Summarizing vs. Paraphrasing: What’s the Difference?

Summarizing and paraphrasing are two skills that writers should master for effective communication.

Both summarizing and paraphrasing skills are used to concisely rewrite written material. However, due to their similar nature, the two skills can be confusing.

So, it’s essential to understand the difference between summarizing and paraphrasing because you don’t want to mix the two unintentionally.

This article will explain the difference between summarizing and paraphrasing, so that you can master the art of effective communication.

What is Summarizing?

Summarizing refers to writing a piece of text in a condensed form that briefly covers the main ideas of the text. It involves shortening a larger text that conveys the main ideas without getting into the details.

Definition:

The Oxford English Dictionary defines the word “summarize” as the following:

"To give a summary of (a text, statement, etc.); to state or express (something) briefly or concisely."

Pronunciation:

Additionally, the word “summarize” has the following pronunciations:

• British English: /ˈsʌmərʌɪz/, pronounced as SUM-uh-righz.

• U.S. English: /ˈsəməˌraɪz, pronounced as SU-muh-righz

Key Characteristics:

Summarizing has two key characteristics: conciseness and main ideas. Writers are able to briefly state almost every main point of a text based on these two key characteristics.

Uses:

Summarizing is used to present an overview of written material. It helps convey the core message quickly, which is useful for:

• Reports.

• Presentations.

• Academic writing.

Writers also use summaries to help people understand the crux of blog articles if they don’t want to read the entire thing.

How to do it:

To summarize a text, use your own wording to write its main ideas and key points. Keep the text short and concise without adding the details. Additionally, here’s a comprehensive breakdown of the process:

• Start by reading the original text.

• Understand the overall message.

• Identify and understand the key points.

• Note any supporting details.

• Write briefly in your words.

• Use ParaphraseTool’s AI summarizer.

Things to Keep in Mind When Summarizing:

Always keep the following things in mind when summarizing:

• Don’t deviate from the original meaning of the text.

• Focus on the main idea and key points.

• Use clear and concise language.

• Do not include the details.

• Avoid injecting your interpretations or opinions.

• Use your own wording and avoid copying phrases from the original text.

• Make the summary significantly shorter than the original text.

What is Paraphrasing?

Paraphrasing refers to rewriting an original text in your own words without changing its meaning.

Paraphrasing can be detailed, unlike summarizing. It involves changing the sentences, wording, and word choice of the text to convey a complex piece of information in a simple and clear way.

Paraphrasing aims to make the original content more comprehensive.

Definition:

The Oxford English Dictionary defines the word “paraphrase” as the following:

“To express the meaning of (the writer or speaker or something written or spoken) using different words, especially to achieve greater clarity.

Pronunciation:

The word “paraphrase” has the following pronunciations:

• British English: /ˈparəfreɪz/, pronounced as PARR-uh-frayz

• U.S. English: /ˈpɛrəˌfreɪz/, pronounced as PAIR-uh-frayz

Key Characteristics:

Paraphrasing has the following key characteristics: rephrasing, clarity, and preservation of details.

Based on these characteristics, writers are able to rewrite a complex piece of text in a simpler and clearer way without losing the details.

Uses:

Paraphrasing can convey complex information with clarity and help avoid plagiarism. That’s why writers use paraphrasing for:

• Clarifying complex information.

• Avoiding direct quotations.

• Avoiding plagiarism.

Paraphrasing may be used in place of direct quotation to borrow a piece of information, as combining both techniques (quoting and paraphrasing) makes writing natural.

How to do it:

Paraphrasing requires you to deeply understand the source material so that the rephrased text reflects the original content properly. Here’s a breakdown of the paraphrasing process:

• Read the source material a couple of times.

• Understand the source material.

• Start paraphrasing in concise and clear language.

• Simplify and clarify the original text.

• Change the sentences by shortening, splitting, or combining them.

• Replace the original words with their appropriate synonyms.

• Convey the exact meaning of the source material.

• Use ParaphraseTool.ai.

Things to Keep in Mind When Paraphrasing:

Keep in mind when paraphrasing:

• You must properly understand the topic.

• Avoid inaccurate reflections of the original material.

• Do not inject your interpretations or opinions.

• Avoid losing context.

• Use clear and concise language.

Key Differences between Summarizing and Paraphrasing

The main difference between summarizing and paraphrasing is that summarizing gives a short and condensed version of a text, while paraphrasing conveys the same information as the text for added clarification.

Summary

Summarizing and paraphrasing are essential writing skills to communicate effectively. Summarizing condenses a text into its main ideas and key points, while paraphrasing rephrases the text in the writer’s own words, preserves detail, and adds clarity.

Summarizing is useful for reports, presentations, academic writing, and writing overviews to help users skim. Paraphrasing is useful for clarifying complex information and avoiding plagiarism and direct quotation.

Both techniques require understanding the original material, using clear language, and avoiding personal interpretations. Key differences include the length and detail of the rewritten text.