Reading: Advanced Textual Analysis
C1 Lesson 9: Effective Paraphrasing and Summarizing of Complex Information
Using Information Ethically and Effectively
Understanding a complex text is the first step; using that information in your own work is the next. The two most important skills for this are **paraphrasing** and **summarizing**.
While they seem similar, they have different purposes and are used in different situations. Mastering both is essential for academic writing, professional reports, and avoiding plagiarism3.
Part 1: Paraphrasing vs. Summarizing
| Skill | Goal | Length | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paraphrasing1 | To restate a specific idea in your own words to show you understand it. | About the same length as the original sentence or passage. | A single, specific point or detail. |
| Summarizing2 | To condense4 the main ideas of a longer text. | Much shorter than the original text. | The overall argument and key supporting points only. |
Part 2: Practice with a Complex Text
Let's read this paragraph about the impact of the Angkor Pass ticketing system. We will then practice both paraphrasing one sentence and summarizing the entire paragraph.
Source Text:
The implementation of the Angkor Pass, a centralized ticketing system for the archaeological park, has had a multifaceted socio-economic impact on Siem Reap. On one hand, it has streamlined revenue collection, generating substantial funds that are officially designated for temple conservation and the development of public infrastructure. This centralized model ensures a predictable and significant income stream for maintaining the World Heritage site. However, critics argue that this system has simultaneously disenfranchised the network of local, unofficial guides and small-scale vendors who previously operated more freely around the temples. They contend that while the macroeconomic benefits are clear, the shift has marginalized individuals who relied on the former, less regulated tourism ecosystem for their direct livelihood.
Guided Practice
Task 1: Paraphrase a specific sentence.
Original Sentence: "However, critics argue that this system has simultaneously disenfranchised the network of local, unofficial guides and small-scale vendors who previously operated more freely around the temples."
Effective Paraphrase:
Conversely, objectors claim that the centralized system has removed economic opportunities from the many local guides and vendors who used to work independently near the temples.
Analysis: This paraphrase successfully uses synonyms (e.g., `critics` → `objectors`) and changes the sentence structure while keeping all the original details and meaning.
Task 2: Summarize the entire paragraph.
Analysis: The main idea is that the Angkor Pass has both positive and negative effects. The key positive point is revenue for conservation. The key negative point is the impact on local vendors/guides.
Effective Summary:
The centralized Angkor Pass system has had a dual impact on Siem Reap; while it generates essential revenue for temple preservation and infrastructure, it has also negatively affected the livelihoods of independent local vendors and guides who were part of the previous tourism economy.
Analysis: This summary is one concise sentence. It captures the main idea (dual impact) and the two key supporting points, while omitting the smaller details.
Your Turn! Differentiate the Skills.
Practice Quiz
Read the original sentence and the two options below it.
Original Sentence: "The proliferation of smartphones in rural Cambodia has provided unprecedented access to information, but it has also been linked to a decline in face-to-face community interaction."
Option A: "The spread of smartphones in the countryside has had both a positive effect (access to information) and a negative one (less social interaction)."
Option B: "While the widespread adoption of smartphones in rural Cambodia has granted people access to information never before possible, it has also been associated with a decrease in personal, community-based social engagement."
Which option is the best SUMMARY?
Answer: Option A. It is much shorter and captures only the core positive and negative points.
Which option is the best PARAPHRASE?
Answer: Option B. It is about the same length as the original and restates the same information and detail using different vocabulary and sentence structure.
Vocabulary Glossary
-
Paraphrase (verb)
ភាសាខ្មែរ: ការសរសេរឡើងវិញ ដោយរក្សាអត្ថន័យដើម
To restate a passage in your own words while keeping the original meaning and level of detail. It does not make the text shorter. ↩ back to text -
Summarize (verb)
ភាសាខ្មែរ: សង្ខេប
To give a brief statement of the main points of a text, leaving out the details. It makes the text shorter. ↩ back to text -
Plagiarism (noun)
ភាសាខ្មែរ: ការលួចចម្លង
The practice of taking someone else's work or ideas and passing them off as one's own. Proper paraphrasing and summarizing are skills to avoid this. ↩ back to text -
Condense (verb)
ភាសាខ្មែរ: បង្រួម
To make something shorter or more compact by expressing it in fewer words. ↩ back to text
Homework Task
Practice Both Skills!
Find a single, dense paragraph (100-200 words) in English from a high-quality source (e.g., a news analysis from BBC, an academic journal).
- Choose the one most important or complex sentence from the paragraph and write a careful paraphrase of it.
- Then, write a 1-2 sentence summary of the entire paragraph.
This will demonstrate your mastery of both skills.