Summarizing Using Your Own Words…

Summarizing Why do it? Comprehension: To reduce information to essential ideas in order to: Understand and learn important information Communication: Expand the breadth or depth of your writing

The Process… Using “MIDAS”

I Identify SUPPORTING DETAILS D Disregard unimportant information M Main idea: Identify main idea from TOPIC SENTENCE (if there is one) or use BASIC SIGNAL WORDS I Identify SUPPORTING DETAILS D Disregard unimportant information A Analyze redundant information S Simplify, categorize, and label important information

Establishing a focus… The main idea is the most important information or concept in a text or statement. Sometimes the main idea is explicit; sometimes it is implied. Not all information is equal: some of it clearly is more important than the rest. Templeton, 1997

Using basic signal words… WHO? (subject) WHAT? (action) WHERE? (location) WHEN? (time) WHY? (reason) HOW? (process)

Topic Sentences… The TOPIC SENTENCE is usually the first sentence of the paragraph. It gives the reader an idea of what the paragraph is going to be about. 

Topic Sentences cont. However, the TOPIC SENTENCE may not always be so clearly stated, and it can come in the middle or end of a paragraph, not just its beginning. Regardless, all TOPIC SENTENCES are supported by sentences that give details to develop the MAIN IDEA.

Let’s practice One paragraph at a time… Summarizing Let’s practice One paragraph at a time…

Example paragraphs… At an elevation of 29,028 feet (8848 meters) above sea level, Mount Everest is the world’s tallest mountain. Mount Everest is relatively young, having been formed only 60 million years ago, and it is still growing a few millimeters every year!

Main idea and supporting details

Sentence Summary… Formed 60 million years ago and still growing, Mount Everest is the world’s tallest at 29,028 feet.

Mount Everest cont… Mount Everest is in the mountain range called the Himalayas. The summit ridge of Mount Everest separates Nepal and Tibet. Each place has a special name for this giant mountain. The Nepalese name is Sagarmatha, which means “goddess of the sky”. The Tibetan name is Chomolungma, which means “mother goddess of the universe”. In English, Mount Everest is named after Sir George Everest, the first person to record the height and location of the mountain.

Main idea and supporting details

Sentence Summary… Mount Everest, which separates Tibet and Nepal in the Himalayan mountain range, has many special names from different countries.

Mount Everest cont… A climb to the summit was attempted by George Mallory in 1922, who famously gave his reason for wanting to climb Everest as “because it’s there.” He attempted to reach the summit again in the company of Andrew Irvine in 1924, but on this trip both climbers disappeared. The first successful ascent (and descent) of Mount Everest was accomplished by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay on May 29th, 1953. The first ascent by a woman was on May 16th, 1975, by Junko Tabei from Japan.

Main idea and supporting details

Sentence summary… Despite many attempts to climb Mount Everest and many continued attempts, Edmund Hillary and Tenzig Norgay were the first to make the ascent in 1953.

Between 1921 and 2007, over two thousand people have climbed Mount Everest, some more than once. Since the first ascent in 1953, more than 600 climbers from 20 different countries have reached the summit. However, over two hundred climbers have died attempting to climb Mount Everest, most commonly from avalanches, but also from falls in crevasses, cold, or high-altitude sicknesses.