how do you paraphrase a text?

Paraphrasing a text involves putting the original ideas into your own words while maintaining the original meaning. It generally includes the following steps:

1. **Read Comprehension**: Understand the core message of the text. Identify the main ideas and key points.

2. **Use Your Own Words**: Rewrite the identified key points in a way that reflects your own vocabulary and sentence structure. This is essential to avoid plagiarism.

3. **Quotation for Exact Phrases**: If there are specific phrases or terms that you believe are particularly well-stated or important, keep them in the exact phrasing and put them in quotation marks.

4. **Cite Your Sources**: Always provide a citation for any ideas, quotes, or paraphrased material that comes from another author. This might include the author’s name, the title of the work, and the year of publication.

5. **Add Your Thoughts**: If relevant, you can also provide your perspective on the points made by the author. This adds depth to your paraphrase and shows critical engagement with the text.

### Example:
Original Text: "Climate change poses one of the greatest threats to our planet's health and stability."

Paraphrase: The author argues that "climate change poses one of the greatest threats to our planet's health and stability" (Author, Year). This statement underscores the urgency with which we must address environmental issues. I believe that immediate action is necessary to mitigate these threats, as they could have dire consequences for future generations.