Summary

Description

Read the following article and then write a one-paragraph summary of 100 to 125 words. Here are some guidelines for summarizing an article:

a Think about the title for a minute or so. The title often summarizes what the article is about.

b Consider any subtitle that may appear. The subtitle, a caption, or other words in large print under or next to the title often provide a quick insight into the meaning of an article.

c Note any subheadings that appear in the article. Subheadings provide clues to the article’s main points and give an immediate sense of the content of each section.

d Make an outline of the article before beginning to write.

e Express the author’s ideas in your own words—not in the words of the article itself.

f Do not write an overly detailed summary. Remember that the purpose of a summary is to reduce the original material to its main ideas and essential sup­porting points.

g Do not begin your sentences with expressions like “the author says”; equally important, do not introduce your own opinions into the summary with com­ments like “another good point made by the author.” Instead, concentrate on presenting directly and briefly the author’s main points.