C1000 Agenda

 

Steps to Follow When Writing a Summary

• Quickly read the article through once to ascertain its general meaning, overall organization, and tone.
• Reread the article, more carefully this time, with a pen in hand to “gloss” the text.
• Write what the paragraph “does” (how it contributes to the argument’s development: for example, makes a claim, provides evidence, creates emotion, draws conclusion, etc.) in order to see the structure and to quickly find the thesis and main ideas.
• On a separate sheet of paper, use your notes to make an outline, flowchart, or diagram of the article from the main divisions or parts of the argument.
• You do not need to explain everything the author has said; find the most relevant and crucial points for readers to get an understanding of the author’s meaning and intent. Indicate the author’s main point or thesis in your outline or diagram.
• Use your list, notes, and outline to create a prose summary. Include the most important points and relevant supporting details, showing how the author makes connections
• Include the author’s full name and the title of the text in the first sentence. For example, In “Against the Grain,” David Bartholomae argues that…  Refer to the author by last name in the rest of the summary.

From "Tips for Writing Summaries" at Miami University

Minor Paper 1 Assignment (See Minor Paper 1 Assignment Preview in Week 1)