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    Summary Writing

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    dejesus20angel

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    Summary Writing

    Uploaded by

    dejesus20angel
    3 views1 page

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    © © All Rights Reserved

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    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
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    3 views1 page

    Summary Writing

    Uploaded by

    dejesus20angel

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 1

    The goal of a summary—of an article, a chapter, or a book—is to restate as clearly as possible the

    main ideas of the original work in a much more condensed form and entirely in your own words.

     A summary is an accurate and objective retelling of the main points of the original. It does not
    include any ideas not found in the original, such as your own thoughts, opinions, or observations
    about the work you are summarizing or any of its points.
     It concentrates on the main points, omitting details, minor examples, and purely background
    information.
     A summary usually does not include direct quotations or paraphrases of the original source, but
    if any exact language is included, such as special terms the author uses, these words should be
    enclosed in quotation marks.
     A summary is not an analysis or an evaluation. A summary should focus on what the writer says
    (the ideas and information) and not on what the writer does and how well (the writing strategies
    and techniques used).
     Avoid language that states or implies any judgment of the ideas or the writing.

    The following steps will help write a one-paragraph summary of a short work. (The guidelines may be
    adapted for writing a longer summary.)

    I. Take summary notes on the article:

     Read the article several times, noting its main idea (thesis), its most important supporting
    points, and any important conclusions. A poor understanding of the reading will yield a poor
    summary.
     Write down the article’s main idea (thesis) in your own words, in a complete sentence.
     Break the article into its major parts or sections, paragraph-by-paragraph, or section by section,
    depending on the article's length and complexity.
     Using your own words, write a one- or two-sentence summary of each part or section, making
    sure that your summary conveys the main idea of that part.

    II. Now turn your summary notes into a coherent paragraph.

     Begin with a sentence that names the author and title of the work, and states the work’s main
    point (its thesis).
     Follow this sentence with the rest of your summary sentences, following the general order of
    points presented in the original.
     Include present tense signal phrases periodically ("Jenkins writes/notes/reports" or "According
    to Jenkins") to orient your reader and to keep you focused on relating the ideas of the text.
     Use direct language to relate the writer’s ideas. Choose precise and accurate verbs (states,
    argues, suggests, contends, complains, notes), not the vague talks about/writes about.
     Revise your paragraph so that it moves smoothly from one idea to the next. Your finished
    paragraph should present the article’s main points and show your reader how these ideas
    connect to one another.
     If your summary is longer than what your assignment calls for, go back and condense ideas that
    can be condensed, or edit out the least important of the ideas presented.

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