Paraphrase instead of copying

Capture ideas in your own words rather than transcribing the source.

Why it works

Paraphrasing requires you to decode the original, hold its meaning in working memory, and then re-encode it in new language — a process that creates multiple distinct memory traces. Verbatim copying is largely motor behavior: the words move from the page through the hand with minimal semantic processing. Paraphrasing is generating; copying is transcribing.

How to do it

1. Read a passage or explanation completely before writing anything.
2. Close or cover the source.
3. Write the idea in your own words, aiming for your natural vocabulary rather than the author’s.
4. Return to the source only to verify accuracy — not to fill in gaps you didn’t capture.

Evidence

Paraphrasing relates to the broader literature on elaborative encoding and levels of processing (Craik & Lockhart, 1972): processing meaning produces stronger, more durable memory traces than processing surface form. Paraphrasing is a direct application of semantic-level processing. (observational)

Paraphrasing can introduce errors if the learner’s understanding is flawed — self-checking against the original after paraphrasing is important, especially in technical domains.

Sources

• Craik & Lockhart (1972), levels of processing: a framework for memory research, Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior

Common mistake

Paraphrasing one sentence at a time by substituting synonyms — this is still largely surface-level processing and does not require engaging with meaning. Paraphrase ideas, not sentences.