Writing a Summary

First step: Read and SummarizeAlways read the sources have been assigned or found before writing a response. Keep the assignment in your mind and try to summarize while or immediately after reading. Delete information that is not important or is repeated. If there are lists of items or events, think of one main heading or word for this information, instead of listing each item or event. Find a topic sentence that covers the main idea of the story, and if there is not a topic sentence, create one.

Summarizing Strategies

A summary is brief.

Bias is defined as (Noun) prejudice in favor of or against one thing, person, or group compared with another, usually in a way considered to be unfair

(Verb) cause to feel or show inclination or prejudice for or against someone or something

Summarizing Strategies

Being completely objective or unbiased is more impossible than possible, but writers should strive to create an unopinionated and factual summary. Personal reflection and opinionated discussion should be saved for the response portion of a paper.

Summary skills in day to day life:To answer questions such as “what was the movie about?” “how did the game go?” and “what did I miss in class today?” you must be able to summarize. Your questioner doesn't want to know every line and action in the movie, every play in the game, or every word from class; the question asks you to select the important details and summarize them. Similarly, when you summarize a reading you need to be able to find the important data and then present it as clearly and concisely as possible.

Summary skills after college:Politicians and corporations employ people to read every newspaper and newsmagazine and summarize relevant stories and articles. The more concise the summary the better, yet if any major details are omitted the purpose of the summary is lost--its readers will be uninformed on key aspects of the news and may make embarrassing errors as a result. The summaries that you write in college are as important to your academic career as these summaries are to these politicians and business people, and accuracy and concision are just as important, too.

The Key Features of a Summary:(1) it is shorter than the source, (2) it repeats the ideas of the source in different phrases and sentences.

Before writing a summary:Before writing the summary:For a text, read, mark, and annotate the original. (For a lecture, work with the notes you took.)

highlight the topic sentencehighlight key points/key words/phraseshighlight the concluding sentenceoutline each paragraph in the margin

Take notes on the following:the source (author--first/last name, title, date of publication, volume number, place of publication, publisher, URL, etc.)the main idea of the original (paraphrased)the major supporting points (in outline form)major supporting explanations (e.g. reasons/causes or effects)

Writing your summary:Organize your notes into an outline which includes main ideas and supporting points but no examples or details (dates, numbers, statistics).

Write an introductory paragraph that begins with a frame, including an in-text citation of the source and the author as well as a reporting verb to introduce the main idea. The reporting verb is generally in present tense.

ARTICLE: In his/her article (or lecture) "________________________,” _____________________ (year) (title, first letter capitalized) (author/lecturer's last name) argues/claims/reports/contends/maintains/states that ____________________________. (main idea/argument; S + V + C) Example: In his article "Michael Dell turns the PC world inside out," Andrew E. Serwer (1997) describes how Michael Dell founded Dell Computers and claims that Dell’s low-cost, direct-sales strategy and high quality standards account for Dell’s enormous success.BOOK:In his book The Pearl, John Steinbeck (1945) illustrates the fight between good and evil in humankind.INTERVIEW:In my interview with him/her (date), __________________(first name, last name) stated that ....

The main idea or argument needs to be included in this first sentence. Then mention the major aspects/factors/reasons that are discussed in the article/lecture. Give a full reference for this citation at the end of the summary (see #6. below).

For a one-paragraph summary, discuss each supporting point in a separate sentence. Give 1-2 explanations for each supporting point, summarizing the information from the original. For a multi-paragraph summary, discuss each supporting point in a separate paragraph. Introduce it in the first sentence (topic sentence).

Example: The first major area in which women have become a powerful force is politics. Support your topic sentence with the necessary reasons or arguments raised by the author/lecturer but omit all references to details, such as dates or statistics.Use discourse markers that reflect the organization and controlling idea of the original, for example cause-effect, comparison-contrast, classification, process, chronological order, persuasive argument, etc.In a longer summary, remind your reader that you are paraphrasing by using "reminder phrases," such as

The author goes on to say that ... The article (author) further states that ... (Author's last name) also states/maintains/argues that ... (Author's last name) also believes that ... (Author's last name) concludes that

Restate the article’s/lecturer’s conclusion in one sentence.

When do we summarize: Most summary occurs as part of other essays--indeed, few essays use only one kind of writing. Summary is often a part of synthesis because readers need to know a little about the ideas you are pulling together. Similarly, you have to summarize ideas or texts before you can compare them, classify them, or divide them into their component parts. You will find that almost any texts you read in college and outside contain at least a little summary.

The summary essay is written for an audience other than yourself. The purpose of the summary essay is to convey to others an understanding of a text you have read, without their having to read it themselves. Thus for your readers, your summary essay functions as a substitute for the source that you are summarizing. You don't want to misrepresent your source or mislead your audience. Certainly an important feature of the summary essay, then, is its fidelity to the source; you must represent your source accurately and comprehensively, with as little of your own interpretation as possible. (Anytime you read and repeat a source, of course, you are interpreting it; but the summary essay asks you to minimize your interpretation as much as possible. You should not add your own examples and explanations, for instance.)

A summary essay should be organized so that others can understand the source or evaluate your comprehension of it. The following format works well: a. The introduction (usually one paragraph)-- 1. Contains a one-sentence thesis statement that sums up the main point of the source. This thesis statement is not your main point; it is the main point of your source. Usually, though, you have to write this statement rather than quote it from the source text. It is a one-sentence summary of the entire text that your essay summarizes. 2. Also introduces the text to be summarized: (i) Gives the title of the source (following the citation guidelines of whatever style sheet you are using); (ii) Provides the name of the author of the source; (ii) Sometimes also provides pertinent background information about the author of the source or about the text to be summarized. The introduction should not offer your own opinions or evaluation of the text you are summarizing.

b. The body of a summary essay (one or more paragraphs): This paraphrases and condenses the original piece. In your summary, be sure that you-- 1. Include important data but omit minor points; 2. Include one or more of the author’s examples or illustrations (these will bring your summary to life); 3. Do not include your own ideas, illustrations, metaphors, or interpretations. Look upon yourself as a summarizing machine; you are simply repeating what the source text says, in fewer words and in your own words. But the fact that you are using your own words does not mean that you are including your own ideas. c. There is customarily no conclusion to a summary essay. When you have summarized the source text, your summary essay is finished. Do not add your own concluding paragraph unless your teacher specifically tells you to.