How do you paraphrase a text? 1. Give your own thoughts about the points an author made. 2. Use the authors exact words in quotation marks. 3 put the key points from the text into your own words. 4. Add a citation stating where the quotations came from.

Paraphrasing a text effectively involves several key steps. Here’s how you can do it:

1. **Understand the Original Text**: Read the text carefully to grasp the main ideas and arguments being made by the author.

2. **Identify Key Points**: Break down the text into its key points, noting the main arguments, evidence, and conclusions.

3. **Use Your Own Words**: Rewrite the key points in your own words without changing the original meaning. Aim to simplify or clarify the ideas as necessary.

4. **Incorporate Exact Quotes**: If there are specific phrases or statements from the author that are particularly impactful or well-articulated, quote them directly and place them within quotation marks.

5. **Cite Your Source**: Always provide proper attribution to the original author to avoid plagiarism. Include a citation that contains the author's name, year of publication, and page number (if applicable).

Here’s an example of how to paraphrase a hypothetical text:

**Original Text**: "Social media has dramatically changed the way people communicate, leading to new forms of interaction that were previously unimaginable."

**Paraphrase**:
In my view, social media has profoundly transformed interpersonal communication. As noted in the original text, "Social media has dramatically changed the way people communicate," resulting in novel ways of interacting that many could not have foreseen (Author, Year).

By following these steps, you can create a paraphrase that reflects both the essence of the original text and your own understanding of its significance.