Paraphrasing Generators Impede Learning

Monday, May 28, 2018 Expert Advice , Featured , Paraphrasing , Tech Tips 6 comments

The most common questions I hear from Walden students are about how they can save time. Specifically, students often ask whether they can use X program to help them with their writing. The programs students are asking about can vary, but common ones I hear about are APA reference generators, spell check, and Grammarly. The question is understandable: You are busy students, balancing work, family, and school, and you have limited time. If there’s a way to save you time, I’m with you!

Unfortunately, my answer to this type of question often disappointments the students asking it. Rather than a whole-hearted endorsement, I explain that potentially the program they are asking about could be useful, but that all writers need to be careful that they are using these programs judiciously. I go on to say that English grammar, academic writing, and APA are complex and often dependent on context, which computer programs sometimes can’t understand. My recommendation to these students, then, is that if they must use these programs, use and review their results carefully.

Another Chapter in the Story: Paraphrasing Generators
That seems like the end of the story, right? Well, not quite. My standard response to this question changed slightly when I learned about a new type of program promising amazing results to academic writers: paraphrasing generators. There are many versions of paraphrasing generators, but all of them promise quick and easy paraphrasing that avoids plagiarism. The problem with these paraphrasing generators, however, is that they aren’t really paraphrasing generators—they are really synonym generators, which isn’t true paraphrasing.

Let’s take a closer look at why paraphrasing generators aren’t really paraphrasing at all. Paraphrasing is a difficult academic writing skill because it’s complex. Strong paraphrasing requires critical thinking where a writer represents a source’s ideas in their own voice. What makes a paraphrase in your own voice? Three things: (1) focus on the key information needed for the context of your paragraph; (2) use of your own word choice; and (3) use of your own sentence structure. Complex, right?

Paraphrasing generators only address one of these three parts: swapping out words with synonyms. They can’t determine the most relevant information to include, how it fits into the context of your paragraph and your own ideas, and how to rephrase the ideas into your own voice, all essential parts of a paraphrase.

The other issue is because paraphrasing generators rely on synonyms, the result can be strangely worded at best and unintelligible at worst. Synonyms are tricky things; most of the time writers must choose synonyms carefully to avoid changing the sentence’s meaning. Using synonyms judiciously is important when using even one synonym in a sentence, but entire sentences of synonyms become so unclear that the original meaning is entirely lost.

Let’s Take a Look: A Paraphrasing Generator Result
Let’s take a look at these issues in practice so we can see the actual result of using a paraphrasing generator. Here is an original quote and the result of a paraphrasing generator. Read both carefully, then ask yourself: Does the result from the paraphrasing generator accurately reflect the original quote’s meaning? Does it sound like a new, original voice?

Original Quote: "Online teaching observations are valuable tools for documenting and improving teaching effectiveness" (Purcell, Scott, & Mixson-Brookshire, 2018, p. 5).

Result from Paraphrasing Generator: Web based showing perceptions are profitable instruments for reporting and enhancing adequacy.

Hopefully you’ve generated some ideas in response to my questions above. Here are my responses:

The result from the paraphrasing generator changes the meaning of the original. Where the original quote refers to “valuable tools,” the paraphrasing generator says “profitable instruments.” Something being valuable is very different than being profitable, which has connotations of monetary gain that valuable doesn’t.
The paraphrasing generator also doesn’t make sense! Where the original talked about “observations,” the paraphrasing generator says “showing perceptions.” If you’re like me, you’re probably wondering what “showing perceptions” even are. Additionally, the phrase “instructing adequacy” from the paraphrasing generator isn’t clear.
The paraphrasing generator doesn’t create a new, original voice because it relies on the original quote’s sentence structure. If we were to diagram these two sentences—marking out their grammatical structure—they would be exactly the same.

Short-Term Results Instead of Long-Term Gains
As you can see, the paraphrasing generator doesn’t have very good results. But beyond that—beyond all of the problematic aspects we’ve discussed so far about paraphrasing generators—there’s one final drawback:

Programs like paraphrasing generators get in the way of your learning! They offer a quick solution, but this short-term gain impedes long-term progress. If writers use paraphrasing generators, they aren’t engaging with the research they are reading, learning how to put it in their own voice and developing their paraphrasing skills.

Paraphrasing generators have a certain appeal, especially if writers are looking to save time or they believe their promises of avoiding plagiarism. However, they are much more problematic than the other programs students often ask me about. While Grammarly, spell check, and APA reference generators can be used cautiously and still be helpful, my conclusion? Paraphrasing generators should be avoided altogether; they simply have too many drawbacks to be helpful to academic writers.

Beth Nastachowski is the Manager of Multimedia Writing Instruction in the Writing Center. She joined the Writing Center in 2010, and enjoys helping students develop their own voice as writers through webinars, residencies, and multimedia resources. She is also Contributing Faculty for Walden's Academic Skills Center (ASC).