Republic of the Philippines

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Dong Nam Full Gospel Senior High School
Anapla, Don Pedro, Mansalay, Oriental Mindoro

K To 12 Basic Education Curriculum

HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES (HUMSS) STRAND
Quarter 1 – Module 1
Reading and Writing Academic Texts

ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL PURPOSES

GRADE 11

NAME:____________________________________________________ LRN:___________________________

SUBJECT TEACHER: Ma’am Arjane M. Fernando

 LESSON 4
VARIOUS TECHNIQUES IN SUMMARIZING A
VARIETY OF ACADEMIC TEXTS
Competency 3:
Uses various techniques in summarizing a variety of academic texts.

Learning Objectives: At the end of the lesson, the learners shall be able to:
1. define summarizing and summary from various writers;
2. identify the various techniques in summarizing; and
3. summarize various academic texts.

PRACTICE TEST
Directions. Identify which of the following supports the principle of summarizing. Write your answer on
the space provided before the number.
1. We use summarizing to:
A. Retell a story B. Reduce information to essential ideas
C. Get through an article more quickly D. Understand easily
2. When summarizing, we want to ___________ unimportant information.
A. Summarize B. Highlight C. Disregard D. Include
3. The main idea is
A. All the information provided B. The most important information
C. Nothing to worry about D. Unimportant information
4. Basic Signal words are Who, What, When, Where, why, How
A. True B. False
5. The__________ gives the reader an idea about what the paragraph is going to be about.
A. Concluding sentence B. Summary C. Topic sentence D. Body

What is Summarizing?

According to Buckley (2004), in her popular writing text Fit to Print, summarizing is reducing text
to one-third or one-quarter its original size, clearly articulating the author’s meaning, and retaining
main ideas. According to Diane Hacker (2008), in A Canadian Writer’s Reference, explains that
summarizing involves stating a work’s thesis and main ideas “simply, briefly, and accurately”.
From dictionaries, it is defined as taking a lot of information and creating a condensed version
that covers the main points; and to express the most important facts or ideas about something or
someone in a short and clear form.

From the definitions, take a look on the pool of words and phrases
reducing text “simply, briefly, and accurately”.
clearly articulating condensed version
thesis most important facts or ideas
main ideas short and clear form.

Various techniques in summarizing a variety of academic texts

1. Read the work first to understand the author’s intent. This is a crucial step because an incomplete
reading could lead to an inaccurate summary. Note: an inaccurate summary is plagiarism!
2. One of the summarization techniques you can do is to present information through facts, skills and
concept in visual formats. You can provide the cause and effects charts, time lines, and Venn
diagrams, templates for outlines, use flow charts or info graphics.
3. To avoid difficulty, you need first to know the main points and the supporting details. You can
exclude any illustrations, examples or explanations.
4. You need to analyze the text to save time in thinking what you will do.
5. Think what information you will put in your summary. Be sure to cover the main points and
arguments of the document.
6. One of the best things to do in auto summarizing is restating the words into different one. You
should avoid using the original words of the author instead; use your own vocabulary but be sure to
retain the information.
7. You will fully understand what the document is when you organize all ideas.
8. One of the things you can do is to write down all information in a coherent and precise form. Keep
in mind that a summary is a condensed version of the original paper, so avoid making it long.
9. You can also decide to represent information through using dimensional constructions in
representing concepts, skills or facts.
10. Paraphrasing is one of the skills you can do in writing a summary. With it, do not use the same
words with the author.

With the tips above, you will no longer worry whenever you need to summarize because it is your one
stop solution to having a fantastic summary that offer nice details to readers. Follow the tips and you
will not make mistakes.

Here’s how you start writing your summary.

Example 1:
Japanese Rail Tunnel

Due to an increase in traffic between the various island which make up Japan, and
predictions of a continuing growth in train travel, a rail tunnel was built to connect the islands of
Honshu and Hokkaido. The Seikan Tunnel in Japan is today the longest tunnel in the world, with a
length of almost 54km. When the tunnel was opened in 1988, all existing trains went through it.
However, newer Japanese bullet trains have never used the tunnel because of the cost of extending
the high speed line through it. Consequently, the train journey from Tokyo to Sapporo still takes about
ten hours. In contrast, the journey by air takes only three and a half hours. This has combined with the
fall in the cost of flying, has meant that more people travel by plane than train and the tunnel is not
used as much as forecasters had predicted.
Increase in traffic
connect Islands (Honshu & Hokkaido )
Predictions and continuing growth
The longest rail tunnel
opened 1988
54km
Opened in 1988
Bullet trains
Never used tunnel
Fall in the cost of flying
Not used as much as forecasters predicted
Summary

The longest railway tunnel in the world links the islands of

Honshu & Hokkaido. This 54km tunnel was inaugurated in 1988 to deal
with the predicted increase in rail traffic. However, the fall in the cost
of flying and the fact that high speed trains cannot use the tunnel
have resulted in the tunnel being less widely used than expected.
Another 5 Easy Techniques in Summarizing Various Academic Texts

Technique 1: Somebody Wanted But So Then

“Somebody Wanted But So Then” is an excellent summarizing strategy for stories. Each word
represents a key question related to the story's essential elements:

Somebody: Who is the story about? Wanted: What does the main charter want? But: Identify a
problem that the main character encountered. So: How does the main character solve the
problem? Then: Tell how the story ends.

Here is an example of this strategy in action: Somebody: Little Red Riding Hood Wanted: She
wanted to take cookies to her sick grandmother. But: She encountered a wolf pretending to be her
grandmother. So: She ran away, crying for help. Then: A woodsman heard her and saved her
from the wolf.

Another 5 Easy Techniques in Summarizing Various Academic Texts

Technique 1: Somebody Wanted But So Then

“Somebody Wanted But So Then” is an excellent summarizing strategy for stories. Each word
represents a key question related to the story's essential elements:
Somebody: Who is the story about?
Wanted: What does the main charter want?
But: Identify a problem that the main character encountered.
So: How does the main character solve the problem?
Then: Tell how the story ends.

Here is an example of this strategy in action:

Somebody: Little Red Riding Hood
Wanted: She wanted to take cookies to her sick grandmother.
But: She encountered a wolf pretending to be her grandmother.
So: She ran away, crying for help.
Then: A woodsman heard her and saved her from the wolf.

After answering the questions, combine the answers to form a summary:

Little Red Riding Hood wanted to take cookies to her sick grandmother, but she encountered
a wolf. He got to her grandmother’s house first and pretended to be the old woman. He was going
to eat Little Red Riding Hood, but she realized what he was doing and ran away, crying for help. A
woodsman heard the girl’s cries and saved her from the wolf.

Technique 2: SAAC Method

The SAAC method is another useful technique for summarizing any kind of text (story, article,
speech, etc). SAAC is an acronym for "State, Assign, Action, Complete." Each word in the acronym
refers to a specific element that should be included in the summary.
State: name of the article, book, or story
Assign: the name of the author
Action: what the author is doing (example: tells, explains)
Complete: complete the sentence or summary with keywords and important details

This method is particularly helpful for students who are learning the format of a summary and
need reminders to include the title and author's name. However, SAAC does not include clear
guidance about which details to include, which some students might find tricky. If you use SAAC with
your students, remind them of the types of details that belong in a summary before instructing them
to work independently.
Here is an example of SAAC in action:
State: The Boy Who Cried Wolf
Assign: Aesop (a Greek storyteller)
Action: tells
Complete: what happens when a shepherd boy repeatedly lies to the villagers about
seeing a wolf

Use the four SAAC cues to write out a summary of "The Boy Who Cried Wolf" in complete
sentences:
The Boy Who Cried Wolf, by Aesop (a Greek storyteller), tells what happens when a shepherd
boy repeatedly lies to the villagers about seeing a wolf. After a while, they ignore his false cries. Then,
when a wolf really does attack, they don’t come to help him.

Technique 3: 5 W's, 1 H
The 5 W's, 1 H strategy relies on six crucial questions: who, what, when, where, why, and how.
These questions make it easy to identify the main character, the important details, and the main
idea.
Who is the story about?
What did they do?
When did the action take place?
Where did the story happen?
Why did the main character do what he/she did?
How did the main character do what he/she did?

Try this technique with a familiar fable such as "The Tortoise and the Hare."
Who? The tortoise
What? He raced a quick, boastful hare and won.
When? When isn’t specified in this story, so it’s not important in this case.
Where? An old country road
Why? The tortoise was tired of hearing the hare boast about his speed.
How? The tortoise kept up his slow but steady pace.

Then, use the answers to the 5 W's and 1 H to write a summary of in complete sentences.

Tortoise got tired of listening to Hare boast about how fast he was, so he challenged Hare to a
race. Even though he was slower than Hare, Tortoise won by keeping up his slow and steady pace
when Hare stopped to take a nap.

Technique 4: First, Then, Finally

The "First Then Finally" technique helps students summarize events in chronological order. The
three words represent the beginning, main action, and conclusion of a story, respectively:
First. What happened first? Include the main character and main event/action.
Then. What key details took place during the event/action?
Finally. What were the results of the event/action?

Here is an example using "Goldilocks and the Three Bears."

First, Goldilocks entered the bears' home while they were gone. Then, she ate their food, sat in
their chairs, and slept in their beds. Finally, she woke up to find the bears watching her, so she jumped
up and ran away.

Technique 5: Give Me the Gist

 When someone asks for "the gist" of a story, they want to know what the story is about. In other
words, they want a summary—not a retelling of every detail. To introduce the gist method, explain
that summarizing is just like giving a friend the gist of a story, and have your students tell each other
about their favorite books or movies in 15 seconds or less. You can use the gist method as a fun, quick
way to practice summarizing on a regular basis.

When summarizing is useful?

Summarizing is useful in many types of writing and at different points in the writing process.
Summarizing is used to support an argument, provide context for a paper’s thesis, write literature
reviews, and annotate a bibliography. The benefit of summarizing lies in showing the "big picture,"
which allows the reader to contextualize what you are saying. In addition to the advantages of
summarizing for the reader, as a writer you gain a better sense of where you are going with your
writing, which parts need elaboration, and whether you have comprehended the information you
have collected. www.umanitoba.ca/student/academiclearning

References Buckley, J. (2004). Fit to Print: The Canadian Student’s Guide to Essay Writing. (6th ed.)
Toronto: Nelson. Hacker, D. (2008). A Canadian Writer’s Reference. (4th ed.) Boston: Bedford/St.
Martin’s
ACTIVITY

Directions: Following the techniques above, summarize the texts by completing the sample graphic
organizer below. Write your summary in your notebook.

Essay 1: Importance of Education

Education is a process that involves the transfer of knowledge, habits and skills from one
generation to another through teaching, research and training. It can be in a formal or informal
setting. Formal education involves institutionalized learning based on a curriculum. In today’s society,
education and learning play an indispensable role in shaping the lives of individuals and the society
at large. The most effective way of boosting economic growth, reducing poverty and improving
people’s health is by investing in education.
Human labor is essential for economic growth. A highly educated labor force further stimulates
economic growth. Additionally, a highly educated labor force can easily adapt to new working
environments and conditions. In view of that, it is evident that education serves as the driving force
for innovation of new products and services. Educated workers exchange ideas in the work place
and come up with new ideas that help in the growth of the economy. Education reduces poverty in
a number of ways. One way is by creating employment opportunities for educated people. Through
employment, one is able to afford a decent living. Education helps to increase economic security,
create income opportunities and improve livelihoods of the economically disadvantaged by
providing sustainable environmental management mechanisms. Education further alleviates poverty
through skills acquired in the learning process. Skills such as carpentry, plumbing and masonry are
relevant in non-formal economies. One can acquire these skills through technical and vocational
training.
Educated people are health conscious and live longer than their counterparts because they
engage in healthy habits such as eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly and going for medical
check ups. By investing in education, one will also be investing in their health. Education serves to
create room for technological advancements in the field of medicine and agriculture. Advanced
technology used for conducting surgery has replaced traditional methods. This has seen an
improvement in people’s general health and an increased life expectancy. Most developing
countries have a low life expectancy compared to developed countries. This can be attributed to
high illiteracy levels present in developing countries. This translates to poor health and poor eating
habits.
 In conclusion, education is the only means of alleviating poverty, improving people’s health
and increasing economic growth. Improving literacy levels in marginalized societies will go a long
way in improving human living standards.

POST ASSESSMENT
Directions: Simple recall: For numbers 1 and 2, write the letter of your answer on the space provided
before the number.
______1. Which of the following statements in SUMMARIZING is false?
A. The Summary is what the passage is mostly about.
B. The Summary is what all or most of the sentences or paragraphs are about.
C. The Summary is usually found in more than just one sentence of the passage.
D. The Summary is one isolated thought in a passage.
_______2. Which of the following statements in SUMMARIZING is true?
A. The Summary is a thought that is true but is not in the passage.
B. The Summary is what the passage is mostly about.
C. The Summary is specific, detailed information contained in the passage.
D. The Summary is always found in the first sentence of the passage.
Choose the letter that presents the best summary in each of the following paragraphs:
______3. When some people think about Texas, they think of cowboys on the open range- herding
cattle up a dusty trail. However, Texas has much more than open prairie with large herds of cows.
There are the mountains of West Texas, the piney hills of east Texas, and the emerald waters off the
coast of Padre Island. Texas also has large coastal harbors with numerous sailboats, powerboats,
inland lakes, rivers, swamps of southeast Texas with alligators and other exotic wildlife.
A. There are a lot of cows in Texas.
B. There are many different, varied parts of Texas.
C. Texas is one of the biggest states in the United States.
D. There are alligators in the swampland of southeast Texas.
______4. Tomorrow is Jill's birthday. She is excited because she gets to pick where she will eat dinner.
Will it be Mexican food at the Big Enchilada House? Or will it be fried chicken at the Chicken Shack,
or a big cheeseburger at Al's Hamburger Palace. She just couldn't decide. Then there was always the
Pizza Shop with that great pepperoni pizza. How would she ever decide? Maybe she would just flip a
coin.
A. Jill has many restaurants to choose from for her birthday.
B. Jill loves Mexican food.
 C. The Pizza Shop has the best pizza in town.
D. Jill will choose a place by flipping a coin.
______5. It started when they got to the bears. Peter felt tired and his stomach hurt. He dragged
himself over to see the elephants, which were eating from a stack of hay. Normally, the elephants
were his favorite. Without much interest, Peter followed his classmates to the camels, which were
busy swatting flies with their tails. Peter knew he should be having fun at the zoo, but he just felt
terrible and all he wanted to do was lie down and rest. Even the lions and tigers did not interest him
now.
A. Peter's favorite animals were the elephants.
B. The camels were swatting flies with their tails.
C. It was really hot at the zoo.
D. Peter didn't enjoy the zoo because he felt really bad.
______6. For the walls, Jenny thought she would use a bright yellow paint. She would pick a border
that had mostly bright red and green colors, and maybe a little bit of blue. She already had found
some curtains that were sky blue with streaks of red, blue and yellow that she thought would go great
with the walls. And finally, she had picked a carpet that was mostly blue with specks of red and
yellow. Jenny couldn't wait till she was done decorating her room. It was really going to look
awesome.
A. Jenny likes bright colors.
B. Jenny was going to paint her room.
C. Jenny was picking out colors and materials to decorate her room.
D. Yellow is a good color to paint your walls.
______7. Right now, Jason was playing right field. He really wanted to play third base. Earlier this year,
coach had put him in left field and second base in a game, but never at third base. Once in
practice, coach let him play third base, but he kept missing ground balls. When he did stop one, he
made a bad throw to first base. Maybe if he kept practicing, Jason would be good enough to play
third base. That was his dream.
A. Jason really wanted to play third base.
B. Jason was the best player on his team.
C. Jason had trouble catching ground balls.
D. Jason was too lazy to practice.
_______8. San Francisco is located on the coast of California in an area often called the Bay Area.
The weather is generally very mild, seldom getting really cold or really hot. Its mild climate is one
reason many people live there. It seldom snows in San Francisco and generally does not get below
freezing during the winter. Even in the middle of summer, temperatures may be in the mid-80s with a
cool breeze from the bay keeping the weather very comfortable.
A. San Francisco has many neat things to do.
B. It seldom snows in California.
C. Many people choose to live in California.
D. The weather in San Francisco is generally very mild.
_______9. Julie watched the ants as they carried small crumbs down the trail to the anthill. She thinks
ants are very hard working and industrious little creatures. They always seemed busy, and you never
saw an ant just laying around doing nothing. They were carrying food, building tunnels, or defending
the anthill. One thing you could say about ants is that they sure aren't lazy.
A. Ants carry many things. B. Some ants may bite you.
C. Ants are hard workers. D. Some ants help take care of the queen.
______10. The first book Chris read in fifth grade was about a lost kitten. Then he read a book about a
family of bears, and then he read about a wild kangaroo in Australia. It seems every book Chris reads
about animals. Last week he found a good book about snakes and reptiles, and another book about
elephants. Today Chris went to the library, and he checked out a book about dolphins, whales and
other animals that live in the sea.
A. Chris likes kangaroos. B. Chris is in the fifth grade.
C. Chris reads a lot of books about animals. D. Dolphins and whales live in the sea.