Summarising

AND
Paraphrasing
What is the difference between paraphrasing and summarising ?

• Summarising is used to express the main idea of a written work.

It omits small details and does not use the author's words and
structure.
• Paraphrasing is used when it's important to convey every idea in the
original piece of writing.
It does not use the author's words and structure.
SUMMARISING
• Definition Buckley (2004) defines summarising as reducing text to
one-third or one-quarter its original size, clearly articulating the
author’s meaning, and retaining main ideas.
• involves stating main ideas of a text
simply,
briefly,
and accurately
 HOW TO SUMMARISE?
• Read the work first to understand the author’s intent. This is a crucial step
because an incomplete reading could lead to an inaccurate summary.
Note: an inaccurate summary is plagiarism!
• In your own words, write the thesis and main ideas in point form.
• Decide which points are crucial to an accurate summary of the author’s work.
• It is very important that the summary does not misrepresent the author’s
argument.
• Edit the summary by deleting extraneous descriptors, details, and examples.
• Reread the original work to ensure that you have accurately represented the
main ideas in your summary.
• Opposite to solid essay writing, the goal is to be brief and general rather than
supporting all statements with facts, examples, or other details.
 When summarizing is useful?
NB. Summarizing is useful in many types of writing and at different points in the
writing process.
You can summarize:
results of studies you are reporting on
methods or approaches others have taken in an area you are describing
various researchers’/authors’ viewpoints on given issues
points you have made in an essay at any juncture or in a conclusion
contents of a text you are reviewing
issues peripheral to your paper but necessary for providing the context for your
Writing
historical events leading to the event/issue/philosophy you are discussing.
 One of the main ways to incorporate evidence in your work is to
explain it in your own words, by either summarising or
paraphrasing.

Summarising Paraphrasing

•concisely explains someone's argument in your own •explains someone's idea in detail, using your own words
words

•aims to capture the essence of the argument, so it •aims to provide more specific detail of an author's
focuses on the main ideas only argument

•can briefly cover an entire book, chapter, or article •could refer to a sentence or short passage from the
original source
Why paraphrasing and summarising is important?

• Writing in your own words is strongly encouraged because it helps

you to learn and demonstrate your understanding of the relevant
information.
• Summarising and paraphrasing are used much more than quoting
because they show your ability to articulate your understanding of
the material.
How to summarise?

• A summary should capture the 'essence' of a source. It is high-level

and broad.
• There is no need to capture all of the detail in a summary.
• This is a common skill used when you are writing about important
topics and debates in your field. 
• The fewer words used to summarise, the better.
• Sometimes you may reduce the ideas an author expresses in a
paragraph down to one or two sentences, or even a phrase. 
How to paraphrase?

• Paraphrasing requires a detailed understanding of the source.

• Paraphrasing is a skill that takes time and practice to develop.
• A paraphrase is always in your own words.
• This means describing an idea without referring to the original non-
technical vocabulary or sentence structure.
• You may use the same or similar technical terms, but it is best to
reword as much of the idea as possible.
• It is not a simple description of the source; it is a description of your
understanding of the source.
WRAPPING UP…
 Follow the steps below to help you paraphrase:

1. Read the passage in the original source you have chosen to paraphrase. It
may be necessary to read the text several times in order to comprehend it
properly.
2. Take notes and make sure you fully understand its ideas. You cannot skip this
part. If you do not understand, read it again, break the information down
into smaller parts, and ask yourself how it fits into the source's main idea.  
3. Put the source text away, or cover it so you cannot see the original words.
4. Imagine describing the main idea to a friend or colleague, and write down
what you imagined saying.
5. Think about your description. Does it fully capture the main idea? You may
need to edit it for clarity
CLASS ACTIVITY :PRACTICE
 The following text comes from the Director's Statutory Report
in Woolworths' annual report (Woolworths Limited 2016, p. 33):
Soon after the appointment of Brad Banducci to the role of Managing Director and Chief
Executive Officer (Group CEO), the Board approved a new and refocused business strategy
and operational structure. In support of this transformational agenda, the People Policy
Committee (PPC) has completed a comprehensive revision of the remuneration
framework, incorporating best practices where appropriate. These changes reinforce the
Company's strategic objectives by providing a clear link between business performance
and reward outcomes for all relevant management, from our critically important store
managers through to our newly formed senior executive team. We believe the new
remuneration programs will reinforce a culture of accountability, which is vital to our long
term success.
 A paraphrase aims to capture more detail than a simple
summary. A paraphrase of this section may look like the
following:

Chair of Woolworths' People Policy Committee Holly Kramer reports that the company
has recently taken measures to improve accountability and performance (Woolworths
Limited 2016, p. 33). She argues that best practice modifications to the company's
remuneration framework will uphold its new strategy under Brad Banducci's
leadership.
Note: The paraphrase captures the ideas expressed in the original text, but uses different wording and
sentence structure.
Note: The second sentence does not require a citation because it is clear that the information is from the
same source.
How to Summarise
PRACTICES
Writing summaries

Good summaries require accurate reading.

Good summaries require ability to find main ideas.

Good summaries require ability to find supporting evidence.

Writing summaries

Summaries could be 75% shorter than the original.

Book summaries could be 99% shorter.

Summaries give readers an idea of the content.

Writing summaries

Points Read the original carefully.

to
keep Mention the source and the author at the
beginning of the summary.
in
State the author’s main idea without
mind distorting those ideas or adding your own.
Writing summaries
State the author’s most important supporting evidence
Points or subpoints without distorting them.
to Use your own wording. If you use the author’s words,
put quotation marks around them.
keep
Don’t include own comments or ideas.
in
mind Remind the reader that you're summarising someone's
ideas.
Writing summaries

Original version
There are a number of ways of expressing the total amount of water in
the oceans. Seawater covers 361 million square kilometres (361 X 10 6
km2) which represents 71% of the surface of the globe. The total volume
of water is enormous: 1.37 thousand million cubic kilometres (1.37 X 10 9
km3). Most of this water is contained in the three great oceans of the
world: the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans. (Holden, 2008: 57)
• Summary:
• The surface of the earth comprises 71% seawater, most of which can be found in the Indian,
Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.
Writing summaries

Indicate the subject discussed in this paragraph

• Midnight, and the spiral notebook is barely half full. The rest of
its pages, scribbled with organic chemistry equations, litter the
dorm-room floor. Every few minutes the figure hunched over
the desk tears away another page, having memorised as much
as he can, and passes it on to his friend. And thus the two
roommates continue all night, dropping the pages to the carpet
after each has absorbed his fill.
Writing summaries

Indicate the subject discussed in this paragraph

• Midnight, and the spiral notebook is barely half full. The rest of its
pages, scribbled with organic chemistry equations, litter the dorm-
room floor. Every few minutes the figure hunched over the desk tears
away another page, having memorised as much as he can, and passes it
on to his friend. And thus the two roommates continue all night,
dropping the pages to the carpet after each has absorbed his fill.
• Description of a cramming session
Writing summaries

Indicate the subject discussed in this paragraph

• Welcome to the all-night cramming session, which most students

resort to at some desperate point in their college careers. Armed
with the energy of youth, they simply ignore their bodies’ cries
for sleep, trying to fend off fatigue with doses of coffee or,
occasionally, drugs. Teachers and parents have long argued that
cramming does more harm than good – and the latest research
into sleep needs and patterns suggests that they are right.
Writing summaries

Indicate the subject discussed in this paragraph

• Welcome to the all-night cramming session, which most students

resort to at some desperate point in their college careers. Armed with
the energy of youth, they simply ignore their bodies’ cries for sleep,
trying to fend off fatigue with doses of coffee or, occasionally, drugs.
Teachers and parents have long argued that cramming does more harm
than good – and the latest research into sleep needs and patterns
suggests that they are right.
• Cramming does more harm than good
Writing summaries

Indicate the subject discussed in this paragraph

• For some people, disruptions in the regular sleep cycle can cause
temporary intellectual lapses – and stimulants can set off severe
side effects. Thus, for every student who manages to memorise
the chemical synthesis of bona-S-rubber at 5 a.m. and then
triumphantly finds that precise question on his test at 9, there are
more than a few who lament the “obvious” answers they blew on
a multiple-choice exam because the “just couldn’t focus.”
Writing summaries

Indicate the subject discussed in this paragraph

• For some people, disruptions in the regular sleep cycle can cause
temporary intellectual lapses – and stimulants can set off severe side
effects. Thus, for every student who manages to memorise the
chemical synthesis of bona-S-rubber at 5 a.m. and then triumphantly
finds that precise question on his test at 9, there are more than a few
who lament the “obvious” answers they blew on a multiple-choice
exam because the “just couldn’t focus.”
• Temporary mental lapses
Evaluating summarized text
Fossil fuel continues to be the main source of energy.
Moreover, the developing world, which consists of
about five sixths of humankind, will increase its
population and its fossil fuel burning for many years
after the rich countries have stabilised and decreased
their dependency on fossil fuels. Some poor countries
have neither fossil fuels nor any other supply of
energy, and so cannot develop. Even fuel-wood is in
short supply.
Nuclear power was developed enthusiastically by many
countries in the 1950s, and 29 countries were running
437 nuclear power plants by 1998. Early optimism
about development of an energy economy from
nuclear fission faded following nuclear accidents and
leakages such as Chernobyl in the USSR (now in the
Russia Federation) in 1986. Many environmentalists
believe that the risks that are inherent in nuclear
fission are quite unacceptable. Power from nuclear
fission is very expensive, once the costs of handling
radioactive waste and decommissioning old power
stations are taken into account. Despite all this, many
governments are in favour of continuing and even
expanding their nuclear power programmes, and for
many it is the only practical way to reduce carbon
emissions. (Holden, 2008: 612–13)
• Summary 1 Currently, fossil fuel remains the main energy source and whereas rich countries will be in
a position to turn to alternative forms of fuel in the future, developing countries will become more
dependent on it. Alternative forms such as nuclear power seemed a likely alternative in the 1950s but
its development in the 40 years that followed had some disastrous results. Although environmentalists
view it as risky and expensive, certain governments are continuing to pursue nuclear power
programmes and for many there are no other practical alternatives of reducing carbon emissions.
(Holden, 2008)
• Summary 2 Fossil fuel remains the main energy source. Rich countries will reduce their reliance on
fossil fuel in the future, whereas developing countries which make up about five sixths of humankind
will become more dependent on it. Some poor countries will not develop due to a lack of energy
supplies as even fuel-wood is decreasing.
• Nuclear power was exploited by many countries in the 1950s, and 29 countries were running 437
nuclear power plants by 1998. However nuclear accidents and leakages such as Chernobyl in the USSR
in 1986 have led to a decrease in its development. This is further supported by environmentalists’
views that the risks are too high in addition to the high cost of developing power from nuclear fission.
In spite of the negative evidence, many governments are continuing and in certain cases expanding
their nuclear power programmes. For many governments nuclear power is the only practical way to
reduce carbon emissions. (Holden, 2008)
Evaluating summarized text
Fossil fuel continues to be the main source of energy.
Moreover, the developing world, which consists of
about five sixths of humankind, will increase its
population and its fossil fuel burning for many years
after the rich countries have stabilised and decreased • Summary 1 Currently, fossil fuel remains the main energy source and
their dependency on fossil fuels. Some poor countries whereas rich countries will be in a position to turn to alternative forms
have neither fossil fuels nor any other supply of
energy, and so cannot develop. Even fuel-wood is in of fuel in the future, developing countries will become more
short supply. dependent on it. Alternative forms such as nuclear power seemed a
Nuclear power was developed enthusiastically by many
countries in the 1950s, and 29 countries were running likely alternative in the 1950s but its development in the 40 years that
437 nuclear power plants by 1998. Early optimism followed had some disastrous results. Although environmentalists view
about development of an energy economy from
nuclear fission faded following nuclear accidents and it as risky and expensive, certain governments are continuing to pursue
leakages such as Chernobyl in the USSR (now in the nuclear power programmes and for many there are no other practical
Russia Federation) in 1986. Many environmentalists
believe that the risks that are inherent in nuclear alternatives of reducing carbon emissions. (Holden, 2008)
fission are quite unacceptable. Power from nuclear
fission is very expensive, once the costs of handling
• Summary 1 is better. It is shorter than the original; the style is different
radioactive waste and decommissioning old power to the original; the details have been removed; the main points have
stations are taken into account. Despite all this, many
governments are in favour of continuing and even been summarised.
expanding their nuclear power programmes, and for
many it is the only practical way to reduce carbon
emissions. (Holden, 2008: 612–13)
Summarising a shorter text
Home detention curfews were introduced by the Crime and Disorder
Act 1998. Prisoners sentenced to between three months’ and four
years’ imprisonment can be released early (usually 60 days early) on a
licence that includes a curfew condition. This requires the released
prisoners to remain at a certain address at set times, during which
period they will be subjected to electronic monitoring. Most curfews
are set for 12 hours between 7 pm and 7 am. The person can be
recalled to prison if there is a failure to comply with the conditions of
the curfew condition or in order to protect the public from serious
harm. Private contractors fit the tag to a person’s ankle, install
monitoring equipment which plugs into the telephone system in their
home and connects with a central computer system, and notify
breaches of curfew to the Prison Service. (143 words) (Elliott and
Quinn, 2008: 413)
Summarising a shorter text

Prisoners serving short sentences benefit from a home

detention curfew introduced in 1998. This allows their
early release with a special licence which has curfew
conditions. These include being at a specific location
between 7pm and 7am for electronic monitoring. This
consists of an ankle tag, which connects to a device in
the phone system which in turn connects to a central
computer. Any violations of curfew can thus be reported
to the Prison Service. The prisoner can also be recalled if
he is a danger to the public. (Elliott and Quinn, 2008)
Summarising a longer text
Micturition, voiding and urination all refer to the process of emptying the urinary bladder. Urine collects in
the bladder until pressure stimulates special sensory nerve endings in the bladder wall called stretch
receptors. This occurs when the adult bladder contains 250– 450 ml of urine. In children, a considerably
smaller volume, 50–200 ml, stimulates these nerves.
The stretch receptors transmit impulses to the spinal cord, specifically to the voiding reflex centre located
at the level of the second to fourth sacral vertebrae, causing the internal sphincter to relax and stimulating
the urge to void. If the time and place are appropriate for urination, the conscious portion of the brain
relaxes the external urethral sphincter muscle and urination takes place. If the time and place are
inappropriate, the micturition reflex usually subsides until the bladder becomes more filled and the reflex
is stimulated again.
Voluntary control of urination is possible only if the nerves supplying the bladder and urethra, the neural
tracts of the cord and brain, and the motor area of the cerebrum are all intact. The individual must be able
to sense that the bladder is full. Injury to any of these parts of the nervous system – for example, by a
cerebral haemorrhage or spinal cord injury above the level of the sacral region – results in intermittent
involuntary emptying of the bladder. Older adults whose cognition is impaired may not be aware of the
need to urinate or able to respond to this urge by seeking toilet facilities. (248 words) (Kozier et al., 2008:
489)
Summarising a longer text

Urine collects in the bladder until stretch receptors are

stimulated. The receptors send signals to the second to
fourth sacral vertebrae of the spinal cord which trigger
the relaxation of the internal sphincter. The conscious
part of the brain assesses the appropriacy of the
location and either relaxes the external sphincter for
urination to occur, or causes the urge to diminish until
later. This voluntary control is only possible provided
there has been no harm to the neural region of the cord
and brain or to the motor zone of the cerebrum. (Kozier
et al., 2008)
References
Buckley, J. (2004). Fit to Print: The Canadian Student’s Guide to Essay
Writing. (6th ed.) Toronto: Nelson.
Hacker, D. (2008). A Canadian Writer’s Reference. (4th ed.) Boston:
Bedford/St. Martin’s.