MBA C431

BITS Pilani
Pilani | Dubai | Goa | Hyderabad

Lecture 7
JAYASHREE MAHESH

BITS Pilani
Pilani | Dubai | Goa | Hyderabad

REFORMULATING
AND
SUMMARIZING

Reformulating Vs. Summarising

Reformulating involves expanding, reducing or
selectively rewriting a passage for a specific
purpose
Summarizing means to convey all or most of the
section of a text using a reduced number of words
Examples advertisement, notice, article for
newsletter, handout for trainees
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BITS Pilani, Deemed to be University under Section 3 of UGC Act, 1956

Activity for Reformulating

Read the verbatim information given to you and
reformulate it .
Hint : May reproduce it in the form of an
organizational chart

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Paraphrase/ Summary
To provide support to your own ideas
To give reasons of why you agree or disagree
with something
To give depth to your writing
To refer to something that led to your ideas
To give a point of view which is different from
yours
BITS Pilani, Deemed to be University under Section 3 of UGC Act, 1956

Paraphrasing Vs. Summarizing

Paraphrasing
Rewriting

Summarizing

another's Putting

down

the

words without altering

main ideas of another

the meaning

in your own words

Same length as the Shorter

original

than

the

original (1/3rd )

BITS Pilani, Deemed to be University under Section 3 of UGC Act, 1956

Paraphrase when:
You want to use another writers words without
plagiarizing
You want to use another writers words without
the use of quotes
The ideas of other writer are more important than
his/her style
You think the words of the other writer are too
difficult for your readers
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Summarize when:
You want to identify with the main ideas of the
writer
You want to give an overview of the topic (from
several sources)
You want to simplify a complex argument
You want to condense the matter to suit your
requirement.

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Guidelines for Writing Summaries

(1/2)

Read the instructions carefully and determine what is

required in your summary
Read the passage twice think yourself into the theme
and ensure a completer grasp of the topic
Go through the passage again and highlight the
information to be included in the summary
Recheck what you have highlighted in case you have
missed something or highlighted something incorrectly
Make a rough draft from your highlighting, using your
own words and avoiding the language of the original
passage wherever possible
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Guidelines for Writing Summaries

(2/2)

Check your draft against the original, making sure you

have not left out anything of importance or added
anything which is not relevant
Write out the summary in its final form. Take every
opportunity to rephrase in an attempt to cut down on
the number of words used.
Count the words used and if necessary make some
more amendments to keep within the limit prescribed.
Read your summary through carefully to check for
grammatical, punctuation or spelling errors.
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Avoid Circumlocution
Despite the fact that (though)
For that reason (because)
Due to the fact that (because)
At a later date (later on)

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BITS Pilani, Deemed to be University under Section 3 of UGC Act, 1956

Avoid Redundancy
Basic fundamentals

Actual experience

Repeated again

Humorous joke

Returned back

At the present time

True fact

Main essentials

Make a mention of

At a later date

Few in number

Throughout the entire

month

Adequate enough

BITS Pilani, Deemed to be University under Section 3 of UGC Act, 1956

Passage 1:
After a period of rapid expansion and record sales which gave
so much pleasure to share holders in the past, I have the
difficult and unenviable task of setting before you a
considerable setback in the companys fortunes for the year
under review. In the last annual statement I issued, I indicated
that sales had leveled off and at the time of the interim
dividend announcement I also predicted that, much as I
regretted having to make the forecast, profits for the year were
likely to be lower than could reasonably be expected.
Unhappily, as it turns out from the figures before me this
prediction is not only true but something of an understatement
in that there has been a sharper decline in profitability during
the last six months than anyone could have foreseen at the
time when I have my announcement of the interim dividend.
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BITS Pilani, Deemed to be University under Section 3 of UGC Act, 1956

Passage 1:
After a period of rapid expansion and record sales which gave so
much pleasure to share holders in the past, I have the difficult
and unenviable task of setting before you a considerable setback
in the companys fortunes for the year under review. In the last
annual statement I issued, I indicated that sales had leveled off
and at the time of the interim dividend announcement I also
predicted that, much as I regretted having to make the forecast,
profits for the year were likely to be lower than could reasonably
be expected. Unhappily, as it turns out from the figures before
me this prediction is not only true but something of an
understatement in that there has been a sharper decline in
profitability during the last six months than anyone could have
foreseen at the time when I have my announcement of the
interim dividend.
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BITS Pilani, Deemed to be University under Section 3 of UGC Act, 1956

Revised
I have the difficult task of putting before you
the fact that after a long period of making
record profits, the company has suffered
great losses especially during the last six
months of the year under review. Both the
announcements I had made, for the annual
statement and interim dividend had predicted
fall in profitability.
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BITS Pilani, Deemed to be University under Section 3 of UGC Act, 1956

Passage-2
Unfortunately, students seek inappropriate
rewards for their endeavours in the pursuit of
academic knowledge. They desire high
grades because these are indicative of
scholastic success. However, they are
unaware that they have attained the pinnacle
of success if they have acquired a skill. They
are unaware that the reward is the knowledge
itself and not the academic evaluation.
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BITS Pilani, Deemed to be University under Section 3 of UGC Act, 1956

Revised
Unfortunately, students feel that only high
grades indicate their success in the
academic performances. They should bear
in mind (or they forget) that the actual
reward for their efforts is nothing but
acquiring knowledge and skills.

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Passage-3
Due to the fact that the production of reports involves
considerable cost to our organization, it can easily be
seen that the reduction of the time spent in writing and
reading them, a shortening of the reports themselves,
would represent an appreciable gain in reducing our
general operating expenses, although the matter of the
length of the report should naturally be considered in
relation to the complexity of the material and its
adequate coverage keeping in mind the requirements of
the specific situation.
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BITS Pilani, Deemed to be University under Section 3 of UGC Act, 1956

Revised
The production of reports involves a large sum to
our organization. If we shorten the reports keeping
in mind the context, complexity and adequate
coverage, we can reduce the time spent on
reading and writing them. By doing so, we can
reduce the operating expenses.

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BITS Pilani, Deemed to be University under Section 3 of UGC Act, 1956

Passage-4
It is the official function of the deputy factoryplanning engineer to assist in all possible ways the
implementation of the instructions and reports and
requests of the factory-planning engineer; and also
to advise him in all matters relevant to the efficient
operation of his department.

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BITS Pilani, Deemed to be University under Section 3 of UGC Act, 1956

Revised
The deputy factory-planning engineer is supposed
to assist, follow and advise the factory-planning
engineer in relevant matters for the efficient
operation of his department.

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BITS Pilani, Deemed to be University under Section 3 of UGC Act, 1956

Passage-5
Regardless of their seniority or union affiliation, all
employees who hope to be promoted are expected
to continue their education either by enrolling in
the special course to be offered by the company,
which are scheduled to be given after working
hours beginning next Wednesday, or by taking
approved online courses selected from a list,
which may be seen on the company internet.

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BITS Pilani, Deemed to be University under Section 3 of UGC Act, 1956

Revised
Regardless of their seniority or union affiliation, all
employees who hope to be promoted are expected
to continue their education in either of two ways.
1.They may enroll in special courses to be given
by the company.
2.They may take approved on-line courses
selected from the list in the company intranet.

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Activity for Summarizing

Read the passage given and summarise it
to 1/3 of its size.

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Suggested Revision
Animals make use of various kinds of communicative methods.
Male blackbirds sing to attract female ones and also to keep
other blackbirds off their dwellings. Mammals in the oceans like
whales, 'sing' to interact with their mates far away too.
Dominating hyenas raise their fur hackles in attempts to exhibit
power while submissive ones crouch their heads and 'smile' to
express respects. Birds of paradise attract female partners by
displaying their colorful feathers while the stripes of zebras not
only enable them to recognize each other, but also divert the
predator's attention in times of danger. Finally, dangerous
wasps are brightly colored to warn off others while some
harmless ones try to fool their predators by using the same
principle.
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BITS Pilani, Deemed to be University under Section 3 of UGC Act, 1956