SUMMARIZING

&
PA R A P H R A S I N G
Summar y
A summary is a
significant reduction
of the original source.
• Determine the main idea of the piece you
have read or viewed.
• Write one sentence that captures that
main idea.
• As you read or view, note the major areas
of evidence.
• Then, write one sentence that
communicates the gist of each of these
major areas.
Avoid these
common
problems!
• To avoid plagiarizing, do not look
at the source while you are
composing the summary.
• Use what you remember from the
reading.

• Write the summary in your own

words
• After you have written the
summary, you can revisit the
source to confirm facts.
• Do not express your own
opinion about the source,
neither disagree.
Example:

The tall cow boy put the saddle on his horse, untied him from
the fence, waved goodbye and rode off into the sunset.

Summary: the cowboy left

Let’s Practice
When Sanusi returned from his vacation, he found the
back door broken open, the television set missing and
the jewelry was gone.
Summary:…………………………
PA R A P H R A S I N G
A paraphrase is

 Your version of someone else’s ideas

presented in a new form.

 A more detailed restatement than a

summary.
• Identify the subject and predicate of the sentence.
• To change sentence structure: separate ideas from one
sentence into two or more sentences OR change the
order of ideas in the sentence.
• Replace key word with synonym, definition or another
form of the word (e.g. change a noun to its verb form).
What NOT to do
when
paraphrasing
• Do not replace the original text
word-for-word with synonyms.

• Do not replace words with terms

that are unfamiliar to you.
Original sentence:
Education is the most single factors in the
development country.
Example:

Original Passage

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 people 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 good will might increase
between countries.
Unacceptable Paraphrase (plagiarism)

Language is the principal means of communication

between peoples. However, because there are numerous
languages, language itself has frequently been a barrier
rather than an aid to understanding among the world
population. For many years, people have envisioned a
common universal language that everyone in the world could
communicate in. The reasons for having a universal
language are dearly understandable, if the same tongue
were spoken by all countries, they would undoubtedly
become closer culturally and economically. lt would probably
also create good will among nations.
Acceptable Paraphrase

Humans communicate through language.

However, because there are so many languages in
the world, language is an obstacle rather than an aid
to communication. For a long time, people have
wished for an International language that speakers
all over the world could understand. A universal
language would certainly build cultural and economic
bonds. It would also create better feelings among
countries.