Unit 3-Lesson 5

Basics of Summarizing
Objectives

Determine the purpose of summarizing;

Discuss the features of summarizing;

State the main idea or key information of a text;

Apply effective strategies in summarizing

Use appropriate reporting verbs;

Apply various formats of in-text citations in summaries;

Summarize the content of a text; and

Evaluate summaries.
Summarize Details of the Film “Parents”-Award winning short film

In three sentences, tell the

PLOT of the story

Plot tells what the story is

all about
Do your practice the following Usually, Sometimes, Seldom or Never?

I establish my reading purpose before I summarize.

I make sure that I fully understand the text before I summarize.
I use my own words in my summary.
I include only the key ideas when summarizing.
I highlight key words and phrases and make annotations when summarizing.
I refrain from adding comments in summarizing.
I vary sentence structure when writing a summary in paragraph form.
I use reporting verbs for my summary.
I cite sources.
I eliminate redundant ideas from the summary
What is Summarizing?

It is an important skill in critical reading.

It is often used to determine the essential ideas (gist or main idea, useful information, or key
words or phrases) in a book, article, book chapter, an article or parts of an article.

It is generally done after reading, but can also be done while reading a text.
Is Summarizing Important?

YES, because:

It deepens your understanding of the text;

It helps to identify relevant information or key ideas;

It combines details or examples that support the main idea/s;

It makes us concentrate on the gist or main idea and key words presented in the text;
and

It teaches us to capture the key ideas in the text and put them together clearly and
concisely.
What is Not Summarizing?

You are NOT summarizing when you write down:

- everything;

- ideas from the text word-for-word;

- incoherent and irrelevant ideas;

- ideas that are not stated in the text; or

- a summary that has the same length or is longer than the original text.
How Should We Summarize?

Clarify your purpose before you read.

Read the text and understand the meaning. Do not stop reading until you understand the message of
the author. Then, locate the gist or main ideas of the text either at the beginning, middle or end.

Select, underline or encircle the key ideas and phrases while reading, or annotate;

Write on the margins, or in your notebook all the key ideas and phrases identified in
bullet form.

Use a concept map to connect key ideas and phrases without looking at the text.

Combine sentences into paragraph. Use proper transitional device to improve

coherence.
How Should We Summarize?

Be sure not to copy a single sentence from the original text.

Refrain from adding comments about the text. Stick to the ideas presented.

Edit the draft of your summary by eliminating redundant ideas.

Compare your output with original text to ensure accuracy.

Record details of the original source (author, publication date, title, publisher and address,
and URL (if online). There is no need to indicate page number/s of the original text.

Format your summary properly. When combining summaries, use different formats to
show variety in writing.
Formats in Summarizing

Idea Heading Format

- The summarized idea comes before the citation.

Example:

Benchmarking is a useful strategy that has the potential to help public officials improve the
performance of local services (Faiz, 2004; Ammons, 2001) Once the practice of a particular city is
benchmarked, it can be a guidepost and the basis for the other counterparts to improve its own.
Formats in Summarizing

• Author Heading Format

- The summarized idea comes after the citation.
- The author’s name/s is/are connected by an appropriate reporting verb
• Example:

The considerable number of FB users has led educators to utilize FB for

communicating with their students (Grant, 2008; as cited in Donmus, 2010). The
study of Kabilan, Ahmad, and Abidin (2010) shows that perceived FB as an online
environment to expedite language learning specifically English. Donmus (2010)
asserts that educational games on FB fecundate learning process and make
students’ learning environment more engaging. As regards literacy, this notion
reveals that FB could be used as a tool to aid individuals execute a range of social
acts through social literacy implementation (ibid). Blackstone and Hardwood
(2012) suggest the facilitative strength of FB as kit elicits greater engagement on
collaboration among students.
Formats in Summarizing

• Date Heading Format

- The summarized idea comes after the date when the
material was published.
- Example:
- On the other hand, active participation of the citizens in
development contributes to a sound and reasonable
government decisions. In their 2004 study on the impact
of participatory development approach, Irvin and
Stansbury argue that participation can be valuable to the
participants and the government in terms of the process
and outcomes of decision making.
Use of Reporting Verbs when Summarizing

• Reporting verb is used to discuss another person’s

writings or assertions.
• It incorporates the source to the discussion in the text.
• Example (note the italicized words):
Having a syntactically correct sentence is not enough to
create meaning. As Noam Chomsky pointed out, a
sentence can be perfect in terms of syntax and still not
make sense. He showed this by coming up with the
famous sentence, “Colorless green ideas sleep
furiously”(Chomsky, 1957).
Other Tips in Summarizing

Vary the verbs used to make your writing more interesting and to show important to
each of your sources.

Use either the past or the present tense depending on your meaning.

Using the past tense indicates that you view the idea as outdated and you want to
negate it.

Using the present tense indicates that you view the idea as relevant and agreeable.
 Reporting Verbs (from left to right, most common to least common)

Discipline
Biology Describe Find Report Show Suggest Observe
Marketing Suggest Argue Find Demonstrate Propose Show
Linguistics Suggest Argue Show Explain Find Point
out
Sociology Argue Suggest Describe Note Analyze Discuss
Philosophy Say Suggest Argue Claim Point out Hold Think
Overall Suggest Argue Find Show Describe Propose Repor
t
Test for Good Summarizing or Not

Write S if summarizing is good and N if not.

- Sean copied everything from the book.
- Tomas extracted the key ideas in the text.
- Rey concentrated on the important details.
- Anne looked for key words and phrases.
- Sam simplified ideas.
- Kyra revised the main idea.
- To add more information, Alex added his analysis and comments to the ideas of the author.

- Maria wrote down the general and specific ideas of the text.
- Steph added some of his related research to the information presented in the text.
- Lalaine extended the message of the textand included some of her interpretations.
Summarizing Activity

• With a partner, scan the text of the sixth State of the Nation Address of former
President Benigno S. Aquino III on July 27, 2015.
• Follow the link:
- http://www.gov.ph/2015/07/27/english-president-aquino-sixth-sona/
- Identify five ideas or topics from the text.
- Next, describe each of these five ideas as discussed in the text, but use your own
words. Use reporting verbs properly.
- Use a sheet similar to the following:
______________________________________________________________________
Idea or Topic / Your Description
______________________________________________________________________
_______________/______________________________________________________
_______________/______________________________________________________
_______________/______________________________________________________
_______________/______________________________________________________
_______________/______________________________________________________