Three common techniques used to work other people's words and ideas into your writing are quoting, paraphrasing and summarizing.

	What is it?
Quoting	Using the author's exact words. Always cite it and use "quotation marks."
Summarizing	Condensing the author's words or ideas without altering the meaning or providing interpretation—you use your own words for this. Basically, presenting the original information in a nutshell. Always cite it.
Paraphrasing	Restating, in your own words, the author's words or ideas without altering the meaning or providing interpretation. Paraphrases are about the same length as the original. Always cite it.

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