To summarize text, a reader/writer should absorb as much of the text as possible and attempt to put the information in a condensed version and in their own words. A summary should be much shorter than the original and should only cover the main ideas or points of the original. Any ideas or thoughts taken from a source other than you, should be cited. See more details in the handout to the right.
Paraphrasing is very similar to summarizing in that you are attempting to put someone else's words into your own. The main difference is that in paraphrasing, you will keep most of the length of the text and follow along with the text more closely than with summarizing. Where a summary is very brief and sticks to the main points, a paraphrase follows the length of the original and addresses all points, not just the main one. Essentially, a paraphrase is simply a restatement of the original. In paraphrasing, you must also cite the original source.