Paraphrase the source text: Read important parts of the source material until you fully understand the meaning: Take some notes and list key terms from the source material: Write your own paragraph without looking at the source material, using only the key terms. Here is a general guide on how to cite paraphrased text: 1. Include the author's name. In most citation styles, you must include the author's last name and year of publication. 2. Provide the page, 3. Keep track of sources. To avoid accidental plagiarism, keep track of which ideas and data you got from which source. If you don't follow this tip, following the first tip alone will still cause you to commit accidental plagiarism. There are many ways to keep track of sources. Plagiarism involves taking another's work and presenting it as one's own, leading to potential upset for the original author and discredit to the professions involved. Practice ethical writing honestly. Maintain honesty in all scientific writing. Crediting all original sources. When you do not cite your sources or when you cite them inappropriately, you are committing plagiarism, an offense taken extremely seriously in the academic world and which constitutes misconduct. Some simple do's and don'ts outlined in.