Reading skills

- Summarising skills
- Critical and synthesising skills

Week 9
What is a summary?

 A summary explains the most important ideas in a text.

 Usually a summary contains the main idea and 2 or 3
important supporting details.
A good summary

 demonstrates that you clearly understand a text and

 that you can communicate that understanding to your
readers.
 A summary can be tricky to write at first because it’s tempting
to include too much or too little information.
Why do I need to summarise?

• to show that you are able to understand and analyse

information from a source
• to avoid plagiarising information
• to integrate evidence into your writing.
What’s the difference between
paraphrasing and summarising?
Paraphrase Summary

is a similar length to the original is shorter than the original

has the same meaning as the original is an overview of the main ideas

includes examples and details does not include examples

is usually used to provide evidence or support is usually used as background information

an argument
uses an in-text reference/footnote with page uses an in-text reference/footnote without
numbers page numbers

can be done for : can be done for:

- A word - A paragraph
- An individual idea in a sentence - A passage
- Ideas in a paragraph
- Ideas in the whole passage/text
Tips in writing a summary

Omit the following :

 Unimportant details
 Examples
 Repetitions
 Figures and names
 Descriptive language
Example

Read the sentence and summarise the information given.

Some students prefer to burn the midnight oil when it comes to preparing for
examinations.

Some students prefer to study late into the night when preparing for examination.
Example

Read the sentence and summarise the information given.

Chinese Whispers is a traditional game where a message is passed from one

player to another, but in the process, it gets confused and obscured.

Chinese Whispers is a traditional game where messages are relayed with

inaccuracy.
Exercise 2

 http://www.uefap.com/reading/exercise/menu_nt.htm
Summarising
Getting to the Point
Summary

Short account of the central ideas of a text

Summaries are not a place for…

 Opinions
 Background knowledge
 Personal information
 How To Summarize
1. Read the text.
2. Don’t let big words scare you.
3. Ask, “What was this text about?”

Your Answer…
 Should be a complete sentence or two
 Should cover main point and key ideas
 Should be in your own words
 Shouldn’t just be a word or two
Should It Go in My Summary?

Only major ideas and necessary information should go

into a summary.

Ask yourself:

“Do you need this information to

understand the text?”

If the answer is yes, put it into your

own words in your summary.
 Main Idea and Key Points
The main idea is what the text is about.
Key points are arguments or information that is used to support the main
idea.

Key points may be developed or elaborated with supporting details.

Your summary should only include main ideas and key points, not
supporting details.
 Example Text

A penny for your thoughts? If it’s a 1943 copper penny, it could be

worth as much as fifty thousand dollars. In 1943, most pennies were
made out of steel since copper was needed for World War II,
Another rarity is
. . . T These pennies were mistakenly
double stamped, so they have overlapping dates and letters. If it’s
uncirculated, it’d easily fetch $25,000 at an auction. Now that’s a pretty
penny.
so, the 1943 copper
penny is ultra-rare. the 1955
double die
penny.
Example Text

A penny for your thoughts? If it’s a 1943

copper penny, it could be worth as much as
fifty thousand dollars. In 1943, most pennies
were made out of steel since copper was
needed for World War II, so, the 1943 copper
penny is ultra-rare. Another rarity is the 1955
double die penny.
These pennies were mistakenly double
stamped, so they have overlapping dates and
letters. If it’s uncirculated, it’d easily fetch
$25,000 at an auction. Now that’s a pretty
penny.
 Incorrect Example Response 1
This text is about pennies.
 This response is too short.
 It does not include key ideas.
Incorrect Example Response 2
The 1943 copper penny is worth a lot of money. Copper was hard to get
during the war so there aren’t many of them. The 1955 double die penny
is worth a lot too. These pennies were stamped twice on accident.

 Too much unnecessary stuff.

 Main idea is not clear.
 Correct Example Response
This text is about two very rare and valuable pennies: the 1943 copper
penny and the 1955 double die penny.

 Includes key information.

 Doesn’t include unnecessary
information
 Is a complete sentence.
 Practice
Summarising nursery rhymes.

Directions
1. We will read each nursery rhyme.
2. Summarize the nursery rhyme in as few words as possible.
3. Include key information.
4. We will discuss our answers.
 1
The itsy bitsy spider
Climbed up the water spout
Down came the rain and
Washed the spider out
Up came the sun and
Dried up all the rain
And the itsy bitsy spider
Climbed up the spout again.
 2
Humpty Dumpty
Sat on a wall.
Humpty Dumpty
Had a great fall.

All the King's horses

And all the King's men
Couldn't put Humpty
Together again.
 3
Old Mother Hubbard
Went to the cupboard
To give her poor dog a bone.
But when she got there
The cupboard was bare,
And so the poor dog had none.
 4
Jack and Jill went up the hill,
To fetch a pail of water.
Jack fell down and broke his crown,
And Jill came tumbling after.

Up Jack got and home did trot,

As fast as he could caper,
And went to bed to mend his head
With vinegar and brown paper.
 5
Little Miss Muffet
Sat on a tuffet,
Eating some curds and whey.

Along came a spider

Who sat down beside her
And frightened Miss Muffet away.
 Example Answers
1. A spider fell but got up again.
2. An egg fell and was irreparably broke.
3. A woman had no food to feed her dog.
4. A boy fell, hurt his head, and bandaged it.
5. A spider scared away a girl.
 What is an effective summary?
Compare the original and the student work. Identify if it is well summarised, poorly summarised or if it is an
example of plagiarism.
Original
Research is an important part of many assessment types.
When gathering research material you must be able to
evaluate it for relevance to your topic and your focus. You
will need to analyse the material for its facts, arguments,
and opinions; select material that is directly applicable to
your research; and record the publication details so that
you can acknowledge your sources and include them in
your reference list (SACE Board of SA 2009, p. 1).
Student work
Research is important and it involves many skills such as
evaluation (it needs to be relevant to your research
question), analysis (of the information within the material),
selection (making sure that the information chosen is
suitable and can be connected to the research) and
recording (all the publication details so the sources can be
used in the reference list and in the writing) (SACE Board
of SA 2009).

Answer:
This is poorly summarised. Even though the original
source is acknowledged,
• too many are included. It is more similar to a
paraphrase.
 What is an effective summary?
Compare the original and the student work. Identify if it is well summarised, poorly summarised or if it is an example of plagiarism.

Original Student work

Research is an important part of many Research is an important part of many
assessment types. When gathering research assessment types. When gathering research
material you must be able to evaluate it for material, you must use many different skills.
relevance to your topic and your focus. You
will need to analyse the material for its facts,
arguments, and opinions; select material
that is directly applicable to your research;
and record the publication details so that you
can acknowledge your sources and include
them in your reference list (SACE Board of
SA 2009, p. 1). Answer:
This is an example of plagiarism.
• The original source is not acknowledged.
• Too many words/phrases are the same as the
original.
 What is an effective summary?
Compare the original and the student work. Identify if it is well summarised, poorly
summarised or if it is an example of plagiarism.
Original Student work
Research is an important part of many Evaluation, analysis, selection and
assessment types. When gathering research acknowledgement of sources are all skills that
material you must be able to evaluate it for are needed in research, which is included in
relevance to your topic and your focus. You will many different assessment types (SACE Board
need to analyse the material for its facts, of SA 2009).
arguments, and opinions; select material that is
directly applicable to your research; and record
the publication details so that you can
acknowledge your sources and include them in Answer:
your reference list (SACE Board of SA 2009, This is well summarised.
p. 1). • The original source is acknowledged.
• An overview of the main idea using the student’s
own words is used.
• It does not include too many details.
 How do I summarise?
Following a similar process as paraphrasing may assist you in summarising
well.

 Read the original text and understand the main ideas.

 Write down the key points in your own words.
 What is the author’s position? What reporting verb can you use?
 Re-read the original to ensure your notes are correct.
 Write these points in your own words.
 Check that you have included a suitable in-text reference (without page
number) and noted the details for inclusion in your reference list.
Practise summarising
Read the original text and understand the main
ideas.
Write down the key points in your own words.
What is the author’s position? What reporting
verb can you use? Student work – possible answer

Key points:
Original - Some different styles of referencing
- Depends on subject
What system of referencing should be used? - Schools should use the same one to make referencing
There are a number of referencing styles, which are easier for students
used according to the needs and preferences of
Author’s position:
different subjects. However, it is easier for students Advisory
and teachers if a school adopts and teaches a
consistent referencing system. The examples of Reporting verbs
Advises, highlights, suggests
referencing used in this guide are based on the
Harvard referencing system, also known as the
Author–Date system. This style is generally used in
the physical, natural, and social sciences. Although
the basic principles remain the same, different
institutions/publishers use their own variations, so
slight differences in use may be observed (SACE
Board of SA 2012, p. 1)
Practise summarising
Re-read the original to ensure your notes are correct.
Write these points in your own words.
Check that you have included a suitable in-text reference (without page number)
and noted the details for inclusion in your reference list.

Original Student work – possible answer

What system of referencing should be used?

Depending on the subject,
There are a number of referencing styles, which are used different referencing styles can
according to the needs and preferences of different subjects. be used (SACE 2012). The
However, it is easier for students and teachers if a school SACE Board suggests that the
adopts and teaches a consistent referencing system. The same style should be used to
examples of referencing used in this guide are based on the make referencing easier on
Harvard referencing system, also known as the Author–Date students.
system. This style is generally used in the physical, natural,
and social sciences. Although the basic principles remain the References
SACE Board of SA, 2012,
same, different institutions/publishers use their own
Guidelines for Referencing, SA
variations, so slight differences in use may be observed
(SACE Board of SA 2012, p. 1)

References
Remember these tips:

 Write in the present tense.

 Make sure to include the author and title of the work.
 Be concise: a summary should not be equal in length to the original text.
 If you must use the words of the author, cite them.
 Don't put your own opinions, ideas, or interpretations into the summary. The
purpose of writing a summary is to accurately represent what the author
wanted to say, not to provide a critique.
 Check for accuracy.

 Reread your summary and make certain that you have accurately
represented the author’s ideas and key points.
 Make sure that you have correctly cited anything directly quoted from the
text.
 Also check to make sure that your text does not contain your own
commentary on the piece
Revise.

 Once you are certain that your summary is accurate, you should (as with
any piece of writing) revise it for style, grammar, and punctuation.
 If you have time, give your summary to someone else to read.
 This person should be able to understand the main text based on your
summary alone.
 If he or she does not, you may have focused too much on one area of the
piece and not enough on the author’s main idea.
Acknowledgement

 https://www.enotes.com/topics/how-write-summary
 SACE Board of SA 2009, How to conduct a case study, South Australia
 SACE Board of SA 2012, Guidelines for Referencing, South Australia