Summarizing

1. Summarizing After Reading Strategy

2. What is Summarizing? Summarizing is taking large selections of text and reducing them to their bare essentials: the key ideas, the main points that are worth remembering. Webster calls a summary the �general idea in brief form�.

3. What are We Doing When Summarizing We focus on the heart of the matter. We find the key words and phrases We try to capture the main ideas and crucial details necessary for supporting them.

4. What Happens Sometimes When Summarizing? You write down everything You write down very little You copy word for word You write down unimportant details You don�t get the big picture

5. What Should You Do? You should pull out main ideas You should focus on key details You should use key words and phrases You should break down the larger ideas You should write only enough to convey the gist You should take brief but complete notes

6. One Strategy Use the key words or phrases to identify Who What When Where Why How

7. Another StrategyFour Step Summary 1. Identify the topic to be summarized. 2. Tell how the passage begins. 3. Tell what is covered in the middle. 4. Tell how the passage ends.

8. Components of a summary In the first sentence include the title and author of the text Next, include the main idea Then, include the supporting details- only the most important ones- no examples Use your own words as much as possible State the author�s purpose in non fiction