DSSS ea E SKILL BUILDING: SUMMARY WRITING WIE SeeUulue lye ‘Asummary presents the basic meaning (core ideas) of a longer stretch (piece) of information in language that is different from the original, It does not change the emphasis of the original piece of information. It is concise, coherent and readable. WUC Muncie Relic 1. Itis shorter than the original. 2. Itreflects the gist or the most important points of the message. It retains the essential meaning in the fewest words possible. ‘8. Ituses language different from the original, that is it expresses the main ideas in new words. 4, Itcan stand on its own. Its coherent and unified. Ee ut SS Ruel ee | ‘) To write to someone about an interesting newspaper article or story, emphasising the main points. b) To transmit information from various sources in condensed form — advertisements, brochures, official documents, reports, etc. ©) To report on the contents of a speech, argument, discussion or meeting. ‘Summary writing techniques: Desert y uu Seer ie yuetilicesns Sermielstinaes tistical data * using concise language * omitting repetition Bream hme cao x mary of important to ‘content. Therefore, it is necessary to identify the purpose or intention of the writer. This helps you to lect the relevant ideas to include in your summary. Failure to discern the writer’ intention may result jin an inaccurate understanding of the passage, sequently a weak summary. " ez) y Scanned with CamScannerPenn a ear Example: Read the following example and note the comment which follows. We all know and those of us who prize honesty condemn - the type of trader who gives short weight or offers his wares under false descriptions, Do we recognise as equally dishonest the journalist who betrays his trust? This cheat will suppress news of events and opinions that he finds inconvenient, or trim them to a form that he thinks acceptable to his public, He will even write reports that he knows to be, in part or in entirety, false. \ regard the dishonest journalist as a greater menace to society than the dishonest trader. Believing, ‘as | do, that the mind is more powerful and far more precious than the body, | hold that false ideas, however pleasing they may seem, are more harmful to men than milk diluted with water or than cotton sold as silk. Comment ‘The writer's intention is to show that harm to the mind is more grievous than harm to the body. Details which support this intention are: “I regard the dishonest journalist as a greater menace to society than the dishonest trader,”; “the mind is more powerful and far more precious than the body...’; and ‘..false ideas, however pleasing they may seem, are more harmful to men than milk diluted with water or than cotton sold as silk.” Application: Read the following extract, ‘) Identify the writer's intention in the extract. b) What details support the writer's intention? ©) Inapproximately 50 words, write a summary of the benefits to be derived from the pursuit of a hobby. ‘There are some people who speak slightingly of hobbies as if they were something childish and frivolous. But a man without a hobby is like a ship without a rudder. Life is such a tumultuous affair that most of us get lost in the tangle and brushwood, and reach the end of the journey without ever having found a path or a sense of direction, But a hobby hits the path at once. It may be entirely trivial, but it supplies what the mind needs, an outlet for enthusiasm outside the routine of work and play. It has a way of opening up vast unlooked-for vistas: you begin with stamps and find you are thinking in continents: you may collect coins and find that the history of man is written on them. Every worthwhile hobby leads out into the universe, and supplies us with a compass for the adventure. It saves us from the humiliation of being nothing more than smatterers: the world is too full of things to permit us to be anything else in general; but one field intensively cultivated will at least lessen, if it does not wipe out, that sense of humiliation. It will do more: it will save our smattering from folly. No man who knows one subject well will ever be quite the fool he might have been in every other sphere of his activities. ‘A hobby provides a refuge from the perplexing conundrum of life, with its problems, its losses, its disappointments, arefuge where we find things we can grasp and understand without fear of bereavement Scanned with CamScanner——————O PRU eal aiken chucseonds el sic) eUUIN eRe MLA A= The main idea represents the salient point ina well-structured paragraph. Its usually found in the topic sentence at the beginning, or end of the paragraph. It may be sometimes inferred if itis not explicitly stated, To express the basic meaning of a longer piece of information, selecting the main idea is an important skill Read closely the following example of a well-structured paragraph. Note that the main idea comes at the beginning, The supporting details follow the main idea, Your task in summary writing is to identity the main point with signticant supporting details. ‘Study the example which maps the main idea and the supporting details. Then read the summary and ‘compare it with the original. Example: The computer revolution has changed how workers are organised and supervised. (Main Idea) Throughout much of the twentieth century, large institutions used a hierarchical form of management. Generally, this meant that workers followed strict work rules and abided by a rigid chain of command hen giving and carrying out instructions. (Supporting Detail) Today, many of these management systems are gone, (Supporting Detail) Under these new management systems, supervisors encourage teamwork. equality, informality, and flexible work hours. (Supporting Detail) ‘Summary ‘The computer revolution has altered the way workers function. Previously, workers were required to adhere to stringent rules in assigning and performing tasks. In contrast, in today’s world, workers enjoy a democratic and motivating work environment. Application: Identify the main idea in each extract. Then write a summary of each paragraph. Be sure to include the salient details. Retain the meaning of the original, 1. Fashion, by description, changes constantly. The changes may proceed more rapidly than in most other felds of human activity anguage, thought, etc). For some, modern fast-paced changes in fashion embody many of the negative aspects of capitalism: it results in waste and encourages ‘consumers to buy things unnecessarily. Other people enjoy the diversity that changing fashion Can apparently provide, seeing the constant changes as a way to satisty their desire to experience “new” and “interesting” things. Note too that fashion can change to enforce uniformity, asin the case where so-called Mao suits became the national uniform of mainland China. 2, Many people think of medicine as a “calling” much like priesthood. To some extent this may certainly be true. You must have a great desire to become a physician, a driving passion to help people, to be challenged, and to learn throughout your life. You will sacrifice your time and ‘energy for the care of your patients, often forsaking your family and yourself. Most doctors will tell you they can’t imagine doing anything else. Being a doctor is simply who they are, not just What they do. The desire to help others is a need within them, like breathing, or hunger. Scanned with CamScanner1.2 SUMMARY WRITING TECHNIQUE: COMBINING MAIN IDEAS. ‘After selecting the main idea in each paragraph, itis necessary to ensure coherence and continuity in the development of ideas in your summary. To achieve this, its Important to connect the main idea from each paragraph In the extract. The summary should be readable, and written in your own words. Read closely the following example. Note how the main idea from each paragraph is connected to reflect coherence and continuity in the summary which follows. Example: Tobacco is the leading avoidable cause of cancer and has been estimated ——>Main Idea to account for about 30% of cancer deaths in the United States. Smoking increases the risk of many types of cancer including cancers of the lung, throat, mouth, pancreas, kidney, bladder, cervix, and others. ‘Smoking is also causally associated with many other diseases besides ———> Main Idea cancer, including coronary heart disease, stroke, emphysema,and bronchitis, as well as adverse outcomes of pregnancy. Well over 400,000 premature deaths in the United States each year are attributable to cigarette smoking. ‘Smoking can also affect the health of nonsmokers. The same cancer-causing >>Main Idea chemicals found in inhaled tobacco smoke have been found in second-hand tobacco smoke but in lower concentrations. Non-smokers exposed to second-hand smoke are at increased risk for lung cancer and coronary heart disease, and children exposed to tobacco smoke have elevated risks of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), ear infections and respiratory infections. Most health problems related to cigarette smoking, including cancer ———>Main Idea and cardiovascular and respiratory disease can be reduced by stopping smoking. Quitting smoking is beneficial at all ages, and the earlier in life ‘one quits, the greater the benefits. People who quit smoking cut their risk of lung cancer by 30% to 50% after 10 years compared to continuing smokers, and cut their risk of oral and esophageal cancer in half within 5 years after quitting. ‘Summary ‘Smoking increases the risks of various forms of cancer. Itis also linked to cardio-vascular disease, lung disease and pregnancy problems. Non-smokers, exposed to second-hand smoking, are also susceptible to lung cancer and heart disease. In addition, children are likely victims of sudden infant death syndrome and infections. People who stop smoking, especially at an early age, reduce the risks of various health problems. Scanned with CamScannerApplication: Read the extract carefully. Select the main idea in each paragraph. Then write a summary of the extract linking the main ideas with the relevant supporting details. Your summary should reflect coherence and continuity. Use your ‘own words as far as possible, (Word limit 80) Much of our comfort depends on efficient transport, and most modern transport makes considerable use of electricity. Electric trams, motor-cars, lorries, buses, trains, and, above all, aircraft, depend on electrical apparatus, even though electricity is not always the motive power. Ships, too, though in the past driven by steam, use many electrical devices. Thus most of the comforts that we owe to modern transport depend very largely on the use of electricity. Inthe home, also, our comfort has been considerably increased by the introduction of electric power. It provides lighting that is clean, efficient, and most convenient, How much easier itis to tur a switch than to light a gas-jet or oll-lamp. Similarly, we can cool a room quickly and easily by switching on an air conditioning unit But perhaps what the housewife most values is the assistance given by electric power in her daily tasks of cooking, cleaning, and washing. The electric cooker, the vacuum-cleaner, the dishwasher and the electric washing-machine have reduced the drudgery of house-work and thus made family life more comfortable. Finally lt us consider entertainment. How much that we can now enjoy at home depends on the use of electricity! The invention, first of sound broadcasting, and then of television, has made it possible for us to enjoy excellent and varied entertainment in the comfort of our own homes. Once again, instead of looking for a park or scrambling for a place in a cultural centre or stadium, we have only to turn on the magic switch to bring the desired entertainment to our own living room, 1.3 SUMMARY WRITING TECHNIQUE: OMITTING EXAMPLES Writers use examples to support their main points or ideas. Explanatory or illustrative material can usually be omitted in a summary, without changing the emphasis of the original information. Read the paragraph below. Then read the summary. Note that the examples are omitted in the summary. Example: ‘Te people are part o the attraction of Trinidad, the most cosmopolitan island in the Caribbean, The ‘Se island's polyglot population includes Syrians, Chinese, Americans, Europeans, East Indians, Parsees, Venezuelans, and the last of the original Amerindian settlers of the istand. You'll also find Javanese, Lebanese, African descendants, and Creole mixes. The main religions are Christianity, Hinduism, and [lam nal thre are cbout 1.3 millon habitants, whose anguae is English, although you may so hear the local lect. ‘Summary ‘Trinidad is the most cosmopolitan island in the Caribbean. The population consists of people from various ethnic groups that practise different religions, but speak a common language as well as various dialects. Scanned with CamScannerRead closely these two extracts. Then write a summary of each extract, omitting the examples. 1. According to scientists, the problem is that so many things are changing at once, a chain reaction which can produce environmental catastrophe. Concentrations of trace gases increase while global temperatures rise, and the ozone layer becomes thinner as ground pollution thickens. There are droughts and crop fallures in the United States, Canada, China, Russia and other areas, flooding and massive mud slides, high temperatures never before experienced in colder countries, and record breaking temperatures in hot climates. In the Antarctic, a giant hole has opened up in the atmosphere and an iceberg the size of Rhode Island in the United States of America has also increased; this can eventually lead to massive deaths among marine plants and animals. 2. The clothing revolution began on a day in 1938 when a completely new kind of synthetic fibre was discovered. You can see the result of this research wherever you go. If you were to stop a thousand men and women on the street today, you would not be likely to find a single one with clothing made out of natural products only. The lady's stockings and lingerie are almost surely nylon; her shoes may be plastic; her uncrushable dress, with its permanently pleated skirt, contains at least some nylon, orlon, dacron or acrilan, Even the ‘fur’ on her coat may never have sheltered a mink or a beaver. Her husband's drip-dry shirt and underwear owe these qualities to synthetics. His sweater and socks are a result of good laboratory techniques, not good farming. Everywhere you look today you will ind synthetics: the bristles on your toothbrush; the comb you run through your hair; the buttons on your coat; the raincoat that shields you from the storm; the baby's bottle; the little boy's toy aeroplane; the dishes that cannot be broken; the delicate white curtains at the windows; the film in the camera; the television cabinet; the telephone. 1.4 SUMMARY WRITING TECHNIQUE; DELETING STATISTICAL DATA Statistical data are used to support or illustrate the writer’s main point or idea in a piece of writing. They may be omitted in a summary. Read closely the following example. Note the omission of statistical data in the summary. Example: ___Inasurvey which aimed at determining the factors responsible for poor academic performance among students, 600 students responded. Based on their responses, three factors were identified - school, home and public transportation. Sixty percent (60%) of the students reported that boredom at school z: and teacher absenteeism were the two school factors responsible for poor academic performance. In the home category, 52% of the students indicated that too many errands at home were a major factor. Fifteen percent (15%), admitted that they watched too much television, 6 % attributed poor academic performance to poor diet, and 3 % stated inadequate resources such as books and uniforms. In the ‘category of public transportation, 40% of the students claimed that the unreliable bus service resulted in unpunctuality, and this contributed to their poor academic performance. Summary: Five hundred students responded to an investigation of the factors that contribute to under - achievement in schools, Students attributed poor academic performance to three factors - school, home and public transportation. The school factors were rated as most responsible for poor academic performance, The second highest factor was the home, and public transportation ranked lowest, Scanned with CamScannerApplication: Read closely the following extract. Write a summary of the information in the extract, omitting Statistical data. (Word limit 70) UNAIDS and the WHO estimate that AIDS has killed more than 25 million people since it was first recognised in 1981, making it one of the most destructive pandemics in recorded history. Despite recent improved access to antiretroviral treatment and care in many regions of the world, the AIDS pandemic claimed an estimated 2.8 million (between 2.4 and 3.3 million) lives in 2005, of which more than half a million(570,000) were children. In 2007, between 30.6 and 36.1 million people were believed to live with HIV, and it killed an estimated 2.1 million people that year, including 330,000 children; there were 2.5 million new infections. Sub-Saharan Africa remains by far the worst-affected region, with an estimated 21.6 to 27.4 million people currently living with HIV. Two million (1.5-3.0 million) of them are children younger than 15 years of age. More than 64% of all people living with HIV are in Sub-Saharan Africa, India has an estimated 2.5 million infections (0.23% of population), making India the country with the third largest population of HIV patients. MITTING REPETITION 1.5 SUMMARY WRITING TECHNIQUI Repetition is a functional technique used to emphasise or reinforce a particular idea. It is often used in descriptive and explanatory writing. However, in summarising the content of a passage, repetition may not be necessary in order to achieve conciseness. Repetition can be discerned in the restatement of ideas, through words, phrases and sentences. Example: Read this passage. Note the repetition of ideas in the italicised words. Do films truly interpret the real world? Documentary films, yes; news reels, to a small degree; fictional feature films, no, or perhaps it would be more correct to say that most feature films give a false picture by exaggerating dramatic and comedy situations, and setting characters in backgrounds which are not always true to life. Itis the documentary or factual film that shows us the world in which we live, and here the film comes into its own, for its backgrounds are the real world, and the players ordinary people. It is most unfortunate that documentary films can't be seen in the majority of our cinemas, but it is to be hoped that there will bea place for them in the programmes of the future. , Meanwhile, as the documentary film of real life is obviously the true film, and does not show artificial or exaggerated situations, it stands to reason that a blending of the methods used to produce the documentary film with those used in feature production would result in the ideal type of film. Scanned with CamScannerApplication: ‘Summarise the following passage. Omit unnecessary repetition. There is no doubt that the present system of transport is woefully inadequate for a population of over cone milion people. The deficient service has been with us for an unduly long period of time. Over the years there have been several promises for an improved service by high-ranking officials of the National Transport Agency, but these have failed to materialise. Whenever there is a public uproar about the inadequate service, high-ranking officials rush to offer explanations for their inefficiency to a disbelieving public, There is no doubt that the number of buses has to be increased, especially for people living in remote areas. There is no doubt that a rapid rail system will improve the transportation system, and equally too, there is no doubt that an increase in the number of water-taxis will lessen transportation woes. The country's overall industrial and economic developments have enhanced the standard of living, and people have lost patience with an inefficient and inadequate transportation system. The fact that people have lost patience with the transportation system means that they will not tolerate a shoddy transportation system any longer. They are not content to suffer silently. They prefer to express their discontent in a loud, audible voice. The high-ranking officials of the National Transportation Agency must realise that the inadequate transportation system at present does not meet the needs of the people and something must be done now. 1.6 ACHIEVING CONCISENESS IN A SUMMARY To achieve conciseness in a summary, here are some useful techniques: «eliminate wordy expressions.» choose only relevant material. * avoid unnecessary repetit * eliminate redundancy. * omit opinions, impressions, + reduce sentence length. descriptions and elaborate 7 explanations. Application: . 1. Replace all of the following phrases bold in A Eliminating Wordy Expressions italics with a single word which conveys a ‘ i similar meaning. You can achieve conciseness in a summary by substituting a single word for a phrase. a) The members of the club were all in Study the example below: agreement that we should invite the minister of education to our graduation to deliver the Example: feature address. b) The appraisal of his performance indicated that he was a good example to them. ©) His closing remarks revealed that he was not biased in favour of either side in the argument. d) All persons who participated in the incident are liable to be called upon to account for their actions. Scanned with CamScannerB_ Avoid Unnecessary Repetition While planned repetition or restatement can make your writing more coherent or emphatic, unnecessary repetition weakens sentence structure. Study the example below. Example: At the meeting, the consensus of opinion was to continue with the fund-raising event. (Repetition) Consensus is an opinion with which all members of a group agree. Therefore opinion is unnecessary in the phrase. Consensus is appropriate. At the meeting, the consensus was to continue with the fund-raising activity, Application: 1. Rewrite each of the following sentences. Avoid unnecessary repetition. a) Ina period of recession, many unskilled workers without training in a particular field are ‘among the first to have their employment terminated and to be without a job. b) Our company offers the best computer system available currently, far superior to any other system at present in the market. ©) After all is said and done at the conclusion of this lengthy discussion, | would like to ‘summarise the main points. 4) Inall probability, we are likely to experience severe hardship because of the financial crisis brought about by extravagant and wasteful spending on projects that do not directly add to a better quality of life or improve our standard of living. e) In my opinion, | personally think that we should not attempt to move forward with the arrangements for the concert until we have received and obtained the approval of the principal before beginning our plans for the event. C Eliminating Redundancy Some words tend to say the same thing in word combinations. This is termed redundancy. Study the example below. Example: The chairman of the group advanced forward the matter for discussion. The word forward is redundant because advanced means moved forward. Application: 1. Rewrite the following sentences to eliminate redundancy. a) The proposed new plan did not gain the approval of the team leader. b) The team members were required to return back to the stadium to practise in the late afternoon. Scanned with CamScanner©) The witness was advised by the magistrate not to repeat again the false accusations during the trial. 4) The archeologist made a uniquely unusual discovery during excavation of a historic site. ¢) The television station recently purchased modern, up-to-date equipment to satisfy the needs of viewers in remote outlying districts. 2. Explain the redundancy in each of the phrases below. a) absolutely complete ) important essentials final outcome d) actual truth e) follows after f) end result g) reduce down h) collect together D_ Reducing Sentence Length Itis difficult for most readers to understand a sentence that is too lengthy because it contains too many Units of thought. To avoid this, you need to reconstruct the sentence to separate the ideas to make meaning clearer. As good practice, do not connect more than two, or at most, three units of thought in asentence. Here is a sentence in which the meaning gets lost because of the sentence length. Read closely the correct version. The digital camera has changed photography significantly, allowing you to produce professional-looking, customised photos, and as with other cameras, you can point and shoot with it, but unlike the traitional camera, the digital camera lets you review every photo you take before you print it. Improved: The digital camera has changed photography significantly, allowing you to produce professional-looking customised photos. However, unlike the traditional camera, the digital camera lets you review every photograph you take before you print it. Application: Reconstruct the following sentences to make meaning clearer. 1. Itis an inescapable fact that to most people there comes a time when failing powers of mind or body make it impossible for them to manage their daily lives without some sort of help, and despite the weakened sense of family solidarity this help is still forthcoming in many cases from children, other relatives or occasionally friends. 2. The child that sees his or her parents consuming alcohol as if it were a part of their daily food, will eventually consider that doing the same is perfectly natural, unconscious that one single glass can drag him or her into alcoholism in the course of time. 3. Acricket team should feel that they are playing with, as well as against, their opponents, and the home side should remember that they are the hosts, and the the visitors are the guests, and both should realise that the true greatness of the game lies in competitiveness and sportsmanship combined. Scanned with CamScanner