Unit 1: Writing Skills - Behrens & Rosen
What Is a Summary?
A summary is a brief restatement, in your own words, of a passage's content. An effective summary is:
- Brief (concise and focused)
- Complete (covers the main points)
- Objective (does not include your personal opinion)
A strong summary preserves the original order and emphasis of the source text.
Can a Summary Be Fully Objective?
Objectivity is difficult because every summary involves choosing what matters. Still, you can be reasonably objective when you consciously reduce personal bias and avoid adding judgment.
Types of Writing That Use Summary
Academic contexts
- Critique papers
- Synthesis papers
- Analysis papers
- Research papers
- Literature reviews
- Argument papers
- Essay exams
Workplace contexts
- Policy briefs
- Business plans
- Memos, letters, and reports
- Medical charts
- Legal briefs
When summarizing for an exam answer, write one thesis sentence and then map each stage of the author's argument in order.
Summary Process (Step by Step)
- Read for overall understanding.
- Reread and highlight key ideas.
- Divide the text into stages of thought.
- Write one mini-summary for each stage.
- Draft one thesis sentence for the whole text.
- Combine thesis + stage summaries.
Do not reorganize ideas by preference. Follow the source's structure unless the task explicitly asks for re-organization.
Preserve order and emphasis: summaries should mirror the source logic, not your personal preference.
Critical Reading and Critique
A critique answers two questions:
- How successfully does the author achieve their purpose?
- To what extent do you agree with the argument and assumptions?
What to evaluate
- Clarity and focus of claim
- Quality of evidence
- Logical soundness
- Use of ethos, pathos, and logos
- Presence of fallacies
Writing Task Reference
Summary
Restate central idea and main points with brevity, completeness, and objectivity.
Paraphrase
Restate a specific passage in your own words, usually at roughly the same length, with no meaning loss.
Critique
Evaluate purpose success and explain your agreement/disagreement with reasons.
Analysis
Apply an analytical principle systematically and answer: So what?
Synthesis
Connect multiple sources around one claim and organize by ideas, not by source order.
Exam writing quality improves fastest when you practice with structure: thesis, evidence, reasoning, and a concise conclusion.