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Writing
a Summary
What is a summary?
A
summary is a brief statement, an abridgment,
or a condensation, of an author's writing.
An
effective summary has these qualities:
1. It is
significantly shorter than the original essay.
2. It
states the essay's thesis and only the main points.
3. It
conveys the author's ideas accurately and does not reflect the views of the
writer of the summary.
4. It is
written entirely in the words of the summarizer and does not use the words
of the original author.
How do I write a response?
Follow
these steps to write a personal response:
1.
Read the essay carefully. Note the key
statements that seem to summarize the main points of the essay. Re-read
confusing passages, and look up words you do not understand.
2.
Determine the thesis (main idea) of the
essay. If the author states the thesis directly, note the sentence or
sentences.
3.
Practice summarizing the essay. For example,
explain the gist of the article to a friend; explain it as briefly yet
completely as possible.
4.
Begin writing your summary in your own
words. First summarize the main idea of the essay; then summarize each of
the main points. (Even if a main point is repeated in the essay, you only
need to summarize it once.)
5.
Rewrite. Make sure that your summary states
the essay's thesis and contains all of its main points, but make sure that
it does not contain any repetitions or unnecessary information. Make sure
your summary reads smoothly and coherently.
6.
Mention the author and title of the work at
some point near the beginning of the summary.
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