P2- How to write a summary

HOW TO SUMMARISE.
SUMMARY VS ESSAYWRITING.
HOW TO WRITE AN EFFECTIVE SUMMARY.

THE A.S.A.P. FORMULA
□Appreciate question requirements. The summary question directs you to a specific area (which paragraphs) and asks you on concentrate on a particular aspect. Focus on these specific areas.
□Select relevant information. Decide which information to include and omit in your summary. Mark information you have decided to include in your summary with a pen. Include
□Arrange your information. For instance, you may be asked to state the reasons for and against a certain proposal. In the passage however, the various advantages may scattered all over the passage or may be interspersed with disadvantages. Furthermore, the points may not be arranged in order of importance.
Example: the author sees benefits but also dangers and limitations in the pursuit of scientific materialism, using your own words as far as possible, describe these benefits, dangers, and limitations.
Thus, the student is required to organize their points into:
i) Benefits
ii) Dangers
iii) Limitations of scientific materialism
Use the triple ‘S’ rule to organize you points
i) Separate your sections clearly. You may wish to give each category its own paragraph.
ii) Signal to the examiner when you move to a new category. A brief introductory phrase such as “The disadvantages of such a system include”
iii) Show the examiner that you understand the distinction between each category

□Paraphrase the information.
After you have organised the material, put the information in your own words.
If you merely copy from the passage, the examiner will assume you do not understand the passage (COMPREHENSION) or that you are unable to re-express the ideas in the passage as your command of the language is too weak (LANGUAGE).
Things to note in you summary:
i) The summary should be clearly expressed and structured. Make separate specific points and give each point a different sentence. (ONE point per sentence).
ii) Language used should also be precise and concise.
iii) Do not repeat yourself in the summary. (Concise rephrasing).
iv) Eliminate unnecessary detail.
v) Condense information. (ie even if it is your own words, a description IS NOT a summary if it takes similar number of words to express the same ideas.

SUMMARY TIPS/COMMON ERRORS.

1) Time management
Most students spend too much time on previous questions, leaving insufficient time to write a good summary.20-25 minutes should be allotted for summary.
2) 1 or 2 summary.
There could be 2 minor summaries (5 marks each) or 1 major one(8 marks each)
. Skim read and check the marks awarded.

3) Too much repetition of the same point and irrelevance
This wastes words and time in a summary.

Example:
Question: “What does the author regard as the worst forms of damage to the environment and why does he regard each as harmful?” Write your summary in no more than 150 words, but not counting the opening given. Use your own words as far as possible. (GP 1995)
One kind of environmental damage that the author views as serious is…………………..
Answer: One kind of environmental damage that the author views as serious is forcing species into extinction, thereby permanently reducing variety of life on our planet and preventing any future breakthroughs in medicine, farming and manufacturing that might have arisen from studying these organisms. The author also identifies a number of other actions perpetrated by man which he regards as constituting the main causes of severe environmental damage, each one having a different effect on mother earth’s ecological well-being.
As seen in the above example, although the student is given an opening to start with. He manage to start well, but stray on to discuss irrelevant points. (from second sentence onward).
The student could have cited another damage, then followed by a concise explanation of the specific harm to the environment.
4) WORD FOR WORD SUBSTITUTION MISTAKE.
A Summary is NOT TRANSLATION. Some students attempt a blow by blow word for word substitution.
Example:
Original: Roads should be designed to calm traffic and discourage the power games motorists play.
Word for word substitution: Highways must be invented to appease vehicles and dishearten drivers who amuse themselves by engaging in authoritarian practices.
The above results in a mechanical and clumsy version and many of the substituted words are unnecessary, inappropriate and inaccurate.
Try to get an overview (topic sentence/thesis statement) and rephrase the overall idea in your own words.
Thus a much better and natural version would be:
Roads should be constructed so that they reduce vehicle speed and driver aggression.
A frequently ask question : “To what extent do I have to change the original wording of the passage in order to demonstrate my understanding and earn full marks?”
Don’t copy chunks (lift words/phrase) of information containing crucial words or phrases but change only the key words in the passage that is relevant to the question. Paraphrasing irrelevant material will only signal to the examiner that you do not understand the passage.
Question : How much should be change to earn full mark? :
“ALWAYS CHANGE THE KEY WORDS IN THE PASSAGE THAT SUPPLY THE ANWSER TO THE QUESTION.”
Lifting also show you don’t understand the passage. (ie comprehend).

5) SELECTION OF MATERIAL
Proper selection of material is critical – choose relevant points and omit the rest.
Irrelevant(to the topic)
Repetition
Example
Do not include the following in your summary
6) Separating points
Do not mix different points into 1 long sentence. This confuses the examiner. Make it easy for the examiner to identify the points and allow him to award you the full marks for the point.
7) Word count
It is important to stick within the word count as words written after this are not awarded marks.Contractions sch as “don’t “ or ” won’t” are counted as two words and hyphenated words count as one.

P1 : Thesis statement/Topic sentence

HOW TO WRITE EFFECTIVE ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY.
THESIS STATEMENT AND TOPIC SENTENCE.

THESIS STATEMENT : One per essay/usually in the introductory paragraph.
• A thesis is an idea or states an assertion or reasoned response to an issue on hand.
• To assert is to claim that some condition is the case.
• (eg Religion divides, Hydroelectric power is better than nuclear power)
• Implied in assertion is that we believe in the assertion to be true.
• Therefore, the need to develop and support this believe.
•
• A good thesis statement :
• Announces the overall topic/subject
• states the importance of the topic/subject (the writer ‘s attitude towards the subject)
• asserts only 1 main idea
• expresses the topic as an opinion that can be discussed.
• Is NOT express as a fact
• Is Never express as a question.

Thesis statement provide direction and focus for the essay. It represent your overall intention.
EXAMPLE :
“Hydroelectric power provides an acceptable alternative to nuclear energy in supplying present power needs.”
- Need to describe what is hydroelectric power, nuclear power.
- Compare the against “how each satisfy or don’t satisfy power present need”
- Argue what is provide an acceptable alternative ie how is hydroelectric is preferable to nuclear power.
- Show how hydroelectric benefits or show what nuclear power lack that hydroelectric can provide.
 

Some questions to ask to come up with good thesis statement.
1) Is it an idea?. Is it an assertion?.
2) Does it answer the question that is really at issue with audience?
3) Does the thesis say exactly what I mean?. Are the term use precise and clear?
4) Has it developed out of a process of reasoning?
5) Have I considered both sides of the issues, different perspectives?
6) Can it be developed reasonably?


•
• Examples : (What is the tone?)
•
• Religion often lead to major conflicts.
• Examination is the major obstacle to true education.
•
• Computers have effectively reduced the cost for most businesses.
• Preventive maintenance will help increase the resale value of your car.
• Knowing you have inherited a genetic disease can help you plan for the future.
•
THESIS STATEMENT – WRITER’S ATTITUDE.
• The writer’s attitude is how the writer feels about the topic at hand.
• Usually the verb (eg can/cannot , will/will not help, should/should not) indicates the writer’s view.
• EXAMPLE :
• Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.
• Vitamins have no role in whether or not you feel more energized.
• Vitamin supplements can help you feel more energized.
•
EXERCISE (Identify writer’s attitude)
1. Organically grown fruits and vegetables are healthier than those chemically treated.
2. Metal detectors should not be installed in schools throughout the nation.
3. Hybrid fuel vehicles will help reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil.
4. Working at a part-time job while going to school promotes a sense of responsibility.
5. Global warming could have a negative effect on the earth’s ecosystems.

ESSAY MAP IN THESIS STATEMENT.(how you will develop your essay)
- Will organise and limit your essay’s discussion of topic
- Clarify, explain and support the writer’s attitude.
- Each point becomes a paragraph.

EXAMPLES :
1. Intelligence , dedication and hard work are necessary ingredients for a successful career.
2. Because of an excessive military budget, poor farming methods, and inadequate international trade strategies, Communism was a failure in Russia.

EXAMPLE :
Thesis statement : St Louis is an exciting city to visit because of cloud, elm trees, and cats.
Topic : St Louis
Atittude : an exciting city.
Why : Clouds, elm trees and cats
Problem : the items are not related to exciting, so a poor thesis.

EXERCISE 1 : (Identify essay map)
1. A vegetarian diet is healthier than one with meat because of temperature, salt and water retention.
2. Expanding your vocabulary learning , learning about new places, and developing a better writing style makes reading a valuable activity.
3. Cultural awareness, civic responsibility, and volunteerism make coin collecting an interesting hobby.
4. .

EXERCISE 2: (What is the topic, attitude and essay map?)
1. Broccoli and oranges are good sources of vitamins.

2. The Rolex is considered by many as a better wristwatch than the Breitling.

3. Are saving bonds better investment instruments than annuities because of interest, safety and liquidity?

4. Solar power should be a governmental priority because of diminishing fossil fuels, environmental pollution, and skyrocketing costs.

5. College students go to class, study and write papers.


Answer :
6. Broccoli and oranges are good sources of vitamins. (2 topics, change to 1 topic , vegetable/fruits)

7. The Rolex is considered by many as a better wristwatch than the Breitling.

8. Are saving bonds better investment instruments than annuities because of interest, safety and liquidity? (should not be in question format)

9. Solar power should be a governmental priority because of diminishing fossil fuels, environmental pollution, and skyrocketing costs. (good essay map)

10. College students go to class, study and write papers. (no attitude)



 

PARAGRAPH :

- Topic sentence
- Supporting sentences.

- TOPIC SENTENCE.

o Tell the reader what is the main idea or topic in the paragraph.
o Usually have 2 parts – the topic and controlling ideas.
o
- TOPIC :
- - subject of the paragraph, usually taken from the essay map (thesis statement)
- - provide linkage/transition from one paragraph to another.

CONTROLLING IDEAS.
- States what the writer will write about the topic.
- Limit what you can says about the topic and thus don’t stray.
- Topic sentence lacking controlling ideas lack direction and focus.
- Without controlling idea, the writer’s attitude can be unclear.
-
EXAMPLES
1. Soccer is a popular high school sport.
(no controlling idea – “popular” is too ambiguous/an attitude)
Soccer is a popular high school sport because it is relatively inexpensive to fund (controlling idea cheap to make soccer popular.)
Michael Jordan was a popular basketball player.
(no controlling idea, just a fact)
Michael Jordan’s diverse skill made him an exciting basketball player. (Controlling idea : Jordan is exciting because of diverse skill.)

“In a movie, music often enhances a romantic atmosphere”.
Topic : music
Attitude : often enhances
Controlling idea : romantic atmosphere.
With this topic sentence, the writer is forced to discuss only those features of the music that enhances the romantic atmosphere. The writer cannot write about financial aspect, violence, production cost, advertistment etc of the movie.

EXERCISE :
1. Great teamwork has made the United States’ women’s soccer team an internal success.
2. Versatility and size make the notebook computer a good business tool for travellers.
3. The Spanish Inquisitions impaired scientific thought for decades.
4. The depletion of the ozone layer might cause global warming and in an increase in skin cancer.
5. Helping others can make almost any profession a rewarding experience.


EXERCISE ANSWER.
1. Great teamwork has made the United States’ women’s soccer team an internal success.
2. Versatility and size make the notebook computer a good business tool for travellers.
3. The Spanish Inquisitions impaired scientific thought for decades.
4. The depletion of the ozone layer might cause global warming and in an increase in skin cancer.
5. Helping others can make almost any profession a rewarding experience.

SUPPORTING SENTENCE.

Supporting sentence develop/elaborate the topic using examples, ideas and facts.
Controlling idea unifies the paragraph (UNITY) by determining the kind of support idea you can use in support sentence.

EXAMPLES :
Police officers are most effective when helping citizens in their communities.
So, the supporting sentences for this topic would focus on what the police officers do to help citizens and might include :
Finding lost/stolen property
Solving crimes
Preventing crimes.

TOPIC SENTENCE PROCESS :
-
Select topic.
Decide on controlling ideas
Use the 5W and 1 H to help focus

EXAMPLES – SAME TOPIC, DIFFERENT FOCUS IN CONTROLLING IDEA
1. Reading can help people become better educated (what)
2. Reading is best done in a quiet, secluded place(where).
3. Anyone (who) interested in becoming a better writer should read as much as possible.