Writing a Summary (article / story / lecture...)

Writing a summary

A summary is a short explanation of the main ideas in a text. Learning to summarize is a very important skill.

It takes a careful reading of a text to write a good summary, and writing a good summary will illustrate your level of comprehension of a text.

What was the essay/article/lecture/story/video really about?

In general shows to teacher that you have read and understood something.

Before to start your summary.

Read the "article" and be sure you understood it.

Underline main ideas, note major points.

How do you write a Summary?

Some advices to write a summary.

Identify the type of work, title, author, and main point in the present tense.

In the article"Cats Don't Dance," John Wood explains ...

John Wood, in the article "Cats Don't Dance," explains ...

According to John Wood in the article"Cats Don't Dance" ...

Describe the main points covered in the text.

Write in your own words BUT NEVER put any of your own ideas, opinions, or interpretations into the summary.

Include supporting details

In "My Favorite Shoe," Treyvon Jones explains that Nike shoes are the best brand of running shoe for serious track athletes.

Copy word-for-word three separate passages from the essay that you think support and/or defend the main point of the essay as you see it.

Jones supports this view by pointing out that Nike shoes are more comfortable, last longer, and provide more cushioning for the feet. He notes that the statistics from sales and scientific evidence of how Nike shoes are better for the feet support his claim.

Write a last sentence that “wraps” up your summary.

often a simple rephrasing of the main point.

In addition, Jones points out that most professional runners use Nike and he tells his own story of how he won the 100-meter men's competition after switching to Nike shoes.

Use "quotation marks" in original article phrases.

Cite Each passage by signaling the work and the author, also put the number of the paragraph or number of page.

Passages can be found inmediatley.

Use reporting verbs and some adverbs. To show that these are the author's ideas, not yours

Don´t rewrite the article.

Actually, Only write 1/4 of the original work.

The summary is writen in present tenses.

In the essay Santa Ana, author Joan Didion’s main point is (state main point). According to Didion “…passage 1…” (para.3). Didion also writes “…passage 2…” (para.8). Finally, she states “…passage 3…” (para. 12) Write a last sentence that “wraps” up your summary; often a simple rephrasing of the main point.

Information taken at:

September 2020 http://www.laspositascollege.edu/raw/summaries.php#:~:text=Begin%20with%20the%20name%20of,depth%20of%20the%20summary%20desired

September 2020 https://public.wsu.edu/~mejia/Summary.htm

September 2020 https://courses.lumenlearning.com/englishcomp1v2xmaster/chapter/how-to-write-a-summary/#:~:text=When%20writing%20a%20summary%2C%20remember,ideas%20of%20the%20original%20text.

September 2020 https://owlcation.com/academia/How-to-Write-a-Summary