APP 002: ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL PURPOSES

Student Activity Sheet Module #2

Name: ___________________________________________________________ Class number: _______

Section: ____________ Schedule: _____________________________________ Date: ______________

Lesson title: Summarizing and Materials:

Paraphrasing Academic Texts Student Activity Sheets

Lesson Objectives: References:

At the end of the lesson, I can:
1. Identify the best summary and
paraphrase for an academic text;
2. Paraphrase an academic text;
2. Summarize an academic text.
1.
Retrieved from
http://otmsmeredith.weebly.com/uploads/2/5/4/2/25423540/paraphrasing_exercise.pdf
Retrieved from https://web.uvic.ca/~sdoyle/E302/Notes/SummaryNotes.html
Akrani, G. (2010, September 7) How to Summarize a Passage? Summarization Skills
Techniques. Retrieved from http://kalyan-city.blogspot.com/2010/09/how-to-summarize-
passage-summarization.html
Retrieved from http://www.academicintegrity.uoguelph.ca/plagiarism/paraphrasing-and-
summarizing-practice-exercise
Belmihoub, K. (2014, May 29) Paraphrase and Summary Exercises. Retrieved from
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/exercises/32/41
Writing Academic English. 4th edition.

A. LESSON PREVIEW/REVIEW
Introduction
Have you tried working on a research paper or any academic paper? If so, I am pretty sure that you are
familiar with the second chapter of research paper, which is? Right! The Review of the Related Literature. Of
course, you have researched about sources that will help you understand your topic, as well as theories that
will support your claim. How did you state your sources? Did you copy the entire paper word for word? Or, did
you try to make it concise but making sure that the most important information are still mentioned? If so, then
you have already summarized.

B. MAIN LESSON
Content and Skill-Building

Summary is a short or abbreviated version of a longer text (about a quarter of its original length).
Purpose of summary:
(1.) to help you understand the main points and structure of the author's argument,
(2.) to convey understanding to others,
(3.) to present background information quickly, and
(4.) to refer to another writer's ideas in the course of making your own original statement.
Three important summarization techniques:

Selection- select major idea, key words and phrases, special terms and interpretations presented
in the original text
Rejection- remove unnecessary data or the specifics.

Substitution- replace long sentences/phrases with shorter ones. Combine several sentences into
one.
Paraphrase is a restatement and restructuring of ideas for the purpose of clarifying the meaning of a text.
Restatement means that you rephrase the original using your own words. However, you do not just change
some words in the material; you also need to change the flow of ideas in the effort to make the original
meaning clearer.

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 APP 002: ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL PURPOSES
Student Activity Sheet Module #2

Name: ___________________________________________________________ Class number: _______

Section: ____________ Schedule: _____________________________________ Date: ______________

Steps in paraphrasing:

1. Read the original passage several times until you understand it fully. Look for synonyms for
unfamiliar words.

2. Take note of the important details.

3. Write your paraphrase referring only to your notes.

4. Check your paraphrase against the original to make sure you have not copied vocabulary or
the sentence structure too closely.

Skill-building Activities
Make a summary and paraphrase of the text provided below by following the steps presented to you in
the concept notes section. You may use dictionary in answering.

Summarize:

“Illiteracy is a problem in many of the world’s poorest countries. Even in wealthier nations like the United
States, many children struggle with reading and writing. But in 19 cities across the country [United States], the
volunteers of Experience Corps are helping youngsters learn to read. The volunteers, all over 50, work with
students in low-income areas.”

Older Volunteers Help Children Learn to Read. (n.d.) Voice of America. Retrieved from voanews.com

Selection
1. What do you think are the key terms that we can use in our summary?
Answer:
__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

2. Rejection
If you apply rejection technique in this text, what are the ideas/terms that you can exclude?
Answer:
__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

3. Substitution
What are possible sentences, phrases, or words that you can substitute or reword to create a shorter version?
Answer:
__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

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 APP 002: ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL PURPOSES
Student Activity Sheet Module #2

Name: ___________________________________________________________ Class number: _______

Section: ____________ Schedule: _____________________________________ Date: ______________

Language is the main means of communication between people. But so many different languages have
developed that language has often been a barrier rather than an aid to understanding among peoples. For
many years, people have dreamed of setting up an international universal language which all people could
speak and understand. The arguments in favor of a universal language are simple and obvious. If all people
spoke the same tongue, cultural and economic ties might be much closer, and goodwill might increase
between countries (Kispert.)
Step 1:
What were the unfamiliar words? What were their specific synonyms?
Answer:
__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

Step 2:
Write down only a few words for each idea-- not complete sentences.
Answer:
__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

Step 3:
Write your paraphrase from your notes.
Answer:
__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

Step 4:
Check your paraphrase against the original.
Answer:
__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

Check for Understanding

Now that you have a good grasp of what summarizing and paraphrasing is all about, let us try if you
can identify a good summary from a bad one. You can see below different versions of summaries and
paraphrases of texts. Circle the letter of the choice which you think is the good summary/paraphrase.

1. The movement toward education by computer is developing fast. Massive Open Online Courses, called
MOOCs, are changing how people learn in many places. For years, people could receive study materials from
colleges or universities and take part in online classes. But such classes were not designed for many
thousands of students at one time, as MOOCs are.
MOOCS Are Moving Forward. Voice of America. Retrieved from http://learningenglish.voanews.com

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 APP 002: ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL PURPOSES
Student Activity Sheet Module #2

Name: ___________________________________________________________ Class number: _______

Section: ____________ Schedule: _____________________________________ Date: ______________

a. Computer education is growing fast. MOOCs are influencing how we study. People received materials from
universities for a long time to be able to take classes online. MOOCs are the only ones thousands can take at
a time.
b. According to a Voice of America article, a fast-growing MOOCs movement allows thousands to take online
clases at once, changing how we learn. _________________________

2. Language is the main means of communication between peoples. But so many different languages have
developed that language has often been a barrier rather than an aid to understanding among peoples. For
many years, people have dreamed of setting up an international universal language which all people could
speak and understand. The arguments in favor of a universal are simple and obvious. if all people spoke the
same tongue, cultural and economic ties might be much closer, and good will might increase between
countries (Kispert.)
a. People communicate through language; however, having different languages creates communication
barriers. A universal language could bring countries together culturally and economically as well as increase
good feelings among them (Kispert).
b. Humans communicate through language. Because e so many different languages, however, people around
the world have a dl It time understanding one another. Some people have wished for a universal international
language that speakers all over the world could understand. Their reasons are straightforward and clear. A
universal language would build cultural and economic bonds. It would also create better feelings among
countries (Kispert).

3. The judge was relieved when the jury was finally ready to announce its verdict.
a. When the jury announced its verdict, the judge was relieved.
b. The judge asked the jury to arrive at a verdict.
c. The judge welcomed the prospect of an imminent verdict.
d. The jury welcomed the judge's relief.

4. Research data suggest that girls who witnessed maternal abuse may tolerate abuse as adults more than
girls who did not.
a. Women who witnessed the abuse of their mother as teens are more likely to become abusive adults.
b. Women who observed the abuse of their mothers when they were young are more likely to endure abuse
themselves.
c. Women who were abused as children are more likely to abuse their own children.
d. Girls who testify about maternal abuse tolerate abuse as adults more readily.

5. Martha thinks that the issue of adolescent problems is important to write about.
a. Martha thinks that adolescents like to write about their problems.
b. Martha feels that writing about adolescent problems is worthwhile.
c. Martha believes that the dream of most adolescents is to write something important.
d. Martha thinks that adolescents can write about their problems.
C. LESSON WRAP-UP
Summary/Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the importance of summarizing text?

- Summarizing teaches students how to discern the most important ideas in a text, how to ignore irrelevant
information, and how to integrate the central ideas in a meaningful way. Teaching students to summarize
improves their memory for what is read. Summarization strategies can be used in almost every content area.

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 APP 002: ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL PURPOSES
Student Activity Sheet Module #2

Name: ___________________________________________________________ Class number: _______

Section: ____________ Schedule: _____________________________________ Date: ______________

2. What is the importance of paraphrasing a text?

- Paraphrasing is important because it shows you understand the source well enough to write it in your own
words. It also gives you a powerful alternative to using direct quotes, which should be used infrequently.

KEY TO CORRECTIONS
Skill-Building
Summarize:

“Illiteracy is a problem in many of the world’s poorest countries. Even in wealthier nations like the United
States, many children struggle with reading and writing. But in 19 cities across the country [United States], the
volunteers of Experience Corps are helping youngsters learn to read. The volunteers, all over 50, work with
students in low-income areas.”

Older Volunteers Help Children Learn to Read. (n.d.) Voice of America. Retrieved from voanews.com

1.) Selection
Answer: “Experience Corps”, “volunteers”, and “19 cities”.

2.) Rejection
Answer: “Illiteracy is a problem in many of the world’s poorest countries. Even in wealthier nations like
the United States, many children struggle with reading and writing”

3.) Substitution
Answer:
But in 19 cities across the country [United States] = 19 US cities;
the volunteers of Experience Corps = Experience Corps volunteers;
helping youngsters learn to read = improve their literacy skills;
work with students in low-income areas = help poor children.
Paraphrase:

Language is the main means of communication between people. But so many different languages have
developed that language has often been a barrier rather than an aid to understanding among peoples. For
many years, people have dreamed of setting up an international universal language which all people could
speak and understand. The arguments in favor of a universal language are simple and obvious. If all people
spoke the same tongue, cultural and economic ties might be much closer, and goodwill might increase
between countries (Kispert.)
Step 1:
What were the unfamiliar words? What were their specific synonyms?
Possible Answer: means=ways, barrier=limit, aid=help, obvious=clear, tongue=dialect, goodwill= togetherness

Step 2:
Write down only a few words for each idea-- not complete sentences.
Possible Answer: language-people use to communicate-but so many-difficult to understand one another-

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 APP 002: ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL PURPOSES
Student Activity Sheet Module #2

Name: ___________________________________________________________ Class number: _______

Section: ____________ Schedule: _____________________________________ Date: ______________

people wish-universal international language-reasons: cultural, economic bonds, better feelings between
countries

Step 3:
Write your paraphrase from your notes.
Possible Answer: Humans communicate through language. Because of so many different languages,
however, people around the world have a difficult time understanding one another. Some people have
wished for a universal international language that speakers all over the world could understand. Their
reasons are straightforward and clear. A universal language would build cultural and economic bonds. It
would also create better feelings among countries (Kispert).

Step 4:
Check your paraphrase against the original.

Check for Understanding

Answers: 1. b, 2.a, 3. c, 4. b, 5. b

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