Writing Summaries

WRITING SUMMARIES


A summary is a brief restatement in your own words of a text's main ideas. It is a condensation of an extended idea or argument into one or more sentences in your own words.

CHARACTERISTICS:

* Summaries identify the source of original text.

* Summaries demonstrate your understanding of a text's subject matter.

* Summaries are shorter (at least 60% shorter) than the original text--they omit the original text's "examples, asides, analogies, and rhetorical strategies: (Holt Handbook, 5th edition).

* Summaries differ from paraphrases--paraphrases more closely follow the original text's presentation (they still use your words, but they are longer than summaries).

* Summaries focus exclusively on the presentation of the writer's main ideas--they do not include your interpretations or opinions.

* Summaries normally are written in your own words--they do not contain extended quotes or paraphrases.

* Summaries rely on the use of standard signal phrases ("According to the author..."; "The author believes..."; etc.).

TIPS ON WRITING SUMMARIES

Step One (Prewriting):

* Read the article quickly.
* Try to get a sense of the article's general focus and content.

Step Two (Drafting):

* Restate the article's thesis simply and in your own words.
* Restate each paragraph's topic simply and in your own words.

Step Three (Revising):

* Combine sentences in Step Two to form your summary; organize your summary sentences in the same order as the main ideas in the original text.
* Edit very carefully for neatness and correctness.