I. How to prepare a summary
Writing a summary brings together a number of important reading, study, and writing skills. To condense the original assigned material, you must preview, read, evaluate, organize, and perhaps outline it. Summarizing, then, can be a real aid to understanding; you must "get inside" the material and realize fully what is being said before you can reduce its meaning to a few words.
How to Read Well: Four General Steps
Skillful reading is an important part of becoming a skillful writer. Following is a series of four steps that will make you a better reader - both of the selections here and in your reading at large.
Concentrate As You Read
To improve your concentration, follow these tips:
First, read in a place where you can be quiet and alone. Don' t choose a spot where there is a TV or stereo on or where friends or family are talking nearby.
Next, sit upright when you read. If your body is in a completely relaxed position, sprawled across a bed or nestled in an easy chair, your mind is also going to be completely relaxed. The light muscular tension that comes from sitting in a straight chair promotes concentration and keeps your mind ready to work.
Third, consider using your index finger (or a pen) as a pacer while you are reading. Lightly underline each line of print with your index finger as you read down a page. Hold your hand slightly above the page and move your finger at a speed that is a little too fast for comfort. This pacing with your index finger, like sitting upright in a chair, creates a slight physical tension that will keep your body and mind focused and alert.
Skim Material before You Read It
In skimming, you spend about two minutes rapidly surveying a selection, looking for important points and skipping secondary material. Follow this sequence when skimming:
Begin by reading the overview that precedes the selection.
Then study the title of the selection for a few moments. A good title is the shortest possible summary of a selection; it often tells you in several words - or even a single word - just what a selection is about. For example, the title "Shame" suggests that you're going to read about a deeply embarrassing condition or incident in a person's life.
Next, form a question (or questions) based on die title. For instance, for the selection titled "Shame", you might ask, "What exactly is the shame?" "What caused the shame?" ''What is the result of the shame?" Using a title to form questions is often a key to locating a writer's thesis, your next concern in skimming.
Read the first and last couple of paragraphs in the selection. Very often a writer's thesis, if it is directly stated, will appear in one of these places and will relate to the title. For instance, in "Why Are Students Turned Off?" the author says in his second paragraph that "...many students are turned off because they have little power and responsibility for their own education".
Finally, look quickly at the rest of the selection for other "clues to important points. Are there any subheads you can relate in some way to the title? Are there any words the author has decided to emphasize by setting them off in italic or boldface type? Are there any major lists of items signaled by words such as first, second, also, another, and so on?
Read the Selection Straight Through with a Pen in Hand
Read the selection without slowing down or turning back; just aim to understand as much as you can the first time through. Write a check or star beside answers to basic questions you formed from the title, and beside other ideas that seem important. Number lists of important points: 1, 2, 3, ... Circle words you don't understand. Write question marks in the margins next to passages that are unclear and that you will want to reread.
Work with the Material
Go back and reread passages that were not clear the first time through. Look up words that block your understanding of ideas and write their meanings in the margin. Also, reread carefully the areas you identified as most important; doing so will enlarge your understanding of the material. Now that you have a sense of the whole, prepare a short written outline of the selection by answering the following questions:
What is the thesis?
What key points support the thesis?
What seem to be other important ideas in the selection?
By working with the material in this way, you will significantly increase your understanding of a selection. Effective reading, just like effective writing, does not happen all at once. Rather, it must be worked on. Often you begin with a general impression of what something means, and then, by working at it, you move to a deeper level of understanding.
Writing
a Summary
A summary is a shortened version of a text aimed at giving the most important information or ideas of the text.
In a summary you reduce material in an original work to its main points and key supporting details. A summary is usually between one-third or one-forth of an article length.
How to Summarize an Article
To write a summary, follow the steps below.
1. Take a few minutes to preview the work. You can preview an article in a magazine by taking a quick look at the following:
^a. Title. A title often summarizes what an article is about. Think about the title for a minute, and about how it may condense the meaning of the article.
b. Subtitle. A subtitle, if given, is a short summary appearing under or next to the title. For example, in a Newsweek article entitled "Growing Old, Feeling Young," the following caption appeared: "Not only are Americans living longer, they are staying active longer - and their worst enemy is not nature, but the myths and prejudices about growing old". In short, the subtitle, the caption, or any other words in large print under or next to the title often provide a quick insight into the meaning of an article.
c. First and last several paragraphs. In the first several paragraphs, the author may introduce you to the subject and state the purpose of the article. In the last several paragraphs, the writer may present conclusions or a summary. The previews or summaries can give you a quick overview of what the entire article is about.
d. Other items. Note any heads or subheads that appear in the article. They often provide clues to the article's main points and give an immediate sense of what each section is about. Look carefully at any pictures, charts or diagrams that accompany the article. Page space in a magazine or journal is limited, and such visual aids are generally used only to illustrate important points in the article. Note any words or phrases set off in italic type or boldface print; such words have probably been emphasized because they deal with important points in the article.
2. Read the article for all you can understand the first time through. Do not slow down or turn back. Check or otherwise mark main points and key supporting details. Pay special attention to all the items noted in the preview. Also, look for definitions, examples, and enumerations (lists of items), which often indicate key ideas. You can also identify important points by turning any heads into questions and reading to find the answers to the questions.
Go back and reread more carefully the areas you ffave identified as most important. Also, focus on other key points you may have missed in your first reading.
Take notes on the material. Concentrate on getting down the main ideas and the key supporting points.
Prepare the first draft of your summary, keeping these points in mind:
a. Identify at the start of the summary the title and author of the work. Include in parentheses the date of publication. For example, In "Beyond the Gender Myths" (Time, October 19, 1998), Margot Hornblower states...
b. Do not write an overly detailed summary. Remember that the purpose a summary is to reduce the original work to its main points and essential supporting details.
c. Express the main points and key supporting details in your own words. It's not an imitation of the style of the original work.
d. Quote from the material only to illustrate key points. Also, limit your quotations. A one-paragraph summary should not contain more than one or two quoted sentences.
e. Preserve the balance and proportion of the original work. If the original devoted 70 percent of its space to one idea and only 30 percent to another your summary should reflect that emphasis.
f. Revise your first draft, paying attention to the principles of effective write (unity, support, coherence, and clear, error-free sentences).
g. Write the final draft of the paper.
Model Summary of an Article
In "Beyond the Gender Myths" (Time, October 19, 1998), Margot Hornblower reports on a growing interest in the educational needs of girls and boys. In the early 1990s, researchers found that the education system shortchanged and harmed girls. Various creative solutions included Take Our Daughters to Work Day, which encourages girls to consider varied careers. Teachers also devised programs to help girls progress in math and science, stereotypical male fields. Another approach has been segregated schools and classrooms for girls only. In reaction to the programs for girls, parents and researchers are saying that solutions must also be found for special problems boys face, such as restlessness in class. Despite the gender-specific agendas, writes Hornblower, a recent report found that "what helps girls is what helps boys: smaller classes, a demanding curriculum, and encouragement". Another researcher found that successful math and science teachers shared certain techniques: allowing no disrespect, using a variety of instruction methods, and dividing their attention equally among students. Educational advocates agree that stereotyping should be ended for both genders. Then, writes Hornblower, "teachers can concentrate on paying more nuanced attention to our children as individuals".