Summarizing
Practice summarizing with these three activities.
Webster's calls a summary the "general idea in brief form"; it's the distillation, condensation, or reduction of a larger work into its primary notions.
What usually happens when students summarize?
(ReadingQuest.org, 2012)
- they write down everything
- they write down next to nothing
- they give me complete sentences
- they write way too much
- they don't write enough
- they copy word for word
Interactive Lesson on Summary Writing; Wisc-Online
- Step-by-step instructions on summary writing
- Examples of summaries, both good and bad
- Practice area
- See more writing strategies at Wisc-Online Technical Reporting site.
Summary Writing; Drew University On-Line Resources for Writers; CCL
What do you want to summarize? Here is a great resource on summarizing tips for:
* daily life
* reader's summary
* summary-outline
* summary essay
* peer assessment of summary
Summary: Using it Wisely; The Writing Center, University of North Carolina Arts & Sciences
This handout will help distinguish between summary an analysis giving guidelines and examples.
Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing; OWL Purdue University
What are the differences? What is the purpose?