chapter 5 summary writing
TRANSCRIPT
Chapter 5SUMMARIES
Chapter 5 Learning Objectives
In this chapter, you will learn how to: Understand the differences among the
several kinds of summary Write informative descriptive summaries Compose detailed informative summaries Create convincing evaluative summaries Accurately summarize both written and oral
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Summaries—An Overview
Briefly capture the essential content of something heard, seen, or read
Are organized logically with clear and concrete terminology
Highlight key points with an awareness of what to leave out
Most commonly take the form of abstracts and executive summaries that accompany long reports
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Understand the Differences Among the Several Kinds of Summaries
DescriptiveStates what the original document is
about but does not convey specific information
Functions like a table of contents in paragraph form
Kinds of Summaries, continued
Informative—most common form of summary Presents document’s content in greatly
compressed form May allow reader to skip the original altogether Conveys main ideas in shorter form Includes hard data—names, dates, statistics
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Kinds of Summaries, continued
Evaluative Is fully developed, like an
informative summaryIncludes writer’s personal
assessment of the original
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Write Informative Descriptive Summaries
Purpose: Help reader determine summarized document’s value in a given situation
Does not include recommendations or findings of the document See page 87 of the text for a sample descriptive
summary
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Compose DetailedInformative Summaries
Purpose: May allow reader to skip the source document
Include source’s findings and recommendations
Include some factual details such as names/dates/statisticsSee pp. 87-88 of text for a sample
informative summary
Summaries Accompanying Long Reports Abstract
Provides an overview of the report Appears near the beginning
Executive Summary Assists management in making decisions without having to read the
report
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Create ConvincingEvaluative Summaries
Purpose: Provide summary writer’s assessment of the source document, in addition to informative summary
Are more fully developed than informative summaries
Include summary writer’s subjective value judgments throughout See p. 88 of the text for an evaluative summary
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General Characteristics of Good Summaries
Retain emphasis of original Do not introduce new or additional information
(unless writing an evaluative summary) Use simplest possible terms and complete
sentences with clear meaning Are organized coherently so that summary can
stand alone Are limited to no more than 25 percent of original
document’s length
Accurately Summarize Both Written and Oral Sources
Oral sources Take notes quickly without missing anything
Use personal system of shortcuts—abbreviations, symbols, etc.
Use hand-held recorder or download sourceTake notes to highlight important pointsUse notes to find points in recording
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Accurately Summarize Both Written and Oral Sources Written sources
Read entire document straight through Watch for context clues Go back and underline or highlight most important
sentences in each paragraph Edit sentences you selected, compressing, combining,
and streamlining Reread summary and insert transitions as needed Include concrete facts as appropriate Do final edit and proofreading
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Types of Context Clues
Study these four common types of context clues. Think about what information in the sentence is useful and what is not. Turn to your neighbor and discuss each one. Can you come up with different examples for at least two of the types?Definition–the word is defined directly and clearly in the sentence in which it appears. “ The arbitrator, the neutral person chosen to settle the dispute, arrived at her decision.” Antonym (or contrast)–often signaled by the words whereas, unlike, or as opposed to. “Unlike Jamaal’s room, which was immaculate, Jeffrey’s room was very messy.” “Whereas Melissa is quite lithe, her sister is clumsy and awkward.”
Synonym (or restatement)–other words are used in the sentence with similar meanings. “The slender woman was so thin her clothes were too big on her. Inference–word meanings are not directly described, but need to be inferred from the context. “Walt’s pugnacious behavior made his opponent back down.” “ The man gigged the large fish, but he needed his friend to enlarge the hole to drag it out of the frigid water.”
Review Question 1
1. Which type of summary best fits each of the following descriptions? (Choose from descriptive, informative, or evaluative.)
a. This type of summary is the most fully developed and includes the summary writer’s personal assessment of the original document.
b. This type of summary contains hard data from the original document, but does not include the summary writer’s perspective.
c. This type of summary states the topic of the original document, but does not give enough information to substitute for reading the original document.
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Review Question 1
1. Which type of summary best fits each of the following descriptions? (Choose from descriptive, informative, or evaluative.)a. Evaluative. This type of summary is the most fully
developed and includes the summary writer’s personal assessment of the original document.
b. Informative. This type of summary contains hard data from the original document, but does not include the summary writer’s perspective.
c. Descriptive. This type of summary states the topic of the original document, but does not give enough information to substitute for reading the original document.
Learning Objective—Understand the difference among the several kinds of summaries
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Review Question 2
2. What is the main purpose of a descriptive summary?
a. To enable a busy reader to skip the original document altogether, if necessary
b. To help a reader determine whether the summarized document is of any potential use in a given situation
c. To provide the writer’s personal assessment of the original document
d. To provide a replacement that is at least half as long as the original
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Review Question 2
2. What is the main purpose of a descriptive summary?a. To enable a busy reader to skip the original document
altogether, if necessary b. To help a reader determine whether the
summarized document is of any potential use in a given situation
c. To provide the writer’s personal assessment of the original document
d. To provide a replacement that is at least half as long as the original
Learning Objective—Write informative descriptive summaries
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Review Question 3
3. What is the main purpose of an informative summary?
a. To enable a busy reader to skip the original document altogether, if necessary
b. To help a reader determine whether the summarized document is of any potential use in a given situation
c. To provide the writer’s personal assessment of the original document
d. To provide a replacement that is at least half as long as the original
Copyright © 2017, 2014, 2011 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
Review Question 3
3. What is the main purpose of an informative summary?a. To enable a busy reader to skip the original document
altogether, if necessary b. To help a reader determine whether the summarized document is of
any potential use in a given situationc. To provide the writer’s personal assessment of the original
documentd. To provide a replacement that is at least half as long as the original
Learning Objective—Compose detailed informative summaries
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Review Question 4
4. The summary writer’s personal opinion should appear
a. In every type of summaryb. Only in an evaluative summaryc. Only in an executive summaryd. Only in an abstract
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Review Question 4
4. The summary writer’s personal opinion should appeara. In every type of summaryb. Only in an evaluative summaryc. Only in an executive summaryd. Only in an abstract
Learning Objective—Create convincing evaluative summaries
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Review Question 5
5. Details about the original document’s recommendations and conclusions, as well as hard data (names, dates, and statistics), should be included in which of the following?
a. A descriptive summaryb. An informative summaryc. An evaluative summaryd. All of the abovee. Both (a) and (b)f. Both (b) and (c)
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Review Question 5
5. Details about the original document’s recommendations and conclusions, as well as hard data (names, dates, and statistics), should be included in which of the following?a. A descriptive summaryb. An informative summaryc. An evaluative summaryd. All of the abovee. Both (a) and (b)f. Both (b) and (c)Learning Objective—
Write clear, concise, and complete summaries