Summary writing - how & why we do it (resources)

Here is a short compilation of resources on summary writing. I think you should find these useful for learning more about how to write summaries and why writing summaries is important.

Video

I found this short video on YouTube done by a couple of English students. It has no audio, hasn't the greatest graphics but it does a great job of introducing

• the concept of a summary
• the importance of summary writing
• how to write a good summary (with an example)
  

duration? -1:40 min


But there is no shortage of very good summary resources.

Other resources

What's the real goal of a summary?

The goal of writing a summary of an article, a chapter, or a book is to offer as accurately as possible the full sense of the original, but in a more condensed form. A summary restates the author’s main point, purpose, intent, and supporting details i n your own words.

from
Columbia University Writing Center. (n.d.). Writing Summaries. Columbia University - School of Social Work. Retrieved April 14, 2009, from http://www.columbia.edu/cu/ssw/write/handouts/summary.html

Tips for writing a summary

Remember that a summary is mostly a reading exercise. It is impossible to write an accurate summary after reading an article quickly or just one time. Most problems in summary writing have more to do with understanding the text than writing the summary.

Colorado State University. (, n.d). Standard Summaries. Writing Guides - Writing Summaries. Retrieved April 14, 2009, from http://writing.colostate.edu/guides/documents/standsum/.

Bibliography

Colorado State University. (, n.d). Standard Summaries. Writing Guides - Writing Summaries. Retrieved April 14, 2009, from http://writing.colostate.edu/guides/documents/standsum/.

Colorado University . (, n.d). State the Essence - Guidelines for Writing a Summary. Retrieved April 14, 2009, from http://lsa.colorado.edu/essence/guidelines.html.

Columbia University Writing Center. (, n.d). Writing Summaries. Columbia University - School of Social Work. Retrieved April 14, 2009, from http://www.columbia.edu/cu/ssw/write/handouts/summary.html.

Israni, L. (2007, April 29). kanisha's and lavina's english project. YouTube. Retrieved April 14, 2009, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRVxCr8eurA.

Wehmeyer, D. (, n.d). Summary Writing - Learning Activity - Flash Player Installation. Wisc-Online. Retrieved April 14, 2009, from http://www.wisc-online.com/objects/index_tj.asp?objID=TRG2603.