Distinguishing Between Quotation & Paraphrasing

Key Difference – Quoting vs Paraphrasing

Quoting and paraphrasing are techniques used in academic writing, and they are different from each other. Quoting means repeating the exact words of the original text, while paraphrasing refers to expressing the same idea in our own words. Both techniques are used for various reasons, and they require proper citation to avoid plagiarism.

Key Takeaways

• Quoting involves using the exact words of the original text, while paraphrasing means expressing the same idea in our own words.
• Both quoting and paraphrasing are used to present evidence, information, or ideas to support the writer’s argument.
• When using quotes or paraphrasing, proper citation is essential to give credit to the original author and avoid plagiarism.

What is Quoting?

In academic writing, quoting involves repeating the exact words of the original text, and these quotes are placed between quotation marks. Quotations can serve various purposes, such as providing evidence or extra information to support the writer’s argument, expressing confirmatory or contrary ideas, and emphasizing the significance of something. When quoting the ideas of others, it is crucial to cite the work to give credit to the original author and avoid plagiarism. Different referencing styles, such as Harvard, Chicago, and APA, can be used for citing.

What is Paraphrasing?

Paraphrasing is different from quoting as it does not involve repeating the exact words of the original text. Instead, the writer takes the idea and rephrases it in their own words. Like quoting, paraphrasing can be used to prove a point or present an idea, but it does not require quotation marks. However, since paraphrasing is not an original idea, proper citation is still necessary.

What is the difference between Quoting and Paraphrasing?

The main difference between quoting and paraphrasing lies in the use of exact words and citation requirements. Quoting requires using the exact words of the original author, while paraphrasing involves expressing the same idea in our own words. Both quoting and paraphrasing require proper citation to give credit to the original author and avoid plagiarism. Quotation marks are used when quoting but not when paraphrasing. When quoting, it is not necessary to quote an entire section or even the complete sentence, but only the relevant part. However, when paraphrasing, usually, a complete section is used.