Are paraphrasing, rephrasing, and rewriting paragraphs the same thing?

Paraphrasing, rephrasing, and rewriting paragraphs involve similar processes of modifying text, yet they serve distinct purposes and entail varying degrees of change.

Paraphrasing a paragraph is taking someone else’s idea or writing and putting it into your own words. This is often done to make complex concepts easier to understand without changing the core message.

Rephrasing a paragraph involves restructuring or reordering sentences within a paragraph without altering the overall message.

Rewriting a paragraph involves replacing some of the words with synonyms, changing the tone, or adding new insights.

Each approach is useful for editing text, depending on whether you want to clarify the existing message, polish specific parts, or completely overhaul the paragraph for a new use. Just remember to always to cite the original source wherever you use a rework text to avoid plagiarism.