VARIOUS TECHNIQUES IN SUMMARIZING

A VARIETY OF ACADEMIC TEXTS

VOCABULARY

1. SUMMARY— a shortened or simplified version

of an original text using your own words
2. ABSTRACT— a summary of the contents of a
study or academic text.
3. PRĚCIS— a summary or abstract of a text.
4. REPORTING VERB— a word used to discuss
another person’s writings or assertions.

Sample Footer Text 2/8/20XX 2

PRE-TEST

PRETEST Directions: Write TRUE if the statement is correct and

FALSE if it is not. Write your answers in a separate sheet of paper.

__________ 1. A summary is a brief, clear restatement of the most

important points of a text.

__________ 2. It is safe to include examples and minor details in

summarizing.

__________ 3. When writing a summary, it is okay to include any

opinions or background knowledge you have on the topic.

__________ 4. Understanding the text is important in summarizing.

__________ 5. Revising the main idea of the text is not part of

summarizing.

2/8/20XX 3
 WHAT IS A
SUMMARY?

Also known as abstract or prěcis (pray-see), a SUMMARY is

a form of writing that is a product of careful digesting and
relating to a shorter form of any long composition. It is also a
form of note-taking that consists of stating briefly, sometimes
in a sentence, sometimes in a paragraph of your own words,
the essential ideas together with some details of the subject
that was discussed at greater length in the original form.
Summaries aim to precisely condense a larger work to present
only the key ideas. It conveys the gist of what has been read,
listened to, or viewed.
Sample Footer Text 2/8/20XX 4
Why is summarizing a
significant critical
reading skill?

Barrot and Sipacio (2017) argues that summarizing is an

important skill because it helps you
⮚ deepen your understanding of the text;
⮚ learn to identify relevant information or key ideas;
⮚ combine details or examples that support the main idea and
key words presented in the text; and,
⮚ capture the key ideas in the text and put them together
clearly and concisely.

Sample Footer Text 2/8/20XX 5

 WHAT IS NOT SUMMARIZING?

You are NOT summarizing when you

⮚ write down everything;
⮚ write down ideas from the text word-for-word;
⮚ write down incoherent and irrelevant ideas;
⮚ write down ideas that are not stated in the text; or
⮚ write down a summary that has the same length or is longer than the
original text.

Sample Footer Text 2/8/20XX 6

 Strategies/ Techniques in Summarizing

1. Finding the Main Idea

Here are some things you should look at:
a. Is there a title or headings? These often highlight important
points.
b. What is the first sentence about? Often, the first sentence
of a text or a paragraph will summarize the main ideas. But
main ideas can also be located in the middle or at the last
sentence of the text.
c. What does most of the text talk about? Look at each sentence
Sample Footer Text and paragraph. Is there a single topic that connects them? 2/8/20XX 7
 Strategies/ Techniques in Summarizing

2. Separating General Ideas from Details/Examples

a. First, skim the text, reading fast and trying to understand the overall idea in
a simple way. In order to distinguish general ideas from details, you need
some context. Until you’ve read the whole thing, you will not get the text’s
context or background.
b. Second, look for linking phrases like ‘for example’. ‘for instance’,
‘specifically’, or in ‘particular’. Linking phrases like these show you that
what follows is an explanation of a more general idea that was mentioned
before.
c. Third, remember that one sentence can contain both general ideas and
details mixed together.
Sample Footer Text 2/8/20XX 8
 Strategies/ Techniques in Summarizing

3. Identifying Key Words

1. First, look for proper nouns, which start with a capital letter.
Guugu Yimithirr is an indigenous Australian language, spoken in northern
Queensland; the majority of speakers live in the town of Hopevale.

2. Next, look for words that tell you that an idea is important. You could
look for words like ‘important’, ‘notable’, ‘significant’ or ‘essential’.

3. Another strategy in finding key words is looking for repeated words. If

words are often repeated in a text, that means that word is significant
in giving meaning to a text.
Sample Footer Text 2/8/20XX 9
General Guidelines in
Summarizing
1. Clarify your purpose before you read.
2. Read the text at least twice until you fully
understand its content. Locate the gist or main idea
of the text, which can usually be found either at
the beginning, in the middle, or in the end.
3. Highlight key ideas and phrases; another strategy
is to annotate the text.
4. Write all the key ideas and phrases you
identified on the margins or on your notebook in a
bullet or outline form.
5. Without looking at the text, identify the
connections of these key ideas and phrases using a
concept map.
6. List your ideas in sentence form in a concept map.
7. Combine the sentences into a paragraph. Use
appropriate transitional devices to
improve cohesion.
8. Never copy in verbatim a single sentence from the
original text.
9. Refrain from adding comments about the text. Stick to
the ideas it presents.
10.Edit the draft of your summary by eliminating redundant
11.Compare your output with the original text to ensure
accuracy.
12.Record the details of the original source (author’s name/s,
date of publication, title, publisher, place of publishing, and
URL, (if online). It is not necessary to indicate the page
number/s of the original text in citing sources in summaries.
13.Format your summary properly. When you combine your
summaries in a paragraph, use different formats to show
variety in writing. .
Structure of an Abstract, a Precis, or Summary
Research Abstract
✔ Usually contains 150 to 300 words;
✔ It does not use any citation;
✔ It does not include specific result statistics;
✔ Last to be written.
Research Abstract Structure:
● Rationale (around 20%)
● Research problems (around 10%)
● Methodology (around 20%)
● Major findings (around 40%)
Sample Research Abstract

Previous studies revealed that Meaning-Focused Instruction (MFI) and Form-Focused Instruction (FFI)
are two of the most effective approaches in developing the overall language skills of second language
learners, separately. However, no experimental studies have been conducted to prove their effectiveness
when integrated. This study, therefore, aims to fill in this gap by investigating the effects of combining MFI
and FFI 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: Group A (n=120) received both the MFI and FFI,
Group B (n=120) received MMI only, Group C (n=120) received FFI only , and Group D (n=120) received
the standard English programme for secondary ESL students.
Findings revealed that students from Group A, B, and C significantly improved in their speaking,
writing, and grammar skills but not group D. Based on ANOVA, findings further showed that students from
Group A have outperformed students from Group B, C, D. From these findings, it is concluded that
combining MFI and FFI is an effective way in significantly improving the language skills of students.
Future directions and implications for teaching are also discussed.
Chart

Chart Title
6

0
Category 1 Category 2 Category 3 Category 4

Series 1 Series 2 Series 3

Sample Footer Text 2/8/20XX 18

Table
Category 1 Category 2 Category 3 Category 4
Item 1 4.5 2.3 1.7 5
Item 2 3.2 5.1 4.4 4
Item 3 2.1 1.7 2.5 2.8
Item 4 4.5 2.2 1.7 7

Sample Footer Text 2/8/20XX 19

The way to get started is to
quit talking and begin
doing.
Walt Disney

Sample Footer Text 2/8/20XX 20

Team

Name Name Name Name

Title Title Title Title

Sample Footer Text 2/8/20XX 21

Timeline

If you don’t see the Notes pane or it is

During your presentation, the speaker notes completely minimized, click Notes on the task
To start a presentation, go to the Slide Show are visible on your monitor, but aren't visible bar across the bottom of the PowerPoint
tab, and select From Beginning. to the audience. window.

Title Title Title Title Title

To display Presenter view, in Slide Show The Notes pane is a box that appears below
view, on the control bar at the bottom left each slide. Tap it to add notes.
select the three dots, and then Show Presenter
View.

Sample Footer Text 2/8/20XX 22

Content

SUBTITLE SUBTITLE

• Add text, images, art, and videos. • Open the Design Ideas pane for instant slide
• Add transitions, animations, and motion. makeovers.

• Save to OneDrive, to get to your • When we have design ideas, we’ll show them
to you right there.
presentations from your computer, tablet, or
phone.

Sample Footer Text 2/8/20XX 23

Content Two

SUBTITLE SUBTITLE SUBTITLE

• Add text, images, art, and videos.
• Add transitions, animations, and
motion.
• Save to OneDrive, to get to your
presentations from your computer,
tablet, or phone.
• Open the Design Ideas pane for
instant slide makeovers.
• When we have design ideas, we’ll
show them to you right there.
• This PowerPoint theme uses its own
unique set of colors, fonts, and effects
to create the overall look and feel of
these slides.
• PowerPoint has tons of themes to
give your presentation just the right
personality.

Sample Footer Text 2/8/20XX 24

Summary

With PowerPoint, you can create presentations and

share your work with others, wherever they are. Type
the text you want here to get started. You can also add
images, art, and videos on this template. Save to
OneDrive and access your presentations from your
computer, tablet, or phone.

Sample Footer Text 2/8/20XX 25

 Thank You
Presenter Name
Email Address
Website Address

Sample Footer Text 2/8/20XX 26