Summarizing:
A summary is an overview of a text. The main idea is given, but details, examples and formalities are left out. Used with longer texts, the main aim of summarizing is to reduce or condense a text to its most important ideas. Summarizing is a useful skill for making notes from readings and in lectures, writing an abstract/synopsis and incorporating material in assignments.
Components to make a good summary:
- Reading
- Selecting the key points
- Noting the key points
- Rewriting the phrase
- Check the final draft
Before Summarizing:
The amount of detail you include in a summary will vary according to the length of the original text, how much information you need and how selective you are:
- Start by reading a short text and highlighting the main points as you read.
- Reread the text and make notes of the main points, leaving out examples, evidence etc.
- Without the text, rewrite your notes in your own words; restate the main idea at the beginning plus all major points.
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.
When to Summaries:
- To outline the main points of someone else’s work in your own words, without the details or examples.
- To include an author’s ideas using fewer words than the original text.
- To briefly give examples of several differing points of view on a topic.
- To support claims in, or provide evidence for note.
Examples:
- Text: The amphibians, which, is the animal class to which our frogs and toads belong, were the first animals to crawl from the sea and inhabit the earth.
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Summary: The first animals to leave the sea and live on dry land were the amphibians.
- Text: There are a number of methods of joining metal articles together, depending on the type of metal and the strength of the joint which is required.
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Summary: One piece of metals can be connected to another depending on the method used to dictate the metal type and how strong a joint is needed.
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