Writing Summaries CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH

What is a summary?

A summary is an overview, in your own

words, of the most important information

from the original text.

How to write a summary

1. Read the material and mark the main ideas.

2. List the main ideas.

3. Group the main ideas into categories — the order in which you read the main ideas is not always the best order for writing a summary.

4. Look for the uniting characteristics to write a topic sentence.

Combine them into a paragraph using transitional words.

5. Proofread a first draft for content. Did you hit all of the To Do List and avoid errors for Do Not DO List? Revise as needed.

6. Edit for sentence structure, capitalization, punctuation, spelling, and other grammar or errors.

7. Make a final copy with neat handwriting.

Summary: To do list

Give the main ideas, or gist, of the text.

Include all main ideas Use a logical organizationBe objective

Summary: NOT to do list

Do not add any ideas or commentary

Do not take away any important ideas

Do not change the overall meaning or intent of the author

Practice Captain America

Refer to your notes for the videos of Captain America. For each scene, you have written a main idea and provided evidence from the text.

First, write a topic sentence. To write a topic sentence, look for the uniting characteristics to write a topic sentence.

Practice Captain AmericaTopic Sentence

First, write a topic sentence. To write a topic sentence, look for the uniting characteristics to write a topic sentence.

Consider the following simple formula for writing a topic sentence:

topic + controlling (unifying) idea

Practice Captain AmericaTopic Sentence

For topic + controlling (unifying) idea

Example-Topic: Steven Rogers Controlling or unifying idea: passes the selection test to become the

soldier to receive Professor Erskine’s serum to make him a super soldier.

Practice Captain AmericaTopic Sentence

Example base- Steven Rogers passes the selection test to

become the soldier to receive Professor Erskine’s serum to make him a super soldier.

Modify style- In the video segments from Captain

America: The First Avenger, Steven Rogers passes the selection test to become the soldier to receive Professor Erskine’s serum to make him a super soldier.

Practice Captain AmericaBody paragraph

Next, make sure that you have determined the best order.

Use a transition and add the first main idea to the paragraph.

First, next, then, and, also, even, again, moreover, furthermore,  in addition, not only…but also, as well as

Then add the evidence from the text for that point.

Repeat for each scene.

Practice Captain AmericaBody paragraph

In the video segments from Captain America: The First Avenger, Steven Rogers passes the selection test to become the soldier to receive Professor Erskine’s serum to make him a super soldier. In the first scene, Rogers is getting a physical to enlist and is interviewed by Dr. Erskine. Rogers gets Erskine’s attention because he has tried five times to enlist and he is interested in stopping bullies. He sees that Rogers has qualities of persistence and determination; moreover, his motivation is honorable since he does not just want to kill people.

Practice Captain AmericaClincher

Finish the paragraph by adding a thoughtful concluding sentence that summarize the main idea.

Example:

The Writing Process

We have been following the steps in the writing process:

Gather ideas / informationOrganize and unify the key points Draft ReviseEdit

Proofread and Revise

Yesterday we drafted. Today we will revise.

Proofread your work by going back and looking at it again with fresh eyes. Evaluate it for structure and content.

Revise your summary to improve it.

(Don’t worry about spelling and sentence structure yet. They come with editing, the next step.)

Proofread and Revise YOUR TURN: Mark, evaluate, revise as needed Mark Underline the following twice: Topic sentences Circle: Transitions Underline once: Main supporting Highlight brackets or box: Evidence, elaboration Evaluate: for structure for organization, unity, completeness,

general balance (each point should be rather equal. It should not look like you wrote 4 pages and stopped or all your effort into one paragraph. No, I don’t measure. I examine your evidence.

Revise Improve at least one point by making it more specific

Proofread and Revise YOUR TURN: Mark, evaluate, revise as needed Evaluate Check for structure for organization, unity,

completeness, general balance (each point should be rather equal. It should not look like you wrote 4 pages and stopped or all your effort into one paragraph. No, I don’t measure. I examine your evidence.

Revise Improve at least one point by making it more specific

or complete. Pair with someone else and read it for recommendations.

Edit Your Turn: Make it right; correct mistakes.

Sentence structure: Are your sentences complete sentence? Is there a subject and predicate for each? Ref. LB p. 38-39

Spelling: Check for spelling and commonly confused words Their –possessive pronoun (their books) There- adverb (put it there, not here) They’re- contraction They are (DO NOT USE CONTRACTIONS)

Capitalization: Are proper nouns capitalized and common nouns lower case?

Ex. rogers / Rogers HYDRA Project

Dr. Erskine Germany Nazis Hitler

Eskine is the Doctor doctor