Summary


Summary provides a brief objective report, in your own words, of the main idea of a source or a section of a source. Your summary will be more general, less specific, than the source. Summaries are meant to reduce a larger amount of information.


QUICK LIST: - Write y


or summary in yo r own words. u u


- The summary should be briefer and more general than the source. - Reduce the source. Make it more concise. - Each summary requires a signal phrase that corresponds to an entry on your works cited page.


- Read the source more than once and be sure you completely understand the main idea before writing your summary.


- Why summarize? Some people – like some sources – are long-winded and detailed. Use summary when you need to get right to a source’s main idea. You can also use summary to contextualize a direct quotation.


Do


 Do write the entire summary in your own words.


 Do write your summary more briefly than the original. If the source is a paragraph, your summary should be a sentence.


 Do provide a signal phrase that corresponds to a works cited entry.


 Do take your time to summarize. Write out a first draft of the summary. Let it sit. Then write another draft of the first summary. Let it simmer like good red beans.


Do not


 Do not copy any exact words and phrases from the source.


 Do not write a summary that is as long as the source you are trying to summarize.


 Do not forget to cite the summary.  Do not misinterpret the source.  Do not include your own opinion or ideas in the summary. Save that for after your summary.


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