Writing Summaries & Paraphrases

1. Writing Summaries & Paraphrases

2. What is the difference between summaries and paraphrases? • Summary: a brief description of the whole passage (listening or reading) in a few sentences; gives an overview; generally short • Paraphrase: gives a brief description of each of the main points of the passage; resembles an outline of the passage; generally longer

3. Summarizing the Listening • What was the main point of the lecture? • victims of historical forces • change in society forced move • mindset of old life came to US • Turn to a partner and create one or two sentences that cover these main points

4. Example summary • The professor discusses the book Uprooted in which Handlin describes the Eastern European Immigrants as victims of historical forces, such as the destabilization of the long-standing feudal agricultural system as industrialization spread, and the fatalistic mindset that followed them to the New World, continuing their victimization.

5. Paraphrasing the Listening • What were the main idea and key points of the listening? Look at note sheet!! • In your own words explain all of these points. It should take you one to two full minutes to say

6. Sample Paraphrase • The professor discusses Handlin’s view of Eastern European Immigrants from the early 20th century. Handlin sees these people as victims of historical events that they had no control over such as industrialization, urbanization, famine, war and other natural disasters.He continues by describing the previous social structure, that of agricultural feudalism where the peasants are beholden to those higher in the social hierarchy such as members of the church, monarchy, aristocracy, nobility and gentry. They had a fatalistic approach to life, assuming that their lives would never get better and never even considered that they might have some influence on the government or the laws that affected their lives. They brought this Old World mindset with them to the New World, setting themselves up to be exploited by unsavory individuals who saw and understood their accepting natures. Handlin claimed the root of the immigrants’ victimization and lose of culture and direction was the destabilization of the previously stable feudal system.

7. Reading Passage Note-Taking

8. Detailed Notes on Separate Paper • Take a piece of lined paper and draw a vertical line about ½ to ¾ of the way across the paper • Label the large section “NOTES” and the smaller section “VOCABULARY” • As you read each paragraph write down: • words in the “VOCABULARY” section that are unfamiliar to you and write a guessed meaning (check dictionary later for true meaning) • interesting facts as briefly as possible in the “NOTES” section • When you have finished reading the paragraph write a sentence in the “NOTES” section explaining what information the paragraph added

10. Notes in Textbook or on Photocopies • Underline/Highlight interesting details • Circle words and write definitions near word or at top/bottom of page • MOST IMPORTANT • Write a description of what is covered in each paragraph next to it <OR> • Write a summary of the all of the page’s contents at the top/bottom of the page