Read, Reread, and Annotate the Material

Carefully read the material, paying particular attention to the content and structure of the piece. Reread and annotate the material.  Identify the thesis,  the primary assertions, arguments, or findings, and the primary means of support for each point.

Write One-Sentence Summaries of Each Section of the Text

Identify the major sections of the reading, where the writer develops one idea before moving on to the next. In your own words, restate the main point developed in each section of the text and the primary means of support the author provides.

Write the First Draft of Your Summary

Introduce (in the first sentence) the full title of the piece, the author's full name, and the topic of the reading.  In the body of your summary, elaborate on the one sentence summaries, clearly explaining the important content of the reading.

Check the Rough Draft of Your Summary against the Source Text

As you review your work, make sure your summary is:

• Comprehensive:  all of the author’s important ideas, assertions, or findings are included in the summary .
• Accurate:  choose words and select material four your summary that do not misrepresent the author’s positions or findings.
• Neutral:  choose words and select material for your summary that are objective and fair.
• Independent: the summary makes sense to someone who has not read the source test.

Rewrite Your Summary

Based on your evaluation of your rough draft, make any needed changes in the content, organization, or language of your summary.  If you are writing an explanatory summary, include any transition words you need to guide your reader through your work.

 

Transitions indicate relations,

whether within a sentence, paragraph, or paper.

This list illustrates "relationships" between ideas,

followed by words and phrases that can connect them.

Addition:

also, again, as well as, besides, coupled with, furthermore, in addition, likewise, moreover, similarly

Consequence:

accordingly, as a result, consequently, for this reason, for this purpose,

hence, otherwise, so then, subsequently, therefore, thus, thereupon, wherefore

Generalizing:

as a rule, as usual, for the most part,

generally, generally speaking, ordinarily, usually

Exemplifying:

chiefly, especially, for instance, in particular, markedly, namely,

particularly,  including, specifically, such as

Illustration:

for example, for instance, for one thing, as an illustration,

illustrated with, as an example, in this case

Emphasis

above all, chiefly, with attention to, especially, particularly, singularly

Similarity:

comparatively, coupled with, correspondingly, identically, likewise, similar, moreover, together with

Exception:

aside from, barring, besides, except, excepting, excluding, exclusive of, other than, outside of, save

Restatement:

in essence, in other words, namely, that is, that is to say,

in short, in brief, to put it differently

Contrast and Comparison:

contrast, by the same token, conversely, instead, likewise,

on one hand, on the other hand, on the contrary, rather,

similarly, yet, but, however, still, nevertheless, in contrast

Sequence:

at first, first of all, to begin with, in the first place, at the same time,

for now, for the time being, the next step, in time, in turn, later on,

meanwhile, next, then, soon, the meantime, later, while, earlier,

simultaneously, afterward, in conclusion, with this in mind,

Summarizing:

after all, all in all, all things considered, briefly, by and large, in any case, in any event,

in brief, in conclusion, on the whole, in short, in summary, in the final analysis,

in the long run, on balance, to sum up, to summarize, finally

Diversion:

by the way, incidentally

Direction:

here, there, over there, beyond, nearly, opposite, under, above,

to the left, to the right, in the distance

Categories & examples, within sentences and connecting sentences

With a partner

• Write a summary of the chapter..
• Follow the directions for writing a summary.
• Post your summary in your google doc Student Work