1. What Paraphrasing Is — and Why It Matters

Paraphrasing means rewriting someone else’s ideas in your own words while preserving the original meaning.

Why it’s essential in journalism

• Makes complex information clearer
• Keeps articles concise
• Avoids overusing quotes
• Prevents plagiarism
• Improves readability
• Helps maintain the Total Apex voice

Paraphrasing is NOT changing a few words — it’s rebuilding the sentence from the ground up.

2. The Core Rules of Paraphrasing in Journalism

A. Preserve the Original Meaning

Never distort, exaggerate, or soften what the source said.

Original

“The outage occurred because our servers were overwhelmed by unexpected traffic.”

Correct Paraphrase

The company said unexpected traffic overwhelmed its servers and caused the outage.

Incorrect Paraphrase

The company admitted it wasn’t prepared for the outage.

(“Admitted” adds judgment; meaning changes.)

B. Always Attribute the Information

Paraphrasing still requires attribution — it’s not your information.

Correct

The company said traffic spikes caused the outage.

Incorrect

Traffic spikes caused the outage.

(Who says so?)

C. Use Your Own Sentence Structure

Don’t copy the original structure or rhythm.

Weak Paraphrase (too close)

The outage happened because the servers were overwhelmed by traffic.

Strong Paraphrase

Heavy traffic overloaded the servers, the company said.

D. Avoid “Patchwriting”

Patchwriting = swapping a few words while keeping the same structure.

This is still plagiarism.

Original

“The study found that 62 percent of users prefer dark mode.”

Patchwriting (wrong)

The study discovered that 62 percent of users like dark mode.

Correct Paraphrase

According to the study, most users — about 62 percent — prefer dark mode.

3. When to Paraphrase vs. When to Quote

Use a Direct Quote When:

• The wording is powerful
• The statement is emotional
• The phrasing is unique
• The speaker’s voice matters
• It’s an official statement

Example

“We’re not backing down,” the coach said.

Use a Paraphrase When:

• The quote is long
• The quote is technical
• The quote is repetitive
• You need to simplify
• You need to condense

Example

Direct quote:

“We are experiencing intermittent server outages due to unexpected traffic spikes.”

Paraphrase:

The company said traffic spikes caused intermittent server outages.

4. How to Paraphrase Step‑by‑Step (Contributor‑Safe Method)

Step 1: Read the original carefully

Understand the meaning fully.

Step 2: Look away

Don’t rewrite while staring at the original text.

Step 3: Restate the idea in your own words

Use your own structure, vocabulary, and flow.

Step 4: Compare with the original

Ensure:

• Meaning is preserved
• Wording is different
• No key details are lost

Step 5: Add attribution

Always cite the source.

5. Examples of Strong Paraphrasing

Original

“The update will roll out next week and includes several performance improvements.”

Paraphrase

The company said it will release the update next week with multiple performance upgrades.

Original

“Fans were disappointed because the event started two hours late.”

Paraphrase

Fans expressed frustration after the event began two hours behind schedule.

Original

“The study concluded that teens spend an average of three hours a day on social media.”

Paraphrase

The study found that teens typically use social media for about three hours daily.

6. Ethical Rules for Paraphrasing

A. Never change the meaning

No exaggeration, no softening, no editorializing.

B. Never remove important context

If the original includes limitations or uncertainty, keep them.

C. Never paraphrase speculation as fact

If the source says “may,” “might,” or “could,” you must keep that uncertainty.

D. Always attribute

Paraphrasing without attribution = plagiarism.

7. Quick Reference Cheat Sheet (Copy for Contributors)

Good Paraphrasing:

• Uses new wording
• Uses new structure
• Keeps the meaning
• Adds attribution
• Improves clarity

Bad Paraphrasing:

• Copies structure
• Swaps synonyms
• Removes context
• Changes meaning
• Omits attribution

8. Final Takeaway for Total Apex Writers

Paraphrasing is a core journalism skill that ensures:

• Accuracy
• Clarity
• Ethical reporting
• Strong readability
• A consistent Total Apex voice

Mastering paraphrasing helps contributors produce clean, professional, high‑performing content across every Total Apex vertical — from news to gaming to sports to lifestyle.