Summarizing: Some Ideas to Consider

(ref: Seyler, Dorothy. Understanding Argument)

Reinforce the Reading Process

1) What is the author's thesis/chief point?

[Remember, the thesis is not the same thing as the subject;it is what the writer wants to

assert/claim about the subject]

2) How is the thesis developed?

*Examine how the writer developed and presented evidence to

support his/her claim:

-Does the writer provide a series of examples?

-What do examples show (or give evidence of)?

-Is the article developed by one lengthy illustration?

-Does the author present a sequence of connected ideas, or reasons?

3) What is the work's shape or organization?

*Learn to:

-Distinguish between main ideas and evidence

-Follow the steps in an argument

-Recognize the writer's purpose

The more precisely you understand what an author is doing and how he/she is accomplishing that task, the better you will grasp the author's method.

Some patterns used repeatedly include:

1) Chronology/time sequence:

*Reviewing historical development of a legal case, a particular debate, or such.

2) General to particular:

*Begin with a generalization (one's thesis), and then present evidence (particulars) to support one's position.

3) Particular to general:

*Begin with evidence (particulars) and then conclude with the claim/thesis (general). This technique can be quite effective when the issue is controversial. The advantage of this approach lies in enticing readers by presenting facts first and stating controversial assertions or opinions last.

4) Question-answer; problem-solution:

*This method is often used by researchers reporting the results of experiments in the sciences and social sciences, and by writers debating the meaning of terms or concepts.

Guidelines for Writing a Summary

1) Maintain a direct, objective style without resorting to overly simplistic sentences.

2) Begin with the writer's thesis and then present additional key points following the order of the original article.

3) Exclude specific examples, illustrations, or background sections.

4) Combine main ideas into fewer sentences than were used in the original.

5) Select precise, accurate verbs to show the relations of ideas.

[Example: the author asserts or argues rather than vague verbs that provide only a list of ideas--the author talks about or says that]