NAME OF STUDENT: ____________________________________GRADE & SECTION: __________________________

ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC 12

QUARTER 1 MODULE 3: SUMMARIZING ACADEMIC TEXTS

At the end of this module, you are expected to achieve the following
objectives:

A. Identify the basic rules in summarizing;

B. Apply the various techniques in summarizing academic texts;
C. State the importance of summarizing academic texts; and
D. Summarize academic texts using the appropriate summarizing technique.

Definition, Purpose, Rules and Techniques in Summarizing Academic Texts

Buckley (2004), in her popular writing text Fit to Print, defines summarizing
as reducing text to one-third or one-quarter its original size, clearly articulating the
author’s meaning, and retaining main ideas. Diane Hacker (2008), in A Canadian
Writer’s Reference, explains that summarizing involves stating a work’s thesis and
main ideas “simply, briefly, and accurately” (p. 62).

Summarizing is also essential skill that is needed in the workplace and in the
community. In some cases, writing a summary is an excellent learning strategy that
allows students to monitor their own progress in learning course material.

Basic Rules:

A. Erase things that don’t matter. Delete trivial material that is unnecessary to
understanding.
B. Only write down important points. If it is not something that will help you understand
or remember, then don’t write it down. Think of it this way . . . If you had to pay money for
every word you write down, which words would you choose to include in your notes?
C. Erase things that repeat. Delete redundant material. In note taking, time and space are
precious. If a word or phrase says basically the same thing you have already written down,
then don’t write it again!
D. Trade, general terms for specific names. Substitute superordinate terms for lists (e.g.,
flowers for daisies, tulips for roses). Focus on the big picture. Long, technical lists are hard to
remember. If one word will give you the meaning, then less is more.
E. Use your own words to write the summary. Do not just copy the sentences
from the original text. However, do not inject your opinion in your summary.

Techniques:
1. Outlining. An outline is a map of your essay. It shows what informati on each section
or paragraph will contain and in what order.
I. Main Idea

A. Supporting Details
B. Supporting Details

II. Main Idea

A. Supporting Details
B. Supporting Details
 2. Somebody Wanted But So Then. Each word represents a key question
related to a text’s essential elements:

Somebody—Who is the text about? Wanted—

What did the main character want? But—

What was the problem encountered?

So—How was the problem
solved? Then—How did it end?
3. SAAC Method. This method is particularly helpful in learning the format of a
summary. This includes the title and author’s name.
State— The name of the article, book, movie
Assign—the name of the author
Action—what the author is doing (ex. Tells, explains)
Complete—complete the sentence or summary with keywords and important
details.
4. 5W’s, 1 H. This technique relies on six crucial questions: Who, What, When,
Where, Why, How. These questions make it easy to identify the main character,
important details and main idea. Your summary may not necessarily follow this
order as long as it contains all of these information.
Who is the text
about? What did
he/she do?
When did it
happen? Why
did he/she do
it?
How did he/she do what he/she did?
5. First Then Finally. This technique helps summarize events or steps in
chronological order or in sequence.
First– What happened first?
Then– What key details took place during the event/action?
Finally– What were the results of the event/action?
ACTIVITY: WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED?

What for you is the importance of learning to summarize academic texts?

ACTIVITY: WHAT I CAN DO?

DIRECTION: Summarize your personal experience during the quarantine period in this time of pandemic in one
paragraph only. You may use the technique that you think best fits the nature of your summary.
ASSESSMENT:

Directions: Read the text below. Using your chosen technique/s, write a 5-8 sentence summary of the given
text.

If you are reading this right now, you are taking part in the wonder of literacy.
Because of printed words, people can send information across both time and space.
Ideas are put in writing and sent to readers across thousands of miles and years.
Because of writing, the words of distant people can influence events, offer
knowledge, and change the world. Much of the credit for the development of this
phenomenon can be attributed to one man.

Johannes Gensfleisch zur Laden zum Gutenberg, better known as

Johannes Gutenberg, was born in the German city of Mainz. Though most of
Gutenberg’s early life is a mystery, historians believe that he studied at the University
of Erfurt in 1418 and spent much of his young adult life practicing the profession of
his father: goldsmithing. Gutenberg borrowed money from investors in 1439 and
found himself in financial trouble.

In the year 1439 the city in which Gutenberg lived was planning to exhibit its
large collection from Emperor Charlemagne (a famous ruler who had united much of
Western Europe around 800 AD). The exhibit was expected to bring many visitors to
the town, so Gutenberg took investments and create polished metal mirrors which
were to be sold to the visitors (it was a common belief at that time that mirrors were
able to capture holy light from religious relics).

The mirrors which Gutenberg produced probably would have sold well, but
due to severe flooding the event was delayed by one year. The impatient investors
demanded that Gutenberg return their investments, but he had already spent the
money on producing the unsaleable mirrors. He was trapped in a difficult situation.
Gutenberg decided to share his greatest secret with them.

This secret would forever change the world, all of history, and even the process
of keeping history. It’s been argued that Gutenberg’s idea was one of the greatest
of all mankind. This one idea would lead to the spread of countless others. It would
play a key role in the development of the Renaissance, Reformation, the Age of
Enlightenment, and the Scientific Revolution. This idea would bring learning to the
masses. Gutenberg had created the mechanical printing press with movable type.

Before the spread of Gutenberg’s idea, literature was handwritten. That means
that each copy of the bible and all of its 73 books were tediously hand scribed, and
this was done before the invention of the ballpoint pen. Given the amount of detail
that went into each text, creating a single copy of a bible could take years. Because of
the effort that went into producing them, books were extremely rare and valuable.
Because of the value of books, there was little reason for common people to
learn to read or write since it was unlikely that they would ever handle a book in their
lifetimes. Gutenberg’s invention would change that. His printing press allowed
literature to be produced on a mass scale. His movable metal type could be arranged
once to form a page, and he could print the page again and again

The first major text that Gutenberg produced was a 42 line copy of the bible.
Scholars estimate that Gutenberg produced between 165 and 185 of these bibles,
which sold out almost immediately. Most copies went to churches and universities,
though one was sold to a private individual. Copies are known to have sold for 30
florins (about three years of wages for a clerk at the time), which may seem
expensive but was much cheaper than a hand produced copy.
Purchasing a Gutenberg Bible in the 1450s would have been a good investment if you
and your descendants were able to maintain it. Only twenty one complete Gutenberg
Bibles exist today and the last one traded hands in 1987 for 4.9 million dollars, the
highest price ever paid for a book at the time.

Gutenberg’s brilliant idea would soon change the world, but in the short term he
bungled a large and risky investment. He found himself in financial trouble once
again and was sued by one of his investors, who accused Gutenberg of mismanaging
money meant for the production of books. The courts ruled against Gutenberg and he
lost the shop that he had created. He was effectively bankrupt.

Though he had failed as a businessman, the technologies that he had created

spread rapidly. As these printing technologies spread, news and books began to travel
much faster than previously possible. The world has not been the same since. Though
Gutenberg was financially unsuccessful in his own lifetime, he made the world a
much richer place.

Prepared by:

Stephanie Arias
TEACHER