Study Notes on Structured Paraphrasing

Introduction to Paraphrasing

  • Language involves using more than one or two sentences to convey complex ideas.
  • Effective communication often includes multiple bits of information.
  • The goal of today's session is to learn how to create structured paraphrases that contain multiple bits of substance.

Overview of Structured Paraphrasing

  • We will begin with simpler examples, gradually progressing to more complex passages involving greater numbers of substantive bits.
  • Example discussion: "The roof of the gym collapsed due to the heavy snowfall, so the tournament had to be canceled."

Steps for Creating Structured Paraphrases

Step 1: Identify the Bits of Substance

  • Read through the sentence or passage carefully to pinpoint individual claims or points being made.
  • Count the bits of substance to understand the structure of the content.
Identifying Connector Words
  • Connector words, such as "due to," serve as indicators for the relationships between the bits of substance.
    • In the example,
    • "The roof of the gym collapsed" (Bit 1)
    • "Heavy snowfall" (Bit 2)
    • "The tournament had to be canceled" (Bit 3)
    • There are three identifiable bits of substance in the sentence mentioned.

Understanding the Relationships Among the Bits of Substance

Main Point (MP) and Secondary Points (SP)

  • Each bit may comment on another, establishing a hierarchy:
    • MP: The roof of the gym collapsed.
    • SP1: Heavy snowfall directly causes the roof collapse (comments on MP).
    • SP2: The tournament had to be canceled (comments on MP regarding the consequences of the roof collapse).
  • Indentation is a crucial tool that visually represents which points comment on others.

Indentation Significance

  • Indentation indicates relationships and the structure of paraphrases:
    • **Structure Explanation: **
    • SP1 is directly under MP, showing it comments on the main point.
    • SP2 can either directly comment on the MP or follow the structure to comment on another SP.
  • Changing indentation alters the meaning of the overall paraphrase and may misrepresent the original relationship between points.

Analyzing the Example: Detailed Breakdown

Original Sentence Breakdown

  • Example Sentence: "The roof of the gym collapsed due to the heavy snowfall, so the tournament had to be canceled."
  • Bits of Substance Identified:
    1. The roof of the gym collapsed.
    2. There was heavy snowfall.
    3. The tournament had to be canceled.

Identifying Comment Relationships

  • Analyze the connections using connector words:
    • SP1 (Heavy Snowfall) comments directly on MP (Roof Collapse): "due to" indicates that the snowfall was the cause of the collapse.
    • SP2 (Tournament Cancelation) comments on MP as well, inferred via context that if the roof collapses, the tournament cannot occur.

Adding Structure and Codes

Identifying Structure with Indentation

  • Structuring the identified substances:
    • MP: The roof of the gym collapsed.
    • SP1: due to heavy snowfall (commenting on MP). (Explanatory connection)
    • SP2: the tournament had to be canceled (commenting on MP). (Explanatory connection)

Assigning Codes

  • When adding codes, identify whether connections are reasoning or explanatory:
    • Here, both SP1 and SP2 provide explanations for the main point.
    • Explanatory connections are critical to understand what causes conditions expressed in the main point.

Conclusion

  • The process of creating structured paraphrases involves identifying and understanding the bits of substance, their comments, and their relationships.
  • Practice this process with additional complex passages to further develop the skill of making effective structured paraphrases.