Writing A Critical

Summary of An Article
P RESEN T ED BY BA SH A I ER
A L AMSH A N I
What is a summary?

• A brief or shortened description

version of an article, research
paper or report.
What are the steps of summary writing

• Step 1: Read the text. ...

• Step 2: Break the text down into sections. ...
• Step 3: Identify the key points in each section. ...
• Step 4: Write the summary. ...
• Step 5: Check the summary against the article.
Write a summary of the text
in English, including the
most important points,
using your own words
whenever possible
(maximum 50 words,)
Writng a summary: possible answer.
In Britain, there are more divorces than before and less / fewer
marriages. These days people live together instead of getng married,
and modern families are diferent from / than / to traditonal ones.
Usually, the woman asks for a divorce, not the man, because her
husband is cruel or not reasonable.
What is a Critical Summary?

 A critical summary is a clear and precise review of an article

wherein you provide a concise summary followed by a critical
comment. In a critical summary, you must ANALYZE and EVALUATE.
 understand the main points in an
1 artcle
You need
to: • analyze the fndings or argument in
2 the artcle

• decide how you want to critcally

3 evaluate the artcle
 • Steps to Critically Summarize an Article

1. Plan Enough Time Plan to spend at least half of your overall assignment tme to reading
and understanding the artcle.
o Before you can write about it, you have to understand it, and this can take more tme than
you antcipate.
o As yourself if the artcle make sense to you and if you could explain it to someone in plain
terms.
o When you can do this, you are ready to write about it.
• Steps to Critically Summarize an Article

2. Scan the Artcle Read the headings/subheadings and look at how the paper is organized.
Questons to ask yourself:
 Do the headings/subheadings work with the content of the artcle?
 Why is the artcle organized this way?
 Do the headings and subheadings work with the ttle of the paper? If there are
photographs, charts, graphs, or diagrams in the paper:
 Are there captons, and do they relate to the illustraton and the artcle as a whole?
• Steps to Critically Summarize an Article

3. Read the “Introducton” and “Abstract” and the “Discussion” or “Conclusion” sectons
 Read the frst paragraph (the secton headed “Introducton” or “Abstract”)
 What did the author say is the reason for the artcle? What do they want to show?
 Read the “Discussion” or “Conclusion” sectons and identfy how the author interpreted
their research.
 How did the author summarize their thesis? What was presented in the body of the
paper, and did that prove or disprove their thesis?
 • Steps to Critically Summarize an Article

4. Read Carefully and Make Annotatons Once you’ve read the Introducton and Discussion or
Conclusion sectons:

o Go back to the artcle and read each secton in more detail.

o You should read each secton more than once.
o Make note of the main points and key phrases.
o Summarize each of the main points on a separate sheet of paper. Always highlight/underline
defnitons, key words, and technical terms.
o Keep track of page numbers for direct quotes. * In your assignment, use few direct quotes and
ensure you copy them exactly.
o Remember quotes are used to support your argument, not as the argument itself.
o Keep in mind you will not fully understand the artcle the frst tme you read it. You will have to read
it multple tmes.
 • Steps to Critically Summarize an
Article
5. Analyze and Evaluate What You Read
Reading analytcally means you identfy the purpose, the main points, the methodology, and fndings or
conclusions in the artcle. In additon, a critcal summary also involves analyzing
• unstated assumptons
• areas in the argument that are not consistent
• other purposes of the artcle that are not stated clearly.
Evaluatng means, you are making judgements about the value (both positve and negatve) of the artcle.
Here is a list of criteria you can use; however, not all of them will be relevant for every kind of artcle:

• the year the material was published

• whose the audience, or intended audience, and does that change the reading of the material
• the originality of the topic in the artcle
• the logic of the author’s argument
• the believability of the evidence
• the validity and appropriateness of the theoretcal framework used
• the appropriateness of the methodology used, and the strengths and weaknesses associated with that approach
• are the fndings presented clearly and fully
• could the data have been interpreted in another way
• does the author include everything in the data, or are key things omited
• was the conclusions sound and thorough
• How to Structure a Critcal Summary
A critcal summary has a similar structure to an essay. You must include an introducton, a body
and a conclusion, but what you include in each secton is diferent. Before you begin writng the
summary, make sure that you understand the assignment and any specifcatons that your
instructor asked for; such as the number of words, pages, font, etc. Consult with your instructor
frst if you are unclear about any aspect of the assignment.
• How to Structure a Critcal Summary
Introducton (1 paragraph
• How to Structure a Critcal Summary
Body (1-2 paragraphs)
• How to Structure a Critcal Summary
Conclusion (1 paragraph)
Writing an Argument Summary:

• Introduce the writer or speaker, the text, and the central claim.
Part 1

• Explain how the author develops or advances the argument.

Part 2

• State the author’s purpose in writng the text.

Part 3

• Describe the intended audience and the author’s relatonship to the audience.
Part 4

• Explain the signifcance of the work.

Part 5
 Part 1: Introduce the writer or speaker, the text, and the central claim.

In _____________________ _________________________________ , _____________________________ ,

(type of text) (ttle of text) (author’s frst and last name)
____________________________________________________ , ____________________________________
(informaton about the author) (verb, e.g., claims, argues, asserts, etc.) that
______________________________________________________________________________________
(Paraphrase or quote the central claim and include other essental sub-claims.)
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
 Part 1: Introduce the writer or speaker, the text, and the central claim.

In the essay “The Space-Taker Efect,” Jenny While, a senior at El Cajon Valley High School, argues that
students who are unmotvated and misbehave take away from the learning environment and cause
teachers to slow down and lower expectatons. According to While, these “space-takers take away
valuable instructonal tme,” leaving litle for those who want to learn.
 Part 2: Explain how the author develops or advances the argument.

_____________________ this claim by frst ____________________________________________________

(He/She)(supports/develops) (Explain what the author is doing: verb.)
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Then, ________________________________________________________________________________
(Explain what the author does next.)
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
(Use a prepositonal phrase like “Toward the end of the text,”
“In the secton,” or some other phrase in order to add variety to your writng.)
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
 Part 2: Explain how the author develops or advances the argument.

She supports this claim by frst describing

the types of students who “take up space” in
her school. Then, she makes a connecton
between her school’s poor performance on
state and local exams and the “space-takers”
who have done very litle to prepare
themselves for these high-stakes tests.
Toward the end of the essay, While
challenges the efectveness of No Child Lef
Behind (NCLB) and outlines its limitatons.
  Part 3: Explain how the author develops or advances the argument.

_________________________’s purpose is to ____________________________________________________

(author’s last name)
_________________________________________________________________________________________
in order to _______________________________________________________________________________

(What does the author want the audience to do or feel as a result of this work?)
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________

While’s purpose is to call atenton to the faws in educatng all students—especially those who
outwardly reject the opportunity—in order to prompt schools and districts to formulate practcal
solutons for low performing students while taking care of those who want to learn.
 Part 3: Explain how the author develops or advances the argument.

While’s purpose is to call atenton to the faws in educatng all students—

especially those who outwardly reject the opportunity—in order to prompt
schools and districts to formulate practcal solutons for low performing students
while taking care of those who want to learn.
 Part 4: Describe the intended audience and the author’s relatonship to
the audience.

________________________ establishes _____________________________ for ________________________

(He/She) (Describe the tone of the author.)
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
(What is the relatonship between the author and his/her audience?)
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
 Part 5: Explain the signifcance of this work.

This work is signifcant because

_______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
 Part 5: Explain the signifcance of this work.

This work is signifcant because

_______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________

This work is signifcant because it challenges those in educaton to rethink

classroom dynamics. Specifcally, she addresses how the various skill levels
and attudes in one classroom can afect the quality of learning.
htps://blog.prepscholar.com/argumentatve-essay-examples
 Chocolate Milk at School?
I do not agree with the idea that chocolate milk should be taken out of school cafeterias. Chocolate
Milk in School Cafeterias? says that people think that the sugar in chocolate milk is not healthy. They
want to take it out of the cafeterias. This is not a good idea.
Kids who buy the lunches in the cafeteria don’t have many choices. There might be only one thing
they can have for a main dish or vegetable. Then they can choose chocolate milk instead of white. If they
can’t choose, they might eat more potato chips, cookies, donuts and other junk food. Plenty of kids buy
only junk food for lunch. Chocolate milk is beter than soda or Gatorades. Kids who bring lunch need to
buy a drink and these kids could bring a sugary drink instead of buying milk.
Even though chocolate milk has some sugar in it, it is stll beter than other things to drink. IT has
vitamins and minerals, so that’s stll a good thing. I think it is beter for kids to at least drink some milk
than not to drink milk at all, and some kids just don’t like white milk. This is what they say at the
American Heart Associaton and the American Academy of Pediatrics, and I agree!