6.3 Summarizing

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Notes

A summary is a short, objective restatement of a text's central idea and key details in your own words.

Include: the central idea and the most important supporting points.
Leave out: minor details, examples you do not need, and your opinions.
Keep the original order of ideas and use your own words.
A summary is much shorter than the original.
Example: A 600-word article on desert plants could be summarized as "Desert plants survive by storing water, growing deep roots and limiting water loss through small or waxy leaves."

Practice

Which sentence does NOT belong in an objective summary?

"Octopuses have three hearts and blue blood. They can change color in less than a second to hide from predators, and they can squeeze through tiny gaps because they have no bones." Which is the best summary?

What is the main difference between a summary and a paraphrase?

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