizing is mentioning only the main points of any work in your own words. 2.Paraphrasing is almost equal to or somewhat less than the original text while summarizing is substantially shorter than the original. 3.Paraphrasing may be done for the purpose of simplifying the original work while summarizing is done to mention only the major points without any kind of explanation about the matter.

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Cite APA 7 Kaushik, N. (2011, May 20). Difference Between Paraphrasing and Summarizing. Difference Between Similar Terms and Objects. http://www.differencebetween.net/language/difference-between-paraphrasing-and-summarizing/. MLA 8 Kaushik, Nimisha. "Difference Between Paraphrasing and Summarizing." Difference Between Similar Terms and Objects, 20 May, 2011, http://www.differencebetween.net/language/difference-between-paraphrasing-and-summarizing/.

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Written by : Nimisha Kaushik. and updated on 2011, May 20 Articles on DifferenceBetween.net are general information, and are not intended to substitute for professional advice. The information is "AS IS", "WITH ALL FAULTS". User assumes all risk of use, damage, or injury. You agree that we have no liability for any damages.

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