Notes on Summarizing

Summarization is restating the essence of text or an experience in as few words as possible or in a new yet efficient manner.

  • Learn out to recognize familiar text structures
  • Learn how to recognize familiar writing structures
  • Use analogies
  • Take out appositives
  • Chunk text and experiences – what does this mean?
  • Use reading notations – hey just like in your Interactive Reader!
  • Write on your text – that’s one of the nice things about buying it yourself!!
  • Make your summary opinion free
  • Learn to be concise!

Becoming a Better Writer: Writing Concisely

[Examples and ideas come from William Brohaugh’s book, Write Tight, published in 1993 by Writer’s Digest Books, Cincinnati, Ohio.]

Avoid Redundant Phrases and Repeating Yourself (): [P. 185-188]

More additions, absolutely certain/essential/necessary, added bonus, add up, advance forward, all done, alternative choice, a.m. in the morning, and also, annual birthday, baby puppy/kitten, blended together, brief moment, but however, close down, combined together, continue on, deliberate lie, empty space, end result, exact match, extra bonus, fall down, fatal suicide, first discovered, foot pedal, forecast the future, foreign imports, free gift, general public, interpret to mean, large-sized, later on, major breakthrough, map out, may/might possibly, mental telepathy, natural instinct, necessary requirement, never before, new beginning, new record, old antique, orbiting satellite, pair of twins, past achievement/experience/performance, physically located, plan ahead, p.m. in the evening, possible candidate, preliminary draft, proceed ahead, raise up, refer back, repeat over, rise up, same identical, separate individual, stack together, stand up, switch over, tiny particle, true facts, unexpected surprise, violent explosion, visible to the eye, weather conditions, while at the same time, wink an eye, x-ray photograph, young child/puppy/kitten

Loose, Wordy Writing / Concise Writing [Preferred]
A small number of people /

Three people

Appear on the scene / Arrived

In back of

/ Behind

Backwards, forwards

/ Backward, forward
There is a plan on the table. / A plan is on the table.
I’m amazed by the fact that you took the last cookie. / I’m amazed that you took the last cookie.
For this exam, you need to use a pencil. / For this exam, you need a pencil.
1955 A.D. / 1955
It was doubtful whether or not he would participate. / It was doubtful whether he would participate.
Avoid quotes unless you “really” need them. / Avoid quotes unless you really need them.
In order to get the job done, keep at it. / To get the job done, keep at it.
I left work at 5:30. Later, when I unlocked the front door at home… / I left work at 5:30. When I unlocked the front door, ….
“Thanks” and Bobby was slamming the screen doors and pedaling off to the grocery store. / “Thanks.” Bobby slammed the screen door and pedaled off to the grocery store.
A new shopping center will be built this summer. / A shopping center will be built this summer.
The book devotes an entire chapter to… / The book devotes a chapter to…
His whole speech bothered me. / His speech bothered me.
John Wilkes Booth was the person who shot President Lincoln. / John Wilkes Booth shot Abraham Lincoln.
The situation still remains the same. / The situation remains the same.

Homework – Take a section of your reading from last nights homework. Write a concise summary of what you read. We’ll take a look at how concisely you summarized tomorrow!