What Is Restatement?
What is a restatement? The definition of restating is to express the same idea with different wording. Restatement can be used to clarify points or emphasize main ideas. Restatement can help break down complex, dense ideas into more manageable concepts.
The restatement also can help maintain the same message while tweaking the language to reflect a change in tone. The proper language used during a job interview may not be the same as the language used among friends, although the concepts conveyed may be identical.
Restatement prevents widely circulated concepts from becoming stale by replacing keywords with synonyms. For example, the same idea can be repeated across multiple news outlets without boring the audience.
Restatement also helps with comprehension. When a person restates an idea, it allows them to put their twist on the words being used. This active form of processing the information increases the chances they will retain the information. This also helps build the vocabulary of the individual.
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Some synonyms to restatement include:
- rephrasing
- restating
- rewording
- translating
- reiteration
Some antonyms to restatement include:
- copy
- transcription
- contradiction
- quote
- quotation
Restatement is an important literary tool because it actively increases a person’s vocabulary while providing a way to express and clarify main ideas.
Restatement vs. Summary
Restating an idea is to use synonyms to express the main idea of the original phrase, without copying the phrase word for word. This is a useful technique that increases comprehension and understanding in the speaker, as well as the audience.
In contrast, in a summary, an individual is making a comprehensive but short abstract of an original statement. Summaries include the main ideas in the original text without a complete restatement.
Summaries help trim down lengthy explanations while still providing an accurate portrayal of the original idea. Summaries also help with the comprehension of the original idea, as the writer works to pull out the main conceptualizations.
Minor ideas will be omitted in a summary, while in a restatement, all original concepts will be preserved.
Restatement Examples
The best way to understand the concept of restatement is to see examples. The following is a list of examples of restatements. The first sentence listed will be the original statement, and the second sentence listed will be the restatement example.
- Janelle is a hardworking nurse that takes pride in her ability to care effectively for her young patients.
Janelle provides evidence-based care for the pediatric population as a diligent nurse that is fulfilled with her caretaker role.
- Sami loves to travel alone, it is a good way for her to meet other people
Sami thrives on the independence that is provided during solo excursions because she can converse with new individuals.
- Jimmy is unhappy at his job because he feels like he works long hours and is unable to have ample free time.
Jimmy feels dispirited in his current place of employment due to his poor work-life balance.
These examples of restatement use new wording to emphasize, set a new tone, or clarify the original sentence. However, the original message of both sentences will remain the same in a reinstatement. This is the key takeaway of these reinstatement examples.
How to Restate a Sentence
An individual restates a sentence by, first, slowly reading the sentence to gather an idea of what the sentence is conveying. All the points of the sentence must be restated to preserve the accuracy of the original sentence.
An example is:
- Birds love to splash around in the water to clean themselves off.
After reading the sentence, the individual should come up with synonyms that reflect the words in the first sentence and form a restated sentence with these synonyms.
Matching synonyms for this example are:
- splash, wallow
- love, enjoy
- clean, bathe
- water, pool, bath
Next, read the first sentence and compare it to the second sentence. Are all the ideas captured in both sentences? If not, be sure to revise the restatement until it is complete.
The final example of restating a sentence reads:
- Feathered friends enjoy bathing themselves in pools of water.
How to Restate a Question
When considering how to restate the content of a question into the corresponding answer, an individual should remember that the sentence should contain the same information the question is asking for.
Start by reading the question, and underlining what is being asked. This portion is what should be restated in the answering sentence.
Brainstorm to find synonyms to the words in the question, and form a declarative sentence out of those words.
An example is:
- What do birds like to eat in the wild?
In nature, birds like to consume berries, fruits, and seeds.
Restating the question in the answer helps increase the retention rate for the individual. It can also be used to reiterate the point the question is asking to ensure the answer is sufficient.
How to Summarize an Idea
Summarizing is different from restating a sentence or paragraph because the entirety of the original idea does not need to be preserved in the new text. The main ideas of the original text need to be included, but every detail does not need to be present. In a restatement, all the original details from the text need to be preserved in the restatement.
Begin by reading the paragraph and making a quick bulleted outline of the main ideas, taking care to include any strong, supporting details.
Then, translate the bulleted list into a few sentences, making sure that the new text is shorter than the original.
When writing a summary, ensure that it is written in the individual’s own words, but does not contain a biased opinion. Only the facts that are presented should be included.
Avoid phrases such as:
- I think
- in my opinion
Here is an example of an original text with its summary below:
COVID-19 is an infectious disease that is a major health concern, abroad and within the United States. This contagious viral infection has ravaged countries, causing an enormous strain on the healthcare system. It is imperative that important health measures are implied to prevent the collapse of the healthcare system and the burnout of healthcare workers. Vaccination should be recommended. Masks should be required in the school setting for populations that can not be vaccinated. Accurate symptom screenings should be periodic and sick people should be encouraged to stay home. Public health measures should be implemented.
Summary: To stop the spread of COVID-19 and to preserve the fragile healthcare system, several public health measures should be implemented. These include mask-wearing, vaccination, symptom screening, and sick individuals staying home.
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Lesson Summary
A summary should always be shorter than the text the individual is summarizing. The major points of the argument should be included, but all the supporting evidence is not needed.
When an individual makes a restatement, they are stating the same idea again but while using different words. Synonyms are used to present the same concept, but with a twist. This can be used to produce a new tone, clarify an idea, or highlight a particular concept within the text. Summaries and restatements are similar because they both provide new ways of understanding the original text. However, restatement preserves the original text more accurately than summarization.