Tips to Avoid Plagiarising While Paraphrasing
1. Look Away.
Read a passage ONCE, then LOOK AWAY and WRITE DOWN what you think the author was saying. Don't write what you remember, write down what you think it meant. Write it as if you are explaining it to someone else.
2. Don't just change a few words.
Simply changing a few words doesn't make it yours. You need to rewrite the information in order to make it your own. Refer to tips 1 and 3.
3. If you don't know what the word means, it's not your word.
If you read through what you "paraphrase" and you don't know what certain words mean, or if there are words that you would not typically use, the words are not yours and you are plagiarising. Choose words that you can explain, and words that you would typically use.
WHEN IN DOUBT, SIMPLY QUOTE!