Q: My teacher says I didn't paraphrase enough for my assignment, and she said it is plagiarism. Is that a plagiarism?
A:
Plagiarism is when you use someone else's words or ideas, imply or claim they are your own, and don't give credit to the true author. It's not a crime in and of itself, though there can be serious consequences to a student or writer, like a bad grade or bad reputation. Sometimes plagiarism is the same as copyright infringement.
Here, it sounds like your teacher is saying you didn't give credit to your source, and what you wrote is too similar to the source, so that they aren't really your words or ideas, but copied. To avoid plagiarism, you have to give credit when you quote exactly or paraphrase closely, or echo ideas closely. Or, after using several sources to get background or educate yourself, you then state your own conclusions in your own words.
Plagiarism can be easy to spot, or it can be more of a gray area or judgment call - it's important to understand your teacher's views on what constitutes plagiarism, so you can avoid ever being accused of plagiarism.
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