Summary
A summary is a short description of a work--a painting, poem, article, story, movie, et cetera--that contains the central idea of the work and enough details to support the central idea. When you summarize a work, you identify its central idea (thesis), primary points (topical sentences), and secondary information (evidence), omitting minor details. Writers and speakers have numerous options for the kinds of evidence they can use in an argument: data from personal experience; data from interviews, questionnaires and/or surveys; data from research; statistical data; and hypothetical examples, cases and/or scenarios. A summary will account for all parts of a work, but it will not provide an extended argument. When a work is long, you identify primary points and secondary information in each section, and you assemble them into coherent, cohesive statements about the whole work, summarizing entirely in your own words.
A summary is a short description of a work--a painting, poem, article, story, movie, et cetera--that contains the central idea of the work and enough details to support the central idea. When you summarize a work, you identify its central idea (thesis), primary points (topical sentences), and secondary information (evidence), omitting minor details. Writers and speakers have numerous options for the kinds of evidence they can use in an argument: data from personal experience; data from interviews, questionnaires and/or surveys; data from research; statistical data; and hypothetical examples, cases and/or scenarios. A summary will account for all parts of a work, but it will not provide an extended argument. When a work is long, you identify primary points and secondary information in each section, and you assemble them into coherent, cohesive statements about the whole work, summarizing entirely in your own words.
An effective summary begins with sentences that identify the title and author of the work and state the work's central idea. Those sentences will function as the thesis of the summary. A description of the organization of the work follows the thesis--revealing the divisions of the work, the primary point of each section, and the order of the sections. For relatively short works, it is possible to state the central idea and organization in the same sentence.
Regardless of the work's length, a description of each of the sections follows the introduction. In relatively short works, you emphasize the way multiple sections develop the central idea of the work, but if the work is lengthy, each section may require a separate paragraph. The organization of the work may help you decide where to break the paragraphs of your summary. Use only enough secondary information to elaborate the primary points or to relate the way the author develops his/her ideas.
An effective summary ends with a brief statement that relates the central idea of the work to the summary of the work. In other words, the conclusion brings the reader back to the author's thesis.
Paraphrase
A paraphrase, on the other hand, is a longer description of a work, containing more details than a summary. When paraphrasing a work, you restate its entire argument, point by point, in your own words. You will need to paraphrase any sources of information that provide backing (specific evidence) for your argument, backing being necessary information your audience needs to accept or reject your argument.
A paraphrase requires more systematic work than a summary needs. An effective paraphrase reflects the organization of the work. It also reflects the primary points of the author, not your opinions of those ideas. A specific page or line number accompanies each important fact or direct quotation. Such secondary information is relevant to the central idea. The paraphrase is entirely in your own words, excepting clearly marked quotations.
Guidelines for Summarizing
- Introduce the work and the author.
- Focus only on the central idea (thesis) of the work.
- Provide only enough secondary information (evidence) to clearly support the primary points.
- Omit minor details and insignificant information.
- Write the summary in your own words, unless a quotation is necessary.
- Omit any opinions you may have.
- Follow the same organization as the work itself.
- Ensure your summary is clear, concise and effective.
