Paraphrasing, summarising and synthesising skills for academic writers: Theory and practice

by Gyula Tankó

Writers who draw on sources need to be acquainted with direct quotation and well versed in the use of indirect quotation. Whereas direct quotation is unyielding, and should be used only sporadically, when the exact repetition of others� words is justifiable, indirect quotation, namely paraphrase or summary, is a convenient alternative that restates others� words with rigorous changes to make them different from the original and appropriate for the writer�s text. In addition to these varieties of quotation, working with sources entails mastery of synthesis, which enables the combination of information from multiple sources.This book deals with indirect quotation and synthesis by adopting a theory-into-practice approach. The comprehensive overview of paraphrasing, summary, and synthesis are followed by practical suggestions, worked tasks, micro and macro-skills development tasks, and a variety of practice tasks that have been tested and revised based on student feedback. The book elaborates on guided summary writing, a kind of summarisation that facilitates focused information extraction and condensation and that is essential for purposeful and effective information processing.Writers who must process and include in their works information from multiple sources in their own words, in condensed form, and in an organically connected way will find this book informative and constructive in their quest for new understandings, observations, conclusions and discoveries.

197 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2014