Condensing original passage in your own words Writing a Summary Condensing original passage in your own words Writing Center Presentation adapted by Professor Linda G. Foss

Read Carefully Look for the writer’s purpose…why are they writing? the controlling idea the major supporting points important terms

Annotate the Original Identify the topic and thesis Mark supporting points Find short quotes to incorporate in your summary Identify author’s angle or bias

Write your Summary Identify the author and title of work in your introduction Condense by using only main ideas and omitting unnecessary details Use your own wording & style Use quotes sparingly for emphasis Use proper citation of original

Write Objectively Do not change the author’s meaning in any way Do not evaluate or react to the ideas of the original Keep the summary short---from one paragraph to several pages depending on original and your purpose

Use Quotations Use quotations only for emphasis or if unable to rephrase effectively Make a quotation part of a sentence Use signal phrases & citations In Johnson’s “Way of the West,” he argues that the myth of the cowboy as a “self-made man battling the elements by use of his survival instincts” does not tell the whole truth (44).

Document the Original Use the documentation system associated with the discipline or preferred by your instructor Follow its rules and examples for formatting paper and citing sources Sources must be indicated within the text, as well as fully cited at end of paper Seek assistance from the Writing Center about documentation systems such as MLA, APA, Chicago