A paraphrase is a restatement, in your own words, of a passage from a source. Paraphrases can be used to illustrate or support a point you make in your document or to illustrate another author’s argument about a subject. Writers choose to paraphrase rather than quote when a paraphrase would present the point more clearly or concisely than would a quotation from a source. Writers also choose to use paraphrases to add variety to a document — particularly when a large number of quotations have already been used — or when they find that the original passage would alter the tone or style of their document. For example, a writer of an article about a band that was purposefully pushing the boundaries of contemporary music might want to note that an important music reviewer had written, “I found this ‘concert’ to be a complete waste of my time.” If the writer had already quoted more compelling statements from several other reviewers, however, the writer might use a paraphrase to indicate that the reviewer had found little in the band’s most recent concert to recommend their music.