Formal Summary

How to Write Formal Summaries

· Read the selection carefully paying attention to the key words, phrases, and concepts.

· Look for all the main ideas and supporting information included in the original work.

· As you read, mark up the text underlining or notating as little as possible for the purpose of remembering as much as possible.

· Make sure you understand what the overall purpose/meaning of the text is before you begin to write. Organize the important information in a pre-writing format before writing the summary.

· Your summary must not include information or have judgments that are not in the text.

· Do not interpret or add details not found in the original text.

· When you write your summary, make sure you condense the text (about 1/3 to 1/4 the length of the original text).

· This must be written in third person only!

· Write a summary using only the facts and details from the original text:

· The topic sentence should be a clear statement of the main idea of the original selection.

· Add essential facts and details such as names, explanations, descriptions, dates, or places.

· State each key point in ONE clear sentence.

· Arrange ideas in the most logical order following the order of the original text.

· End your summary with a concluding sentence that ties the ideas together.