Which statement correctly distinguishes summarizing from paraphrasing and describes plagiarism avoidance?

Which statement correctly distinguishes summarizing from paraphrasing and describes plagiarism avoidance?

• A. Summarizing restates main ideas concisely; paraphrasing restates same exact wording.
• B. Summarizing restates main ideas concisely; paraphrasing restates specifics in your own words; no citation is ever needed.
• C. Summarizing restates main ideas concisely; paraphrasing restates specifics in your own words; to avoid plagiarism, you should cite the source and use quotation marks for direct quotes.
• D. Summarizing and paraphrasing are interchangeable.

Answer: (C)

Understanding how to handle source material helps you show you’ve integrated information responsibly. A summary captures the main ideas in a concise form, focusing on the overall point rather than the details. Paraphrasing, on the other hand, rewrites specific material in your own words while preserving the exact meaning and specifics of the original. Because these ideas come from someone else, you must credit the source. When you quote directly, put the exact words in quotation marks and provide a citation; even when you paraphrase, a citation is needed to acknowledge the original author. So the best statement is: summarizing restates main ideas concisely; paraphrasing restates specifics in your own words; to avoid plagiarism, you should cite the source and use quotation marks for direct quotes.

Understanding how to handle source material helps you show you’ve integrated information responsibly. A summary captures the main ideas in a concise form, focusing on the overall point rather than the details. Paraphrasing, on the other hand, rewrites specific material in your own words while preserving the exact meaning and specifics of the original. Because these ideas come from someone else, you must credit the source. When you quote directly, put the exact words in quotation marks and provide a citation; even when you paraphrase, a citation is needed to acknowledge the original author.

So the best statement is: summarizing restates main ideas concisely; paraphrasing restates specifics in your own words; to avoid plagiarism, you should cite the source and use quotation marks for direct quotes.