Aklan Polytechnic College

Quezon Avenue, Kalibo Aklan

SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT

ENG 112: English for Academic & Professional Purposes

Subject Teacher: Shermien Martinez- Deraper, LPT

Lesson 7: Writing an Abstract, Precis, or Summary

What is an Abstract, Précis or Summary?
Texts are classified as either abstract, précis, or summary and sometimes as synopsis, are all the same.
Whatever they may be called, these texts aim to precisely condense a larger work to present only the key
ideas. They tell the audience the gist of what has been read, listened to orviewed.Note that the way we
write an abstract, précis, or summary depends on the expectations of a particular discipline or field. For
example, publishing companies, libraries and movie catalogs do not give away the actual content of the
material when they write summaries of materials. Their purpose is simply to pique the interest of the
target audience. These kinds of abstracts are called,
Descriptive abstracts
. - Research papers on the other hand readily present the key ideas and major findings of the study. This
kind of abstract is known as
Summative abstract
.- Between these two types of abstracts, a summative abstract is more preferred in an academic setting.
Since an abstract, précis, or summary aim to present the key ideas of the text, the general rule is to
condense the information into around 15 percent of the original length of the text. However, this is not a
hard and fast rule. In most cases, a 6,000-word research article for an academic journal may require only
200 to 250 words for its abstract.

Structure of an Abstract, Précis, or Summary

Research Abstract
The structure of abstract, précis, or summary depends on how it will be used. For instance, the
abstract of a research paper usually contains 150-300 words. It does not use any citation, does not include
specific result statistics and is last to be written. In terms of structure, a research abstract generally
follows the given allocation of words:

 Rationale
 Research Problems (around 10%)
 Methodology (around 20%)
 Major findings (around 40%)
 Conclusion and Implications (around 10%)
Below is an example of research abstract
Previous studies revealed that meaning-focused instruction (MFI) and form-focused instruction
Previous the most effective approaches in developing the overall language skills of second
(FF) are two of language learners, separately. However, no experimental studies have been conducted to effectiveness
when integrated. This study, therefore, aims to fill in this gap by investigating their effects of combining MFI and F in
developing the speaking, writing, and grammar skills of selected secondary ESL students in public high schools in the
Philippines. The participants involved in this study are 480 third year high school students. These students were
divided into four groups: n A (n=120) received both the MFl and FFI, Group B (n=120) received MMI only, Group C
(n=120) received FFl only, and Group D (n=120) received the standard English programme for secondary received
ESL students. Findings revealed that students from Groups A, B, and C significantly improved in their
sneaking, writing, and grammar skills but not Group D. Based on ANOVA, findings further showed
that students from Group A have outperformed students from Groups B, C, D. From these findings, t
is concluded that combining MFI and FFl is an effective way in significantly improving the language
skills of students. Future directions and implications for teaching are also discussed.

Guidelines in Writing an Abstract, Précis, or Summary

1. Read the text at least twice until you fully understand its content.
 Aklan Polytechnic College
Quezon Avenue, Kalibo Aklan
SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT

ENG 112: English for Academic & Professional Purposes

Subject Teacher: Shermien Martinez- Deraper, LPT

2. Highlight the key ideas and phrases.

3. Annotate the text.
4. State the author’s name, the title of the passage and the main idea at the beginning sentence.
5. Use words or phrases indicating that you are presenting an abstract, précis, or summary.
Reporting verbs are the most useful for this purpose.
6. Write the main idea of each paragraph using your own words. In some cases, you can write one
main idea for multiple paragraphs particularly of a research paper.
7. Never copy in verbatim a single sentence from the original text.
8. Combine the main ideas to form one paragraph. Use appropriate transitional devices to improve
cohesion.
9. Refrain from adding comments about the text. Stick to the ideas presented in the text.
10. Edit your draft comments about the text. Stick to the ideas presented in the text.
11. Compare your output with the original text to ensure accuracy.
 Aklan Polytechnic College
Quezon Avenue, Kalibo Aklan
SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT

ENG 112: English for Academic & Professional Purposes

Subject Teacher: Shermien Martinez- Deraper, LPT

Lesson 8: Writing a Reaction Paper, Review, and Critique

REACTION PAPERS, REVIEWS, AND CRITIQUES are:

Specialized forms of writing in which a reviewer or reader evaluates any of the following:
 A scholarly work (e.g., academic books and articles)
 A work of art (e.g., performance art, play, dance, sports, film, exhibits)
 Designs (e.g., industrial designs, furniture, fashion design)
 Graphic design (e.g., posters, billboards, commercials, and digital media)

Critical Approaches in Writing a Critique

.1. Formalism claims that literary works contain intrinsic properties and treats each work as a distinct
work of art. In short, it posits that the key to understanding a text is through the text itself; the historical
context, the author, or any other external contexts are ne not necessary in interpreting the meaning.

Following are the common aspects looked into in formalism:

 Author's techniques in resolving contradictions within the work
 Central passage that sums up the entirety of the work
 Contribution of parts and the work as a whole to its aesthetic quality
 Contribution of rhymes and rhythms to the meaning or effect of the work
 Relationship of the form and the content
 Use of imagery to develop the symbols used in the work
 Interconnectedness of various parts of the work
 Paradox, ambiguity, and irony in the work
 Unity in the work

Read a sample formalist critique of Dead Stars, a classic Filipino short story by Paz Marquez
Benitez.
The title of the work already gives an idea as to what it means. In physics, it is stated
that the light and energy of the stars have to travel light years to reach us. Since they are millions of miles
away and light has to travel this large distance, it is highly possible that the star has already exploded
while its light is still travelling towards us. Therefore it is possible that a bright light we see at night
actually comes from a dead star. In the story this metaphor is used to refer to Alfredo's love for Julia, a
woman he meets and falls for one fateful summer. Not only is the title an indicator of what is to come,
even the fate of the characters in the story can already be seen through their names. Alfredo’s name
means counselor of elves in Spanish and suggests someone who is wise. In the story it is indicated that
Afredo is a lawyer, a person who counsels. Still, his name denotes a certain irony: despite his supposed
wisdom, Alfredo's actions, especially his covert courtship with Julia while being engaged to another, are
anything but sensible. Julia name, on- the other hand, refers to someone who is youthful, which is how
Alfredo sees her for eight years until he is confronted by reality.

2. Feminist criticism or feminism focuses economic oppression. It also reveals how aspects of our
culture patriarchal, psychological, and how culture views men as superior and women as inferior. The
common aspects looked into when using feminism are as follows:
 How culture determines gender
 How gender equality (or the lack of it) is presented in the text
 How gender issues are presented in literary works and other aspects of human
 production and daily life
 How women are socially, politically, psychologically, and economically oppressed by
 patriarchy economically oppressed by
 How patriarchal ideology is an overpowering presence
 Aklan Polytechnic College
Quezon Avenue, Kalibo Aklan
SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT

ENG 112: English for Academic & Professional Purposes

Subject Teacher: Shermien Martinez- Deraper, LPT

Sample feminist critique of Dead Stars

Dead Stars already clearly illustrates the gender roles ingrained in Filipino society: Don Julian
and the judge are portrayed as the male leaders of the household, taking up lofty professions such as
business and law while the women are portrayed accomplishing domestic tasks such as tending to
children and preparing food. The most note-worthy display of imbalance in power, however, lies on the
central theme of Alfredo's love for Julia as simply a dead star. Eight years after their forbidden love and
after getting married to another woman, Alfredo still holds Julia as an object of affection, thus creating a
distance between him and his wife, Esperanza. In their relationship as a wedded couple, the power
lies in Alfredo, not only because patriarchal society designates him as the head of the household, but also
because he remains unreachable to his wife by harbouring feelings to another woman. Moreover, the
realization that his love for Julia is simply a dead stars Drought about by his treatment of Julia as símply
an illusion and an object of affection, and not as a woman. This gender imbalance leads to a tragic
epiphany for the characters, also a reflection of how men are viewed to dominate not only in the
household but also in their relationship with women.

3. Reader response criticism is concerned with the reviewer's reaction as an audience of a work. This
approach claims that the reader's role cannot be separated from the understanding interprets or the work; a
text does not have meaning until the reader reads it and interprets it. Readers are therefore not passive and
distant, but are active consumers of the material presented to them. The common aspects looked into
when using reader response criticism are as follows:

 Interaction between the reader and the text in creating meaning

 The impact of reader’s delivery of sounds and visuals on enhancing and changing meaning.

Sample reader response critique of Dead Stars

Despite being limited in length, Dead Stars manages to evoke various feelings which ultimately build up
the ending. While Alfredo is the center of the story, as a woman reader it is hard not to feel greatly for
Espéranza. Esperanza can only be seen through the perspective of Alfredo. This does a disservice to her,
as we can only know her through the description of someone who does not love her anymore. still, it is
also through Alfredo's descriptions and his unfaithfulness that Esperanza gains sympathy from the reader.
During all the moments when Alfredo and Julia are together, the thought of Esperanza looms
in the background-does she know? How will she react? What will happen now? The
sympathy only increases when they get married, for it is clear that Alfredo is detached
from her and is still harbouring feelings for Julia. While the end certainly evokes a feeling
of loss at Alfredo's epiphany, it is the feeling of betrayal for Esperanza that stays.

4. Marxist Criticism is concerned with differences between economic classes and implications of a
capitalist system, such as the continuing conflicts between the working class and the elite.
The common aspects looked into when using Marxist criticism are as follows:
 Social class as represented in the work
 Social class of the writer/ creator
 Social class of the characters
 Conflicts and interactions between economic classes

Structure of a Reaction aper, Review, or Critique

You have to follow a logical organization and structure for your reaction paper or review to
be able to present your critical evaluation effectively.

Structure For Critiques of Academic Researches and Articles

Introduction (around 5% of the paper)
 .Title of the book/article /work
 Writer's name
 Thesis statement
Summary (around 10% of the paper)
 Objective or purpose
 Methods used (if applicable)
 Major findings, claims, ideas, or messages
Review/Critique (in no particular order and around 75% of the paper)
 Aklan Polytechnic College
Quezon Avenue, Kalibo Aklan
SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT

ENG 112: English for Academic & Professional Purposes

Subject Teacher: Shermien Martinez- Deraper, LPT

 Appropriateness of methodology to support the arguments (for books and articles) or

 appropriateness of mode of presentation (other works)
 Theoretical soundness, coherence of ideas
 Sufficiency and soundness of explanation in relation to other available information and
 experts
 Other perspectives in explaining the concepts and ideas
 It is best to ask the following questions during this part:
 Does the writer explicitly state his/her thesis statement?
 What are the assumptions (i.e., a scientific/logical/literary explanation without
 evidence) mentioned in the work? Are they explicitly discussed?
 What are the contributions of the work to the field where it belongs?
 What problems and issues are discussed or presented in the work?
 What kinds of information (e.g, observation, survey, statistics, historical accounts) are
presented in the work? How are they used to support the arguments or thesis?
 Are there other ways of supporting the arguments or thesis aside from the information

Conclusion (around 10% of the paper)

 Overall impression of the work

 Benefits for the intended audience o or field
 Scholarly or literary value of the reviewed article, book, or work
 Suggestion for future direction of research

For other types of reviews, there is no prescribed structure, but the following sections are
almost always present.
Introduction
 Basic details about the material, such as its title, director or artist, name of exhibition/ event, and
the like f exhibition
 Main assessment of the material (for films and performances)
Plot Summary/Description
 Gist of the plot
 Simple description of the artwork
Analysis/Interpretation
 Discussion and analysis of the work (you may employ the critical approach here)
 It is best to ask the following questions during this part.
o What aspects of the work make you think it is a success or failure?
o Were there unanswered questions or plot lines? If yes, how did they affect the story?
o Does the work remind you of other things you have experienced through analogies,
metaphors, or other figurative devices? How does this contribute to the meaning?
o How does the work relate to other ideas or events in the world and/or in your other
studies?
o What stood out while you were watching the film or the performance?
Conclusion/Evaluation
 Reinforcement of main assessment
 Comparison to a similar work
 Recommendation of the material (if you liked it)

Guidelines in Writing a Reaction Paper, Review, or Critique

1. For articles or journals
a. Read, view, or listen to the work to be reviewed carefully to get the main topic or the
concepts presented. Then revisit the work to further identify its arguments or message
b. Relate the content of the work to what you already know about the topic. This will ma
you more engaged in the article or book.
c. Focus on discussing how the book treats the topic and not the topic itself. Use passes
such as this book/work presents and the author argues.
d. Situate your review. This means that your analysis should be anchored on the u s
presented by the writer or creator.
 Aklan Polytechnic College
Quezon Avenue, Kalibo Aklan
SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT

ENG 112: English for Academic & Professional Purposes

Subject Teacher: Shermien Martinez- Deraper, LPT

e. Report the type of analysis or mode of presentation the writer used and how this type of analysis
supports the arguments and claims.
f. Examine whether the findings are used and how this findings are adequately supported and how
the connections between ideas affect the conclusions and findings
g. Suggest points for improvement of the reasoning, explanation, presentation of ideas, as well as
alternative methods and processes of reasoning,
h. Compare the writer's or creator's explanation of the topic to that of another expert from the same
field of study.
i. Point out other conclusions or interpretations that the writer/creator missed out. Present
other ideas that need to be examined.
j. . Show vour agreement with the writer's or creator's ideas and present an explanation for
this agreement.

2 . For artworks and other media

a. When critiquing artworks or posters, make sure to use speculative verbs such as evoke,
create, appear, and suggest to show that your interpretation of the artist's work is just
that-an interpretation.
b. Presume that the reader has not yet seen the material you are reviewing, so make sure to
describe it to them. For reviews of films or plays, make sure not to spoil key events unless
they figure in your review, in which case always add a disclaimer
c. For artworks, describe the material in simple terms to help your audience visualize it;
refrain from being vague or abstract.
3. On a general note, your reaction paper's conclusion may focus on the following ideas
a. Did the work hold your interest:
b. Did the work annoy or excite you:
c. Did the work prompt you to raise questions to the author?
d. Did the work lead you to some realizations?
e. Did the work remind you of other materials that you have read, viewed or listened to in
the past?