Writing a Summary

Webster’s Dictionary definition Summary: a brief statement that presents the main points in concise form Summarize: to give summary of

HOW to WRITE a SUMMARY A GOOD SUMMARY DEMONSTRATES YOU CLEARLY UNDERSTAND A TEXT. COMMUNICATE THAT UNDERSTANDING TO YOUR READERS.

Step One: Divide and Conquer Skim the text and divide it into sections. Focus on headings and subheadings Look at any bold face terms and understand them before your read.

Step Two: Read Read straight through the selection ( Don’t stop to look up anything that gives you trouble). Now you’ll get the author’s tone and style and main idea.

Step Three REREAD Rereading is active reading Underline topic sentences and key facts Label areas for reference and or unnecessary details Identify areas for identification

Step Four One Sentence at a Time Write down the main idea of each section in one detailed sentence Only include key points, not minor details

Step Five Thesis Statement Review your sentences from step four Write a sentence that clearly communicates your main point If you cannot, then revise your sentences in step four

Step Six Ready to Write! Use your thesis sentence as your introductory sentence Use your other sentences as the body, make sure they are in order Add transition words to help the flow (ex: then, furthermore, however, etc.)

Tips: Keep writing in present tense Include sources: Author and Title of work Summarize= Shorter version of original text Cite all verbatim quotes Make sure you keep your personal ideas, thoughts and feelings out of your writing

STEP SEVEN Check for Accuracy Make sure you have made an accurate representation of the author’s main ideas and key points Make sure you have correctly cited anything quoted from the text Make sure you have correctly cited anything directly quoted from the text

STEP EIGHT REVISE Revise for style, grammar and punctuation Have someone else read your summary to review and see if they are able to understand the main text based on your summary Revise and re-write at this point if the reader is not able understand your summary or is unable to point out the main ideas

What are the differences between Quoting and Paraphrasing and Summarizing? Quoting: Quoting must be identical to the original source, written word for word with quotation marks Paraphrasing: This requires putting a passage from a source into your own words. Summarizing: Summarizing is putting the main ideas into your own words, including the thesis statement.

Why use Quotations, Paraphrases, and Summaries ? To add credibility to your writing To give examples of several points of view To call attention to a position you agree or disagree with To expand your writing

How to use Quotations, Paraphrases and Summaries Read the entire text, noting the main ideas Summarize in your own words the main ideas Paraphrase important points from text Consider any word, phrases or brief passages you think should be quoted

Annotated Bibliography Another type of Summary An annotated bibliography is a list of citations to books, articles, and documents followed by a brief descriptive and evaluative paragraph, the annotation. The purpose is to inform the reader of the relevance, accuracy, and quality of the sources cited. The descriptive paragraph can be used to compare and contrast works with another source It can also be used to note who the intended audience is, and help your topic to be more easily understood Format could be either APA or MLA, check to use correct form

References 1. E-Notes: How to Write a Summary slides #2- #11 http://www.enotes.com/topics/how-write-summary 2. Annotated Bibliography Slide # 15 http://olinuris.library.cornell.edu/ref/research/skill28.html 3. Webster’s Online Dictionary http://www.websters-online-dictionary.org/definitions/summarize