Summarizing Informational Texts

What is a summary?

• The goal of writing a summary is to accurately rephrase or recount the original text, but in a more condensed form.

• It is a brief recap of previously stated facts.

• A summary restates the author's main point, purpose, intent and supporting details in your own words.

Why Summarize?

The process of summarizing allows you

to understand the text well. In addition,

the knowledge you gain by summarizing

makes it possible to analyze and critique

the original text.

How to Summarize?

You must be able to spot the main or major ideas in the text.

You must:

Restate, that is repeat the ideas of the original text in different words and phrases

Do not add your own ideas, opinions or judgment of the arguments

Make it shorter than the original text.

Summary Writing Tips

Summaries include:

a Main Idea

Only important details

Uses key words and your words

TECHNIQUES FOR WRITING

SUMMARIES

1. Write a one-sentence summary of each

paragraph.

2. Develop a single sentence that

summarizes the whole text.

3. Write a paragraph (or more): begin with

the overall summary sentence and follow it

with the paragraph summary sentences.

4. Rearrange and rewrite the paragraph to

make it clear and concise and to eliminate

repetition .

Writing the Summary

Identify the author and title of the text at

the top of your paper.

Express the main points and key

supporting details in your own words.

What is the main idea?

Answer: The subject, theme or key

ideas of a paragraph.

When Writing Your Summaries…

PARAPHRASE!

Use the author‟s ideas but your own words

and vocabulary.

If using more that three or four exact words

of the author, it is not a paraphrase.

Change the word order.

Change the vocabulary – nouns, verbs,…

Change the length.

Example Paraphrase

Students are expected to read course

texts before class to prepare for class

discussion.

• Do your homework before class.

• Read the assigned material.

• Preparation is important.

• Others?

Turning words into sentences

In general cite the writer

Ex. The writer explains……

Ex. The writer states……

Or use the writer‟s name. The first

time use complete name. After that

only last name:

Catherine Coleman explains…

Coleman states ….

Academic Language Reporting

Verbs

Other words you can use instead of

“says” or “tells” or “talks about”

reports, points out

asks, describes

claims, declares

believes, explains, suggests

Academic Language

Some introductory phrases :

1. (The author) states in (this article) that...

2. (The author, in (this article) shows that...

3. In (this article), (the author) writes that...

4. As (the author) says in (this article), ...

5. The main idea of (the author's article) is

Sample Summary

A Summary of "National Security Justifies Censorship" by Roger S. Thomas

Introduction

The article "National Security Justifies Censorship" by Elmo R. Zumwalt explains whyinformation that is secret to the security of the nation should not be released to the press. The arguments made by Zumwalt are summarized below.

Summary

Although many journalists dispute that the First Amendment guarantees unrestricted printing freedom, the authors believe the framers of the Constitution neglected to install safe guards that would protect national security.

Body of Summary (Middle)

After your introductory sentence,

insert all of the sentences you wrote.

Now you have a body.

Now work with the language. Change

all those “says”, “talks about” to different

verbs “describes” “states”, etc.

Using Transitions in the Body

First the author ………….

The author begins by stating that users

should……….

He then points out that…….

In the second part of the article……..

In the final section of the article, the

author suggests……………..(Signals an

End!)

Bullies Behind Bars?

Paragraph 2: “They stalked [Phoebe] through the school hallways, called her names, encouraged other kids to exclude and harass her, and threatened to beat her up. The abuse continued on Phoebe‟s Facebook wall, where the girls posted cruel messages and humiliating rumors…That afternoon, after Phoebe got home, she texted her friend: „I can‟t do it anymore.‟”

Paraphrase / Summary of this Paragraph

o Phoebe was suffering and could no longer deal with the constant attacks from school bullies.

Vocabulary for Reading

Cyber bullying – Cyber bullying is the use of technology to harass, threaten, embarrass, or target another person.

Criminalize – To criminalize (something) is to make (something) illegal.

Empathetic – Someone is considered to be empathetic if he or she is able to identify with the thoughts, feelings, or attitudes of others.

Grappling – To grapple with something is to try to overcome or deal with a problem.

Torment – To torment someone is to cause the person to have great mental or physical suffering.