Writing a Summary - Useful hints

For the second year exam, students are asked to write a summary (not more than 100 words) of a reading text.

How to Summarize

1. A summary - or précis - is a shorter version of a longer piece of writing. The summary captures all the most important parts of the original, but expresses them in a [much] shorter space.

2. Summarizing exercises are usually set to test your understanding of the original, and your ability to re-state its main purpose.

3. Summarizing is also a useful skill when gathering information or doing research.

4. The summary should be expressed - as far as possible - in your own words. It's not enough to merely copy out parts of the original.

5. The question will usually set a maximum number of words. If not, aim for something like one tenth of the original. [A summary which was half the length of the original would not be a summary.] NB. In the exam, the summary is usually 100 words max.

6. Read the original quickly, and try to understand its main subject or purpose.

7. Then you will need to read it again to understand it in more detail.

8. Underline or make a marginal note of the main issues. Use a highlighter if this helps.

9. Look up any words or concepts you don't know, so that you understand the author's sentences and how they relate to each other.

10. Work through the text to identify its main sections or arguments. These might be expressed as paragraphs or web pages.

11. Remember that the purpose [and definition] of a paragraph is that it deals with one issue or topic.

12. Draw up a list of the topics - or make a diagram. [A simple picture of boxes or a spider diagram can often be helpful.]

13. Write a one or two-sentence account of each section you identify. Focus your attention on the main point. Leave out any illustrative examples.

14. Write a sentence which states the central idea of the original text.

15. Use this as the starting point for writing a paragraph which combines all the points you have made.

16. The final summary should concisely and accurately capture the central meaning of the original.

17. Remember that it must be in your own words. By writing in this way, you help to re-create the meaning of the original in a way which makes sense for you.

Example

Original text

'At a typical football match we are likely to see players committing deliberate fouls, often behind the referee's back. They might try to take a throw-in or a free kick from an incorrect but more advantageous positions in defiance of the clearly stated rules of the game. They sometimes challenge the rulings of the referee or linesmen in an offensive way which often deserves exemplary punishment or even sending off. No wonder spectators fight amongst themselves, damage stadiums, or take the law into their own hands by invading the pitch in the hope of affecting the outcome of the match.' [100 words]

Summary

Unsportsmanklike behaviour by footballers may cause hooliganism among spectators. [9 words]

Original Text

Height connotes status in many parts of the world. Executive offices are usually on the top floors; the underlings work below. Even being tall can help a person succeed. Studies have shown that employers are more willing to hire men over 6 feet tall than shorter men with the same credentials. Studies of real-world executives and graduates have shown that taller men make more money. In one study, every extra inch of height brought in an extra $1,300 a year. But being too big can be a disadvantage. A tall, brawny football player complained that people found him intimidating off the field and assumed he "had the brains of a Twinkie." (p. 301)---Locker, K. O. (2003). Business and administrative communication (6th ed.). St. Louis, MO:
Irwin/McGraw-Hill.

Let’s first identify the main points in the original passage.

Topic sentence: “Height connotes status in many parts of the world.”

Main point: “Even being tall can help a person succeed.”
Main point: “Executive offices are usually on the top”
Main point: “being too big can be a disadvantage”

For this example, we’ll look at multiple summaries. As you read the sample summaries below determine if the main points were included and if the unimportant points were discarded. Also check to see if both wording and sentence structure do not follow those of the original.

Summary A:
Throughout the world, being tall will lead to professional success. In fact, research shows that employers are more likely to hire taller men and to pay them more, as compared to shorter men with the same qualifications (Locker, 2003).
[This summary is too brief. Further, it changes the meaning slightly, giving the impression that being tall guarantees success.]

Summary B:
In most countries, height suggests status. For instance, higher executives normally use top floors of office buildings. Further, research shows that men over six feet tall are more likely to be hired than those shorter than them but with the same qualifications. Taller men also receive greater incomes, possibly as much as $1,300 a year more than those only one inch shorter than them. However, as a tall and muscular football player points out, a disadvantage to being tall is that some individuals may perceive you as threatening or even dumb (Locker, 2003).

[This summary is too long. Instead of focusing on the main points, it includes all of the details that are in the original passage.]

Summary C:
Though height may connote slowness to some people, in the business world, it is almost universally associated with success. For example, taller men are more likely to be hired and to have greater salaries. Further, those in top positions within a company are more likely to work on the top floors of office buildings (Locker, 2003).
[This summary is the most effective. In addition to including all of the main points, it leaves out the unimportant details.]