1、Summary WritingChapter 4Objectives 1.Give an appropriate definition for a summary2.Know the characteristics of a good summary3.Learn the techniques in summary writing4.Learn the steps in summary writing5.Practice I.What is a summary?nA summary is a shortened passage,which retains the essential infor
2、mation of the original.It is a fairly brief restatement-in your own words-of the contents of a passage.nNote:you simply report back what the writer has said,without making value judgments.II.Characteristics of a good summarynCan be understood without reference to the original;nIs a faithful reproduc
3、tion of,or contains only the ideas or information of,the original;nIs brief without any unnecessary detail;nIs a readable unified wholeIII.Techniques in summary writing1.ParaphrasingTo paraphrase means to completely and correctly express other peoples ideas in ones own words.Examples:1.Youve cooked
4、us all a hot potato.(a troublesome person or issue)2.Prevention is better than cure.(It is better to prevent something unpleasant from happening than try to put it right afterwards.)It helps us understand the original better.It helps us grasp the central idea and the main points.It helps us write su
5、mmaries that are brief and to the point,and in our own words.The importance of paraphrasingRead the original carefully and comprehend its meaning wholly and correctly.Consider the original article as a whole,not in isolated sentences.Steps of paraphrasing2.Grasping the central ideasIII.Techniques in
6、 summary writing3.Ways of condensationnUse synonyms or synonymous phrasesHe had a good command of English.(He knew English well.)nChange the structure of simple sentencesMy brother has an appreciation of modern art.(My brother appreciates modern art.)III.Techniques in summary writingnTurn complex se
7、ntences into simple sentencesHe received a welcome that was as cold as ice.(He received an icy welcome.)nCombine the sentencesHurry up.If you dont,youll miss the train.(Hurry up or youll miss the train.)4.Finding the topic sentence and making an outline5.topic sentence/outlineIV.How to write a summa
8、ry?1.The importance of summary writing2.Necessary elements for a good summarynProper citation title,author,source;date of publication and the text (journal articles)nThesis statement the topic or general subject matter of the text;the authors major assertion,comment,or position on the topicnSupporti
9、ng ideas major supporting ideas;relationships among these ideas no specifics the authors purpose in writing no personal opinions,ideas,and inferences.nGrammar and the structure of writing avoid direct quotation;use transitional wordsnLength 1/4 to 1/3 of the original Read the article To understand t
10、he article and find the general theme.Reread the article Divide into sections and label each section.Understand the important parts.Write one-sentence summaries Summarize each section of thought.3.Steps in writing a summaryFormulate the thesis statement Weave the one-sentence section-summaries toget
11、her.Write the first draftA.In the first sentence or two:1.The authors name2.The articles or chapters name3.The authors thesis statementB.Then the summary sentences for each paragraph or section.C.Express in your own words,to avoid plagiarism.D.Occasional supporting ideas if necessary.Note:1.Eliminat
12、e unnecessary words and repetitions.2.Eliminate personal ideas and inferences.3.Use transitions for a smooth and logical flow of ideas.4.Conclude with a summing up sentence.Edit the draftIs all the important information in the summary?Am I listing things out?Am I saying the same thing over and over again?Have I left out my personal views and ideas?Does my summary hang together?Is my grammar,punctuation,and spelling correct?Write the final draft
