Paraphrasing means to rephrase something in your own words.

What is  Paraphrasing?

Paraphrasing Strategies

Changing the sentence structure Using synonyms Changing parts of speech Rewriting phrases and clauses

Things to consider while paraphrasing:

Refer to the source

Introduce your paraphrase by mentioning the author and/or the title, and then cite that source in your footnotes or bibliography.

Really rephrase - and not just change a few words

A good paraphrasing will also change the sentence structure, change parts of speech, and rewrite phrases as clauses. 

Use quotation marks when appropriate

If you are paraphrasing the authors work who is explaining their original idea, it is fine to add in the exact terminology with quotation marks. 

Cite, cite, cite your sources

Using a reference manager can make it easier for you to always remember when and where to cite your source text.