Writing Summaries

Writing Summaries What are the two separate processes involved in summarizing a reading? - CORRECT ANSWER-1. Identifying the most important material. 2. Restating the material in your own words. You may quote material, but do so sparingly. Name the three types of summaries. - CORRECT ANSWER-1. Abstract 2. Informative 3. Explanatory What is a summary? - CORRECT ANSWER-It is a brief but comprehensive description of only the most important ideas, findings, or arguments of a reading. Describe an abstract summary - CORRECT ANSWER-A special form of an informative summary that is very short. It is usually a paragraph long summary of a reading and frequently accompanies scholarly texts. An abstract succinctly overviews the reading, informing readers of the text's primary assertions, findings, or arguments. Succinct - CORRECT ANSWER-Briefly and clearly expressed. When you are engaged in a research project, abstracts can be invaluable how? - CORRECT ANSWER-They are short enough to where you can quickly read them to see if they contain any relevant info for your project. Name and describe the qualities of a good summary. - CORRECT ANSWER-1. Comprehensive: It conveys all the important main ideas of the reading. Each individual writer must decide what is more important in the source text. This is what causes some essays to contain different information than others. 2. Brief: It conveys these main ideas briefly and concisely. Needs to be comprehensive, but brief. Brevity is usually achieved by carefully selecting your content and words to describe it. If you can say something gracefully in four words rather than five, say it in four. 3. Accurate: It accurately conveys the author's ideas, findings, assertions, or arguments. Readers are relying on you to provide accurate information. Do not misrepresent an ideas the author has either by omitting information or using inaccurate, slanted, or vague language. 4. Neutral: It avoids influence from your bias, preferences, judgements, or opinions. 5. Independent: It makes sense to someone who reads it independently of the main piece. Brevity - CORRECT ANSWER-Concise and exact use of words used in writing or speech. Bravado - CORRECT ANSWER-A bold manner or a show of boldness intended to impress or intimidate. Anticedent - CORRECT ANSWER-A thing or event that existed before or logically precedes another. Describe how to read, re-read, and annotate the source text when summarizing a text. - CORRECT ANSWER-1. Read the text and try to get an idea of its main ideas and structure. 2. Re-read the material but slower. As you read, carefully highlight important material and take notes in the margin that identify key points, info, and structure. 3. If you are summarizing a paragraph, locate and mark the topic sentence. If no topic sentence, paraphrase the main point of the paragraph in the margin. If summarizing an entire essay or article, locate the thesis. If thesis is stated, underline it and take note of it in the margin. If thesis is implied, paraphrase the main point of the piece at the end of the passage. 4. Identify the major sections of the pieces structure; where the author discusses one idea, finding, or argument. 5. In the margin of the passage or on a separate sheet of paper, briefly summarize each section of the text; every idea, assertion, or finding along with primary supporting information provided. 6. Check your section summaries against the source text. Make sure they are comprehensive, brief, accurate, neutral, and ultimately clear to anyone when combined to form a summary.