Quotation vs. Paraphrasing: Which is Best?

The need to paraphrase the words of other writers is becoming increasingly common today, particularly within universities and academic communities for research purposes.

Due to this, paraphrasing services, as well as other writing services such as proofreading services, are now regularly being offered to assist in the preparation and completion of documents. Using a proofreading service can reduce the time it takes to prepare a document like a literature review.

Sometimes, paraphrasing can be a very powerful tool to improve the readability and informativeness of your document. Also, paraphrasing – paired with accurate referencing – is usually essential to avoid accusations of plagiarism.

However, cases often arise when quoting another writer directly, rather than paraphrasing their words, is a much more suitable option. For example, in a literary analysis of a poem by William Shakespeare, direct quotation rather than paraphrasing is natural.

 

What is a direct quotation?

Direct quotation is when you incorporate another writer’s exact words into your own piece of text.

A direct quotation is indicated by a pair of quotation marks, opening at the beginning of the quotation and ending after the final word in the quoted text.

Rules exist that govern the use of quotation marks. If you expect to use many direct quotations in your writing in the future (e.g., if you are applying to become a literature student), it is important to become familiar with these. For example, some rules include:

·         Quote length: Length quotes can be cut down using ellipses

·         Quote context: For quotes with unclear context, words can be added in square brackets

·         Quotes within quotes: Use single quotes within double quotes

 

What is paraphrasing?

Paraphrasing, often known as indirect quotation, is when you incorporate another writer’s ideas and information into your own piece of text, but you rewrite the original text, changing the order of its words and phrases.

As such, paraphrasing amounts to a rephrasing of an original text. This involves not using the exact wording of the original – as in direct quotation – and instead summarizing and recasting the meaning of the original with new words.

Whenever you use indirect quotation, it is important to use proper citations. If you forget to do this, you will be accused of plagiarism, which could lead to a severe reputational hit.

 

Deciding between direct and indirect quotation

Writers commonly struggle with the question of when to paraphrase over using direct quotation.

There are a few situations where the best choice is obvious. For example, in literary analysis, or if the source you are referencing has striking language that you want to emphasise, it is definitely better to use a direct quotation rather than an indirect quotation.

However, other cases are less clear. Therefore, a good general rule to follow is to paraphrase the source when you only need to summarise its ideas or information.