Level 2 Reading & Writing

What is a Summary?

A short statement that gives the most
important information about
something.
How do you summarize?

In your own words, tell something
again with fewer words.

Note: You do not give your opinion!


Length of Summaries

One sentence or multiple pages.
(It depends on what you are summarizing and what
your professor asks for)

We will look at short paragraph
summaries.
Summaries of
Fiction vs. Non-Fiction

When summarizing Fiction or Stories, you
re-tell the MAIN EVENTS.

When summarizing Non-Fiction or
Academic Writing, you re-tell the MAIN
POINTS or IDEAS.


Structure

1. Topic Sentence

2. Supporting Details

3. Concluding Sentence

Topic Sentence
Include the title, author, and what the writing is
about (you can usually find what the writing is about by
reading the thesis statement and looking at the title)






The article ___________ by _____________ is
about___________________________.



Example:
The article A Fragile Land by Laurie Barton is about
why Antarctica should be closed to tourists.

Supporting Details

Write the main supporting ideas in your own
words. (These can usually be found in the body paragraphs topic
sentences)



Example:
Barton gives three reasons for her opinion. She
says that Antarctica needs to be preserved for
scientific research, that tourists can hurt the
environment and scientists research, and that there
is no government to protect it.

Concluding Sentence
State the overall idea of the writing or give the so
what idea in the conclusion.





Helpful words to start this sentence with are:
Overall, Ultimately, and All in all
Example:
Overall, the author says the best way to protect
Antarctica is to close it to tourism.

Example 1:
The article Tourists in a Fragile Land gives three
reasons why tourists shouldnt to go to Antarctica.
Tourists influence scientific research. Tourists
destroy the Antarctic environment. Tourists cant
be managed because there is no government.
Overall, the author explains her opinion that the
best way to protect Antarctica is to close it to
tourism.
Example 2:

The essay A Fragile Land is about why Antarctica
should be closed to tourism. The author says that
Antarctica needs to be preserved for scientific
research, that tourists can hurt the environment
and scientists research, and that there is no
government to protect it. Overall, the author
explains her opinion that the best way to protect
Antarctica is to close it to tourism.

Example 3:
In the article A Fragile Land, Laurie Barton talks
about tourism in Antarctica. She gives three
reasons why Antarctica should be closed to
tourism. First, she argues that Antarctica needs to
be preserved for scientific research by identifying
the work of many scientists. Second, she explains
that the environment and scientists research is
fragile and can be easily damaged by tourists.
Finally, she identifies that Antarctica has no
government to protect it like other tourist
destinations. All in all, the author expresses her
opinion that the best way to protect Antarctica is to
close it to tourism.

Can you identify the topic sentences,
supporting details, and concluding
sentences of the example paragraphs?

Can you identify the similarities and
differences between the examples?
Lets Review
What is a summary?

What is the structure of a short paragraph
summary?

What information do you include in the:
Topic sentence?
Supporting sentences?
Concluding sentence?

How are Non-Fiction Summaries different than
Fiction summaries?