Key Points and Summaries

1. Key Points and Summaries

2. What is a key point? A key point is less general than a main idea, but more general that specific details. Key points support the main idea. Details support the key points.

3. Finding Key Points: Positioning • The first way to find key points is previewing. Key points are often found in certain positions. • Introductions and conclusions • First and last sentences of paragraphs • Subtitles

4. Finding Key Points: Transition Words The second way to find key points is transition words. Transition words show relationships between ideas.

5. Finding key points: Transition Words Comparisons: And, both, also, in addition to, besides, similarly Contrasts: But, however, despite this, different from, although, though, yet, instead Causes: Because, for, since, due to, in order to Effects: Consequently, as a result, for that reason, thus, therefore Sequence (order): After, before, initially, first, second, last, finally, then General-to-specific: For example, including, for instance, to demonstrate, specifically, to explain

6. Finding key points: Transition words Another sort of transition word is a comparison. “bigger than,” “smaller than,” “worse than,” “better than”

7. Finding key points: Transition Words Be careful! Transition words can show minor points as well as key points, so make sure not to rely on ONLY this clue. In general, if a transition word is connecting ideas between paragraphs, it is showing you a key point. If it is connecting sentences, it is probably showing minor details.

8. Finding key points: Repetition Sometimes authors repeat key words. Sometimes authors repeat key themes. For example, in the Colombia article, the author doesn’t use positioning or many transition words, but it includes three stories and many facts about kids who needed help getting education, jobs, and general acceptance into society.

9. Let’s look at an example!

10. Why find key points? • Minor details are organized around key points, so the key points show us how all the information fits together. This makes it easier to understand. • Minor details can be stories, examples, statistics, facts, etc. • Summaries should include all the key points and very few minor ones, so we need to know the difference.

11. Speaking of Summaries . . . A summary is a shortened version of another piece of work. It should give an overall picture of everything important in that work. In general, it is about ¼ the length of the original.

12. Why write summaries? To show your understanding of an article (either to a teacher or to yourself). To give an employer an idea of some information you have. To let a researcher know if he/she will find the information in an article useful. To introduce a response.

13. Summaries  • Summaries should include these things: • An opening sentence • The opening sentence should have three things: the original work’s title and author, and the main idea. • ALL the key points • Clear organization • The key points should be in a logical order—not necessarily the same order as the article. • The key points should be connected by transition words.

14. Summaries  • What should NOT be in a summary? • Lots of minor details. • Your opinions and judgments. • Information from outside the article. • Copied material (unless you put it in quotation marks. You should use your own words to express the author’s ideas).

15. How do I write a summary? Read the article carefully, figure out the main idea, and write it down. Make an outline or chart of the key points. Decide on a logical order for the key points. Write an opening sentence with the author’s name, article’s title, and the main idea. Write the key points in order, using smooth transition words. Re-read the summary to make sure it makes sense; you may have to add a few minor details to make sure everything is explained well.