Summarizing My Understanding

You have read through a text. You know all the words and their meanings, but how do you show your understanding?

A summary is a shortened version of the text that outlines the "need to know" information. How you approach your summaries will be different, depending on what you have just read.

Plan your writing!

Your opinion has no place in a summary. This is a synopsis of someone else's writing. Check your work for the words "I think," or "I believe."

Narrative Texts

Who was involved?

Where did it take place?

When did it happen?

What was the problem?

How did the problem get worse?

What was the climax (remember - this is the critical point, a decision must be made - it's a matter of life and death and there is NO TURNING BACK NOW!

How was the problem resolved?

How did the characters change as a result of the problem?

REMEMBER! - Only bring in the big events. Leave the details out.

Informational Texts

What is the topic? (Singular item - What does this seem to be mostly about? Think: farms, fish, axolotls, great pets)

What is the main idea? (What does the author need me to understand? - eg. "The easter bunny is real," or, "Skunks make great pets.")

What reasons does the author provide to support the main idea? (eg. Skunks are cute, they fit into small living spaces, and nobody will ever mess with you when you are walking your pet skunk.)

REMEMBER! - Leave the fine details out.

Let's write the summary!

Start your summary by introducing the text you have read and the author that wrote it. Then, provide the details you collected in your planning stage.

Eg. John Doe's article, "Skunks Need Love Too," from Great Pets magazine discusses the benefits of skunk ownership by describing how skunks make great pets. Doe explains that skunks are incredibly cute when you look at them closely. In addition, they are perfect pets for condo living because they fit into small spaces. Finally, he mentions that skunks are the perfect protector because nobody will ever mess with you when you are walking your pet skunk.

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