How to Write a Good Summary?
A summary is a brief restatement of the essential thought of a longer composition. It reproduces the theme of the original with as few words as possible. When one writes a summary, one should not interpret or comment. All one has to do is to give the gist of the author’s exact and essential meaning.
es of Summary Writing
(1)Summary writing is a very good exercise for improving
reading comprehension. Some students read carelessly, and
gain only a vague idea of what they have read. Summary
writing can force them to try to understand what they read, for
no one can write a summary of any passage unless he has
grasped its meaning. So summarizing is also training in
concentration of attention. It requires one to read with the
mind, as well as with the eye, on the page.
(2)Summary writing is also helpful to composition writing. It
trains one to express on e’s thought clearly, concisely and
effectively. It is an excellent corrective of vague and disorderly
thinking and loose and diffuse writing. When writing a
summary, one has to work within strict limits. One must
express a certain meaning in a fixed number of words. So it is
important to choose words carefully, to make sentences with
an eye to accuracy and brevity, and to write the summary in logical order.
(3)Summary writing has practical uses. The ability to grasp
quickly and accurately what is read, or heard, and to reproduce it in a clear and concise way is of great value to people of many professions. For scientists, businessmen, lawyers, and government officials this ability is not only important, but necessary.
2.Procedure
(1)Reading
A.First read the passage through carefully to get the gist of it.
If reading it once is not sufficient to give you a clear
understanding of it, read it over again. The more you read
it, the more familiar to you will be its subject, and what is
said about the subject.
B.Give a title to your summary. Think of some word, phrase
or short sentence that will sum up briefly the main idea of
the passage. Sometimes what is called a topic sentence
may be used. The topic sentence may be found at the
beginning or at the end of the passage. To find a suitable
title will help you to define what exactly the subject, or
main theme, of the passage is.
C.You should now be in a position to decide what parts of the
passage are essential and what parts are comparatively
unimportant and can be omitted without much loss.
D.Jot down in brief notes the main points—the subject, the
title, and the details which you consider essential or
important.
(2)Writing
A.A summary should usually be about one-third to one-fourth
as long as the original passage. So count the number of
words in the passage and divide it by three. You may use
fewer words than the number prescribed, but in no case
may you exceed the limit.
B.The summary should be all in your own words. It must not
be a patchwork made up of phrases and sentences quoted
from the original passage.
C.You should follow the logical order of the original passage,
if possible (and desirable). Ideas and facts need not be
rearranged.
D.The summary should be self-contained, that is, it must
convey the message of the original fully and clearly, so that
