Summary: a high-level overview of the main ideas of the source.

Example: Today in class, we talked about the sunny day outside.

Paraphrase: rewording the source into your own words

Example: The professor explained that the weather would be sunny all day today.

Quote: the exact phrasing directly from the source itself.

Example: The professor said, “The sun is shining.”

When do I use summary, paraphrase, or quotes?

Summary: Use when giving likely when you are first introducing the source in your writing.
Paraphrase: Use most often, as a way to put the research into your own words.
Quote: Use when it’s important to use the exact phrasing – there is high rhetorical value in how your expert source phrased their idea.

Why should I paraphrase the most often?

While you might be inclined to stick in quotes because you think it makes your paper more credible and academic, quotations are often risky. Over-relying on quotes fills a paper with the words of the expert, not you. This can make your paper hard to follow, disjointed, and inauthentic.

However, when you paraphrase research instead of quoting, it:

retains your own voice
shows that you’ve thoroughly read and understand the source
allows quotations to be reserved for special, necessary occasions.