Summary Writing Techniques
SUMMARY WRITING
A. Definitions
1. Outlining
An outline is a structural skeleton of the main points of the material as they appear in chronological, rather than logical, order.
2. Paraphrase
Paraphrasing, the restatement of another writer's ideas in your own words
3. Summary
Summarizing, the brief restatement of a longer text in fewer words than the original text. The most important feature of a summary is that it is short, almost always fewer than 250 words. It is a piece of writing about another piece of writing. Its purpose is to condense a long piece of writing into a concise summation of its meaning. Note: Summaries are short accounts of things (including texts).
4. Precis
Short accounts of texts only.
B. Why teach Summary?
To help students:
1. In English
2. In other subjects
3. In the real world.
C. Sub-Skills which students need to develop
Reading
Students need to read as much as they can to broaden their knowledge of the language as much as possible.
Comprehension
By extension, students must be able to follow and understand narrative, appreciate argument, follow sequencing and anticipate consequences when they are reading. Above all they must be able to analyse what they read.
Selection of Information
identify the main topic
become aware of the gist of the passage
identify topic sentences and key words and phrases in each paragraph
extract supporting ideas
(the ability to do this will rest on skimming and scanning)
Elimination of Superfluous Information
examples, figures of speech, illustrations, repetitions and unnecessary descriptive language must be omitted.
Compression
wherever possible, phrases must be replaced by single words such as collective nouns or pronouns. Generalizations can be used to represent detailed information.
Note taking
Avoid copying sentences or large sections of text verbatim into the summary. Students should be encouraged...
More Art Essays
essays:
Baz Lurhman describes 'Moulin Rouge' as "Audience Participation Cinema". Analyse the techniques he uses in the opening of the film, to remind us that "we are watching a movie"
... out of the window, satisfied with his surroundings. Christian explains his need to be in Paris due its bohemian atmosphere and want to write about ... a film and not reality as real life follows in chronological order whereas these flashes from past to present are a ...
A Play I Wrote for my "Modern Femininity" Class. Some people might find it offensive. It was in response to the assignment "Write a Creative Response to Changing Role of Males in Modern Parenting"
... the Pound, Gz Up, Hoes Down. For Mr. H, from piece of pootie tang, Mrs. H, because your love is the shizznittt ... s convinced that she is a real person. He even writes her love letters. We pretend to deliver them, and write responses. Margaret: Dear Hambone, I would love it for you ...
The Adoration of the Magi One piece of art work,
... art we are left with a sense of happiness and joy. I feel that if we look at a piece of artwork and then encounter ... and painting on manuscripts, panels, canvases and walls. It has also fulfilled many functions, providing picture texts for the illiterate, as well as beautiful objects and buildings ...
The Adoration of the Magi One piece of art work,
... art we are left with a sense of happiness and joy. I feel that if we look at a piece of artwork and then encounter ... and painting on manuscripts, panels, canvases and walls. It has also fulfilled many functions, providing picture texts for the illiterate, as well as beautiful objects and buildings ...
Dulce et Decorum est - a beautiful poem . truly a piece of art .........
... the pieces of a comrade and friend. He was diagnosed with \"neurasthenia\" (shell-shock) and was put into a hospital near Edinburgh. It was here he met Siegfried Sassoon who encouraged him to write and ...
Essay Anwering the Question: Choose Three Pieces of Art, and Discuss Their Meanings and the Influences Behind Their Creation, and How They Affect Your Artwork
... place of Pharaoh Khufu (Cheops) is, as one of the seven greatest wonders of the old world, one of the most amazing pieces of architecture of which ...
This is a detailed description of a piece of ancient egyptian artwork.
... swinging the adze downwards towards the feet, chipping off a piece of wood, and walking backwards as you went, leaving a relatively ...
Bjork's lyrical epic
... songs: Human Behavior, Isobel and Bachelorette. The prompt was to write a critical evaluation on a piece of art or music. One of the ... joys in life and growing up. Each human is guilty of unpredictability, it's our nature. "There's definitely no logic." Humans are complex; we pollute nature which is ...