Resumir y parafrasear
Chapter Objectives
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
- Distinguish a summary from a paraphrase and identify when each is appropriate.
- Use source-attribution language such as según, de acuerdo con, el autor sostiene que, and el artículo señala que.
- Restate a source's ideas in your own words and sentence structure without copying its wording.
- Combine paraphrase with the academic connectors introduced in Chapter 6 to synthesize more than one idea from a source.
- Discuss a source's main argument aloud while clearly signaling whose idea is being reported.
- Write a short paraphrase-based summary that credits its source and avoids plagiarism.
This chapter continues Unit II. It introduces paraphrase, synthesis, and source-attribution language as new productive vocabulary and functions, while developing the formal subordination and academic connectors introduced in Chapter 6.
Communication Scenario
Daniela's briefing was well received, and now her supervisor has asked her to prepare a written summary of a short article about employee wellness programs for a team newsletter. She cannot simply copy sentences from the article: she needs to identify its main points, restate them in her own words, and make clear which ideas come from the source rather than from her.
- Think about a time you had to explain someone else's idea to another person without directly quoting them. How did you signal that the idea belonged to someone else?
- As you work through this chapter, pay attention to how attribution phrases like según or el artículo señala que let a reader know exactly whose claim is being reported.
Core Vocabulary: Resumen y atribución de fuentes
Purpose: to acquire the vocabulary needed to summarize a source's ideas, mark those ideas as belonging to someone else, and synthesize more than one source point without copying its exact wording.
| Expresión | Función | Registro / nota |
|---|---|---|
| según | Attributes a claim to a specific source | Formal and neutral; core production |
| de acuerdo con | Attributes a claim to a source, slightly more formal | Formal/written; core production |
| el autor sostiene que | Reports the author's central claim or position | Formal; core production |
| el artículo señala que | Reports a specific point the article makes | Formal; core production |
| en otras palabras | Introduces a restatement of a prior idea | Formal and neutral; core production |
| es decir | Clarifies or restates a claim more precisely | Formal and neutral; core production |
| a grandes rasgos | Signals a broad summary rather than full detail | Formal; core production |
| tanto... como... | Synthesizes two related points from one or more sources | Formal and neutral; core production |
These expressions are new productive vocabulary in this chapter. They combine directly with the academic connectors from Chapter 6, which remain active and continue to develop.
Grammar Focus: Estructuras para parafrasear y sintetizar
Purpose: to reformulate a source sentence using different vocabulary and a different sentence structure, while preserving its original meaning and marking its origin.
Form: A paraphrase typically opens with an attribution phrase (según, de acuerdo con, el autor sostiene que) followed by a restated version of the source's claim, often using formal subordination from Chapter 6 to connect the restated idea to a supporting detail.
Meaning: Attribution phrases tell the reader that the idea belongs to the source, not to the writer; the restated wording tells the reader that the writer has processed and reformulated the idea rather than copied it.
Use: Paraphrase is used when a source's idea is useful but its exact wording is not essential to preserve. Synthesis combines paraphrased points from one or more parts of a text, often with a connector such as además or por lo tanto, to build a coherent summary rather than a list of disconnected restatements.
- Fuente: "Los programas de bienestar han reducido el ausentismo en un 15 por ciento." Source: "Wellness programs have reduced absenteeism by 15 percent."
- Paráfrasis: Según el artículo, la implementación de programas de bienestar ha disminuido notablemente las ausencias laborales. Paraphrase: According to the article, implementing wellness programs has notably decreased workplace absences.
- Síntesis: El artículo sostiene que los programas de bienestar reducen el ausentismo; además, señala que mejoran la satisfacción general de los empleados. Synthesis: The article argues that wellness programs reduce absenteeism; moreover, it notes that they improve overall employee satisfaction.
A paraphrase that only changes a few words while keeping the source's sentence structure is not a true paraphrase. Restate the idea with your own sentence pattern, not just synonym substitution.
- Read each short source sentence and identify which words carry the essential meaning and which words could change in a paraphrase.
- Paraphrase each sentence below, opening with the attribution phrase indicated.
- "La empresa ofrece descuentos en gimnasios locales a todos los empleados." (según)
- "Muchos empleados no participan en el programa por falta de tiempo." (el artículo señala que)
- "El programa costó menos de lo esperado durante su primer año." (de acuerdo con)
Reading: Del texto fuente al resumen
Read the following adapted article about an employee wellness program. As you read, identify which sentences you would paraphrase for a short summary and which details are essential to preserve.
El programa de bienestar laboral
Hace dos años, la empresa lanzó un programa de bienestar laboral que incluye descuentos en gimnasios locales, sesiones gratuitas de manejo del estrés y un día libre adicional al año para citas médicas. Según los datos internos, el ausentismo ha disminuido en un 15 por ciento desde el lanzamiento del programa. Sin embargo, el artículo señala que la participación varía considerablemente entre departamentos: mientras que el 70 por ciento del personal de ventas participa activamente, apenas el 30 por ciento del personal técnico lo hace.
De acuerdo con una encuesta reciente, muchos empleados del departamento técnico no participan por falta de tiempo durante la jornada laboral, no por falta de interés. Por lo tanto, la empresa está considerando ofrecer las sesiones de manejo del estrés en horarios más flexibles. El autor del informe sostiene que, si la empresa logra aumentar la participación en todos los departamentos, es probable que el ausentismo disminuya aún más.
A grandes rasgos, el programa parece haber tenido éxito en su primer objetivo — reducir el ausentismo — pero todavía enfrenta el reto de lograr una participación más equilibrada entre los distintos equipos de la empresa.
This passage is an adapted textbook composition written for this chapter, not an authentic published article.
- Identify the main claim of each paragraph.
- Find two sentences in the passage that use source-attribution language, and explain what each one attributes and to whom.
- Choose one sentence from the passage and write a paraphrase of it, changing both vocabulary and sentence structure.
- Using tanto... como..., write one sentence that synthesizes a point from the first paragraph with a point from the second paragraph.
- In two or three sentences, summarize the passage as a whole, using at least one attribution phrase and one academic connector from Chapter 6.
Guided Practice
Complete the following controlled practice before moving to the listening and speaking tasks.
- Choose the attribution phrase that best completes each sentence: según,
de acuerdo con, el artículo señala que, or
el autor sostiene que.
- ______ el informe, la participación aumentó durante el segundo semestre.
- ______ una mejor comunicación interna podría resolver el problema de horarios.
- ______ los datos más recientes, el costo del programa se mantuvo estable.
- Rewrite each source sentence as a paraphrase, using different vocabulary and sentence structure while keeping the original meaning.
Listening Task
Ask your instructor, a partner, or a text-to-speech tool to read the following short explanation aloud. As you listen, identify which ideas are attributed to a source and which are the speaker's own framing.
A team leader summarizes a report on the wellness program for colleagues.
- Which ideas does the speaker attribute to the report, and which idea is the speaker's own proposal?
- Identify the attribution phrase used to introduce the survey finding.
- Based on the last sentence, what does the speaker want the team to do before the next meeting?
Speaking Task
Práctica controlada
With a partner, take turns reporting one sentence from the reading passage aloud as a paraphrase, opening with an attribution phrase.
Tarea comunicativa: Resumen conjunto
In pairs or small groups, reconstruct a spoken summary of the reading passage together. Each person should contribute at least one paraphrased point, marked with an attribution phrase, and the group should connect the points using at least one academic connector from Chapter 6.
Alternativa individual
If you are studying independently: record yourself summarizing the reading passage in your own words, using at least two attribution phrases and one academic connector.
Writing Practice
Write a short paraphrase-based summary (80 to 100 words) of a short article, report, or announcement of your choice (real or invented). Your summary must:
- Open with a sentence that attributes the source's main claim, using an attribution phrase.
- Paraphrase at least two supporting points in your own words and sentence structure.
- Connect your paraphrased points using at least one academic connector from Chapter 6.
Lista de revisión:
- My summary opens with a clear attribution of the source's main claim.
- I paraphrased ideas rather than copying the source's wording.
- I used at least one academic connector to link paraphrased points.
- I maintained a formal, neutral register throughout.
- I checked accents, punctuation, and capitalization.
Culture and Communication
In academic and professional settings across Spanish-speaking institutions, clearly attributing ideas to their source is treated as a basic expectation of intellectual honesty, whether in a university essay, a workplace report, or a media summary. Phrases like según and de acuerdo con are not optional politeness; they are the normal way a careful writer signals where an idea came from.
Academic style guides and institutional norms for citing and attributing sources vary by country, university, and publication. Some institutions favor brief in-text attribution like the phrases in this chapter, while others require more formal citation systems. This chapter focuses on spoken and everyday written attribution rather than any single institution's formal citation format.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Error: Changing only a few words of the source sentence while keeping its original structure, and presenting this as a paraphrase.
Correction: Rebuild the sentence with your own structure and vocabulary choices; a true paraphrase reorganizes the idea, not just its wording.
Error: Omitting attribution phrases so that it is unclear whether an idea belongs to the source or to the writer.
Correction: Use phrases such as según or el artículo señala que whenever you report a source's claim, even in an informal summary.
Error: Listing paraphrased points one after another without connecting them, producing a disorganized summary rather than a synthesis.
Correction: Use academic connectors from Chapter 6, such as además or por lo tanto, to show how the paraphrased points relate to one another.
Chapter Review
Parte A — Atribución
1. Completa cada oración con la expresión de atribución más apropiada: según, de acuerdo con, el autor sostiene que, o el artículo señala que.
- ______ el informe anual, las ventas aumentaron un 8 por ciento.
- ______ es necesario revisar el proceso de contratación.
Parte B — Paráfrasis
1. Lee la siguiente oración y escribe una paráfrasis, cambiando tanto el vocabulario como la estructura de la oración.
"El nuevo sistema de reservas redujo el tiempo de espera de los clientes en un 20 por ciento."
Parte C — Síntesis
1. Usando tanto... como..., combina las siguientes dos ideas en una sola oración: (1) el programa redujo el ausentismo; (2) el programa mejoró la satisfacción de los empleados.
Parte D — Autoevaluación
1. En dos o tres oraciones, describe qué te resultó más difícil en este capítulo: parafrasear sin copiar la estructura original, usar las expresiones de atribución, o sintetizar varias ideas en una sola oración.
Practical Performance Task
Tarea práctica — Capítulo 7
Resumir y citar una fuente
Complete the following integrated task, which brings together this chapter's reading and writing skills:
- Choose a short article, report, or announcement (100 to 150 words), real or invented.
- Identify its main claim and at least two supporting points in writing.
- Write a paraphrase-based summary that attributes the main claim and paraphrases the supporting points, using at least one academic connector to link them.
- Present your summary aloud to a partner or record it, following the Speaking Task guidance.
| Criterio | Logrado | En desarrollo |
|---|---|---|
| Atribución de la fuente | Marca con claridad qué ideas pertenecen a la fuente | Omite o confunde la atribución de las ideas |
| Calidad de la paráfrasis | Reformula la idea con vocabulario y estructura propios | Copia la estructura o el vocabulario original casi sin cambios |
| Síntesis con conectores | Conecta las ideas parafraseadas con conectores apropiados | Presenta las ideas parafraseadas sin conexión clara |
| Organización del resumen | Organiza el resumen con una idea principal clara y puntos de apoyo | Presenta ideas sin una estructura clara |
| Interacción oral | Presenta el resumen oralmente con claridad y atribución adecuada | Presenta el resumen de forma poco clara o incompleta |
Answer Key
Reading Task — Model Analysis
1. Paragraph 1's main claim is that the wellness program has reduced absenteeism but participation varies by department; paragraph 2's main claim is that low technical-department participation is due to time constraints, not lack of interest; paragraph 3's main claim summarizes the program's partial success. 2. Según los datos internos attributes the absenteeism figure to internal data; de acuerdo con una encuesta reciente attributes the time-constraint finding to a survey. 3. Model answer: learner paraphrases will vary; a strong paraphrase changes both vocabulary and sentence structure while preserving the original meaning. 4. Model answer: Tanto la reducción del ausentismo como la variación en la participación entre departamentos reflejan los efectos mixtos del programa. 5. Model answer: learner summaries will vary; a strong summary attributes the main claim, paraphrases at least one supporting point, and uses a connector such as sin embargo or por lo tanto.
Guided Practice
1. según; el autor sostiene que; de acuerdo con. 2. Model answers will vary; each paraphrase should preserve the original meaning while changing vocabulary and sentence structure.
Listening Task
Model answers: 1. The speaker attributes the absenteeism decrease and the participation gap to the report and survey; the proposal to review session scheduling is the speaker's own framing. 2. The survey finding is introduced with de acuerdo con la encuesta. 3. The speaker wants the team to review the timing of the wellness sessions before the next meeting.
Chapter Review — Parte D (model answer)
Model answer: Learners may note that avoiding the source's original sentence structure while paraphrasing felt the most demanding, since it requires reformulating the idea rather than substituting individual words. Other honest, specific answers are equally acceptable.
Looking Ahead
Lo que ya sabes
This chapter introduced paraphrase, synthesis, and source-attribution language as new productive systems, while continuing to develop the academic connectors and formal subordination introduced in Chapter 6, along with the formal register and passive/impersonal se active since Unit I.