Summary Writing for CSEC

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What is a summary?

Working definition

 A summary is a shortened version of writing in which you use your own wording to express the main idea of a longer piece of information.

N.B.: Summarizing is a real-life skill used by everyone: news reporters, police officers, you, et cetera.

What three points are emphasized in learning summary skills?

When learning summarizing skills, three points should be emphasized:

(1) summaries are shorter than original texts,

(2) they contain the main ideas of a text, and

(3) they are written in reported speech and present tense. 

How do I distinguish between relevant and irrelevant details? 

Relevant vs Irrelevant details

Relevant: Finding the Main Idea

The main idea is defined as one or two sentences that say what the author is trying to tell us about something. It is not usually a sentence that comes straight from the reading, but one that you have to come up with that summarises what the reading (paragraph, long passage, article, story, etc.) is mainly about.

The Five W’s can be useful in helping you locate the main idea. 

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Irrelevant: Elaborating details

 When you read your original the second time, mentally or physically with a pencil, exclude any of the following:

1.       Minor details

2.       Opinions

3.       Repetitions

4.       Examples

5.       Figures of speech

6.       Evaluations/conclusions

7.       Dialogue/ Quotations

8.       Statistical data

Or MORE FEDS

Is there an approach that I can use to compose a CSEC summary?

The process can be broken into these steps:

STEP I – Analyse the INSTRUCTIONS to make sure you understand how to answer.

…what to focus on? Relevant details

… how to write? Continuous prose

… word limit? 120 exact

STEP II – Read the passage ONCE to get a general understanding; TWICE to start making notes.

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STEP III – Make NOTES of the main ideas in the text.

1. Identify theme/topic that is mentioned throughout passage (what is extract talking about?)

                     

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2.  Create a topic sentence that summarises main 

points

3. Ask yourself, what is writer trying to tell me 

about topic?

 *list FIVE main points

*use your own wording as far as possible to 

paraphrase in sentence form what you found

 (these become the main points/relevant info.)

*ensure you do not have any MORE FEDS

4. Organise main points sentences logically, which

means they do not have appear in order presented

in passage

STEP IV – Add transitions to make coherent

Use appropriate transitions to join and transition sentences.

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STEP V – Read over and proofread

  þ  Your range of vocabulary is helpful as you condense a number of words/details

  þ  Change any direct speech into reported speech

  þ  Keep the language: (SC²)

      Simple – easy to understand

      Clear – easy to see

      Concise – brief and to the point

 

What advice does CXC offer to help in the process?

   

 CXC Recommendations for Teachers

- While students MUST use their own words, ― "in your own words"/wording does not require avoidance of key words of the passage. The technical jargon (scientific terms, specialized vocabulary) of some passages cannot be avoided when students are writing summaries.

- Students need to undertake extensive practice in organizing their answers, using transition words to help the reader with understanding and readability and using simple, correct language.

- Students should be reminded that to reuse the words of the passage entirely (whether as a whole  chunk or by joining phrases from all over) attracts  no marks — as the student has not presented any of his/her own words for assessment.  Staying within the word limit is another area for practice.

- Build vocabulary and spelling skills to help with comprehension.