Breaking it down but keeping it real

 It is not a review  It is not an editorial  It is not a research paper  It is not a synthesis

 It is a comprehensive but concise piece of writing that tells the reader the main ideas of a text or portion of a text

Summaries allow you to incorporate the main idea(s) of a larger piece of writing into your own work. Summaries are essential for annotated bibliographies. Summaries help you to break down a text in an orderly manner.

A good summary demonstrates that you know what the text means.

 Can vary, according to the assignment Two – three sentences if summarizing a text within a paper. One paragraph (or less) if summarizing a text for an annotated bibliography. One to three paragraphs if you’re told to summarize a text for a class.

 1. Read the text.  2. Note where the text breaks up into “sections,” either those created by the author, or those that occur naturally in the text (i.e. where does author shift from one idea to another?)

 3. Write down, in your own words, the main idea of the text.  4. Write down, in your own words, the main idea of each “section.”  5. Note any special words or terms the author uses, and define them in your own words.

 First sentence includes:  author, source, and main idea of the article  Second and following sentences:  Should incorporate other central concepts, moving from the most to least important  No conclusion or concluding sentence

 *If the author defines a key term that is essential to understanding the main point of the text, make sure to include it in the summary.  *Attribute all points back to the source *The summary is in your own words, but you can use a quote from the text if necessary. It must cited. *It should not have: opinion, speculation, evaluation