Writing a Summary of Non-fiction Prose

What is a summary? A brief restatement in your own words of the main ideas in a text How is a summary different from a direct quotation or a paraphrase? Direct quotation: Paraphrase: What are the characteristics of a good summary? Complete Concise Clear Objective Same order as the original Correct Tips for writing summary: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Identify the source of the summary in the first sentence Summarize thesis (main idea or purpose) of the text in the beginning of the summary Identify and report the main ideas in the text Follow the order of the original text Maintain the same emphasis on ideas as the original text Do not express your opinions or interpretations; emphasize reporting the literal details of the story. 7. Use your own words; do not use extended quotations or paraphrases. 8. When you do use quotes, be sure to follow the correct guidelines for incorporating them. 9. Follow your summary with a correctly written Work Cited entry. For example, Work Cited Gross, Amy. The Appeal of the Androgynous Man. Mademoisele(1976). Rpd. in Strategies for Successful Writing. 8th ed . James A. Reinking and Robert von der Osten.. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson, Prentice Hall, 2007. 23-25. Print.

English 111 Fall 2009

Summary Handout

Bateman

Steps in writing a summary Prewriting and pre-reading: o Survey and then read the text quickly to get a sense of the plot, characters, and setting, etc. in the story. o Look for the divisions in the story. o See related handout Reading Strategy for more information Re-reading and drafting: o Restate the main idea of the text in your own words (look for the subject of the story and what the writer says about the subject). o Summarize the main idea of each section (or paragraph, chapter) of the text. Revising and rewriting o Combine the sentences to form the summary. o Edit and revise carefully.

Other guidelines/reminders The first time you mention a writers name, use the full name. After your first reference to the writers name, use the last name only. Titles of short works (stories, poems, essays) are put in quotation marks. Titles of books, plays, and periodicals are underlined or italicized. Follow the spelling, capitalization, and punctuation exactly in direct quotes and titles. Write your own title for your assignments, including journals. o Example summary title: Summary of The Appeal of an Androgynous Man

English 111 Fall 2009

Summary Handout

Bateman