sum

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SUMMARY WRITING LESSON Summarize Write a one-paragraph summary of a text by doing the following:

● Include the author, title, and main idea of the article in the first sentence of your summary.

● Use the 5Ws + H (who, what, when, where, why, and how) to present the main ideas of the text.

● Do not include secondary details. ● Paraphrase the author’s words rather than

copying them. If you use any exact wording from the article, be sure to put those words in quotation marks. However, because summaries are typically short, there should be very little quoting, if any at all.

● Do not include your own opinions. ● Use transition words to connect the information

in a logical order. If there is a particular chronology of information in the text, maintain

that order.

Transition Words in Sequence first > next > then > finally first > another > finally first of all > besides > in addition first of all > in addition > another > finally one > another > finally one > one other > along with > last to begin > at the same time > finally

Helpful Verbs for Summaries

acknowledges discusses advises explains asserts explores compares identifies contrasts investigates critiques illustrates defines presents demonstrates recommends describes suggests

Steps to Writing an Effective Summary Step 1 Highlight the most important points in the article.

Step 2 Without looking at the article, make a brief outline of the most important points. Once you have written those main ideas in your own words, you can refer to the article to make sure that the information that you wrote down is accurate.

Step 3 Mention the author, the specific genre (book, article, etc.), and the title of the article in your first sentence.

Step 4 State the topic of the article and the main idea in the first sentence of your summary.

Step 5 Include only the most important points and supporting details.

Step 6 Paraphrase the author’s ideas rather than copying sentences, but be sure to include some of the key vocabulary used in the article.

Step 7 Don’t include your personal opinions or experiences.

Step 8 Present the ideas in the order in which they were discussed in the reading selection and preserve the original balance of information.

Step 9 Introduce the author’s key points with citation verbs using the present tense (e.g., the author points out, the writer mentions, Gable emphasizes).

Step 10 Use transitional expressions to make connections between ideas. furthermore, finally).

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SUMMARY TEMPLATE

In the article / essay “____________________________,” the author ,____________________, (title of article or essay) (author’s name)

_______________________ [that] ___________________________________________________. (Choose a verb from the list below) (Describe the main point the writer makes. Include some of the 5Ws.

DO NOT include your opinion or specific examples from the text.)

Useful Verbs for Summaries:

explores explains proposes demonstrates recommends

identifies discusses suggests illustrates presents

defines describes argues compares advises

acknowledges contrasts critiques asserts investigates

Peer Review Survey:

Work with a partner to revise your summaries. Read through your partner’s summary carefully. Write “yes” or “no” in response to each of the following questions, and create a list in response to #9:

1. Does the writer include the author’s name in the first sentence of the summary?

2. Does the writer include the title of the essay in the first sentence of the summary?

3. Is the title in quotation marks?

4. Does the first sentence clearly state the main idea of the article?

5. Does the writer include all of the important ideas or supporting points from the essay?

6. Does the writer use his/her own words?

7. Does the writer keep his/her own opinions out of the summary?

8. Does the writer use clear grammar and punctuation in the summary? (Please help your partner edit if you see errors)

9. Make a list of TO DOs for your partner based on anything he/she needs to revise from above