Question

When you re-write someone else's words to shorten and emphasize the main points of the original text (using proper citation), you are?

Answer 1

Summarizing. This is one of three techniques of legitimate using of someone else's ideas in an academic essay. A summary is even shorter than a paraphrase and includes only the main points while omitting all elements which are deemed irrelevant. The third and most direct technique is quoting, and it includes direct citing of an excerpt of someone's work. All three techniques have one thing in common: attribution to the original author and source is absolutely necessary.