WRITING SUMMARIES USING STEP UP TO WRITING

Step One: Write a Topic Sentence First, Identify what you will be summarizing. Be specific; use names and titles. Example 1 The novel Africa Dream by Eloise Greenfield... Example 2 “Chapter Five” in my science book... Example 3 The poem “Paul Revere’s Ride” by Henry Longfellow...

Second, Select a verb to help you organize your summary Second, Select a verb to help you organize your summary. tells describes gives lists explains shows compares defines presents

Third, Finish your thought. Example 1 The story Africa Dream by Eloise Greenfield tells about a girl who returns to Africa and visits many places. Example 2 “Chapter Five” in my science book explains how a simple telegraph works. Example 3 The poem “Paul Revere’s Ride” by Henry Longfellow describes Paul Revere’s ride to warn colonists of a British invasion.

Step 2: Copy this sentence to look like a real sentence. Fix spelling and capitalization. Example: Identify the Item Select a Verb Finish your thought Painless Public provides a number of practical Speaking by Joan Bower hints for people who are afraid of speaking in front of a group. Copy: Painless Public Speaking by Joan Bower provides a number of practical hints for people who are afraid of speaking in front of a group.

Step 3: Create a Fact Outline List important details from the text. Painless Public Speaking by Joan Bower provides a number of practical hints for people who are afraid of speaking in front of a group. Example of a Fact Outline: -Visualize your speech -Make a plan -Practice relaxation techniques -Use a mnemonic

Step 4: Write your Summary Use your fact outline. Example: Painless Public Speaking by Joan Bower provides a number of practical hints for people who are afraid of speaking in front of a group. First, the author shows the reader how to plan a speech by selecting main ideas that will be presented in the speech. Next, she uses a train as a mnemonic to help her students organize and recall the parts of the speech. She also encourages people to visualize their speeches. Bower does this by asking them to picture the number of boxcars that will be in the train they have created. Finally, she lists many relaxation techniques that can be used to help relieve the stress most people feel just before they give a speech.

Summary Tips Skim the text to get meaning. Read carefully and focus on key words. Use your own words. State each important idea in ONE clear sentence. Condense - shorten the text Integrate - combine ideas from the text Paraphrase - restate ideas from the text in own words