SUMMARY

SUMMARY

Reminder

A summary is a coherent text that gives a short accurate account of the main ideas of the original text expressed in different words.

Its main characteristics are

brevity accuracy objectivity coherence

A summary writer’s job consists
in writing their own text which logically and consistently gives an accurate account of the main points in the original text.

To do the job well
■ compress & paraphrase the original text
■ identify and keep the author’s emphasis and tone
■ make your text coherent & cohesive

Stages of writing a summary

Useful tips
■ To identify the main idea when compressing watch for the key words.
■ To identify emphasis and tone remember that
Emphasis is special importance given to a particular idea in the text.
It can be conveyed through
— the space given to this idea in the text;
— the use of emphatic language and structures.
Tone is the attitude the writer wants to convey, the emotional colouring of their writing: angry, enthusiastic, detached, concerned, critical, sarcastic, serious, optimistic, pessimistic, etc.
■ To write a summary in your own words
— use a different word class (e.g. noun instead of verb), grammar structure and synonyms
— use words of similar register
— avoid quoting.
If a quotation is vital to report the author’s idea accurately and concisely, use quotation marks.

  NB   A summary need not always follow the logic of the original text.

Useful vocabulary
to introduce a topic:
The article / paper deals with / discusses / examines / focuses on / etc.
to present a thesis statement:
The author argues / claims / maintains / posits / states / suggests / etc.
to show the author’s attitude:
The author doubts / insists / points out / questions / etc.
The author is critical, criticizes / praises / etc.
to refer to the author in Main Body:
According to the author(s)
The author assumes / maintains / states / concludes / etc.

 NB    The first time you mention the author, use their full name (Gordon Brown),then use just the surname (Brown), do not use pronouns (he, she, they).

Vocabulary for cohesion
to indicate that you are going to give additional information:
and, also, further, furthermore, in addition, moreover, too
to indicate where information fits in a sequence:
in the first place (first / firstly), in the second place (second / secondly), etc., next, last, finally
to indicate that one idea is similar to another (comparison):
also, in the same manner / way, like / likewise, similarly
to indicate that one idea conflicts with or contradicts another (contrast):
but, even so, however, in contrast, instead, nevertheless, on the contrary, on the other hand, still, yet