How should paraphrase be used to support writing?

Take the Information Literacy Test to excel in assessing, evaluating, and applying information effectively. Use flashcards and multiple-choice questions with comprehensive explanations. Prepare for success!

Paraphrase is restating someone else’s idea in your own words while keeping the original meaning. Using paraphrase to show you understand the source and to provide proper attribution through citation helps you integrate evidence into your writing and avoid plagiarism. It lets you explain concepts in a way that fits your voice and the flow of your argument, while still guiding readers to the original source. If you need exact wording, you can use a direct quote with a citation, but otherwise paraphrasing makes your writing more cohesive and shows your grasp of the material. The other ideas don’t fit because paraphrasing to avoid credit or to hide the source is deceptive and constitutes plagiarism, and paraphrasing isn’t limited to public-domain materials—credit is required regardless of the source.