31.1: Readings by T Nowacki

3.1 Summarizing

Summaries, whether they are just a couple of sentences or an entire paragraph, answer the question, “What is the text about?”

Since summaries are brief descriptions of the main ideas in a text, being able to summarize well involves both critical reading skills and solid writing skills. This means you must thoroughly read and understand the text before you begin writing the summary of it. Use annotation and critical reading as you prepare a summary. If you can write a good summary, you demonstrate your critical reading skills as well as your writing skills.

All summaries should identify the text name/title, the author(s), the thesis of the text, as well as the main supporting points presented in the text. Depending on the assignment, the summary may also include some further details in the text that relate to the overall topic or essay argument at hand.

A good summary

·         is written in present tense (The authors states, not the author stated)

·         begins by stating the title of the text and the author

·         reports the thesis of the text in the first or second sentence

·         defines critical terms or phrases that are central to the author's argument

·         focuses on the most important parts of the argument/reports the main points

·         may include some supporting details, depending on the assignment

·         is much shorter than the original (typically fewer than 10 sentences)

·         uses reporting verbs

·         is objective

·         does not have any quotations

How to be objective

Being objective is lacking bias or opinion. For summaries, your opinion, critique, and response must be omitted. You are only reporting what the text says—do not evaluate it any way. Simply report what the text says.

Here are some examples of not being objective while summarizing a text:

1.      In the article “Don’t Demolish the System,” Alana June provides several illogical arguments to support her poorly constructed claim that the criminal justice system is fundamentally just and not in need of reform.

“Illogical” and “poorly constructed” are opinions and evaluations of the text—do not include them. With those words excluded, this summary is objective.

2.      The author vividly describes the measures taken by political leaders to deny the Flint Water Crisis.

“Vividly” is an opinion and an evaluation of the text—do not include it. With that  word excluded, this summary is objective.

Reporting verbs

Below are lists of “reporting verbs” that you can use to describe what the text or the author are saying their texts.

The author

·         argues

·         reports

·         states

·         claims

·         posits

·         criticizes

·         describes

·         concludes

The article

·         examines

·         covers

·         reports on

·         deals with

·         focuses on

·         presents

·         describes

·         addresses

Constructing the first sentence of your summary

For most assignments, you will assume that your reader/audience is not familiar with the text or subject on which you are writing. This means you must introduce the author and the text right away in your summary. Here’s a template of the first sentence in your summary, along with a color-coded example.

In [text name], [author name (may include relevant bio info)] [reporting verb] that [author’s thesis].

In “Tent Cities: A Right to Housing,” activist Rae Butler argues that so-called tent cities are inevitability in our society and that all people, regardless of income, have an absolute right to adequate housing.