A summary can best be described as a synopsis of an already existing piece of literary works that you write after reading and understanding it carefully. A summary has to clearly highlight the main points and ideas that are in the original text but in a short form manner and in your own words. Summaries are important to the reader because they give a brief to the print version of the original information.
You can summarize the original text in different kinds and usually vary depending on the level of interpretation and analysis of the primary source of information.
The passages to summarize can be long or short, depending on the ideas reflected. One thing that is certain is the fact that the writer who summarizes the text is required to write the primary information in his own words.
FAQs
To summarize is an essential tool in the academic world. By using summaries, students are able to bring out the main ideas and the important points that cover all the details of the literary text. By highlighting the primary texts of the work, students are able to grasp these ideas with ease and remember them when it is time to apply them.
A summary is typically composed of six to eight sentences. These should reflect the main text adequately and should be in your own words. Read and revise your finished draught on the summary to remove all repeated phrases and non-essential information. It should be short and precise but cover all the essential angles.
Summaries usually vary in length depending on the main ideas presented and the requirements of the final reader.
In some cases, to paraphrase and summarize may be thought to be the same, but these are two completely different things. To paraphrase mainly involves translating and writing the passage in your own words, while to summarize involves putting forth the central and critical points in your own words. Only the main ideas of the passage are covered when you summarize, unlike paraphrasing, which includes the whole text.
In a summary usually the passages are shorter than the original ones, while paraphrasing often is about the same length as the source material.
To get the best summary you have to read the original text and understand before writing your summary. When you get to understand the text, you can put it in the simple words possible.
It all depends on the instructions you have been given. If it is a presentation then one word is allowed. It simply means how you understood the text and in simple words how can you explain it.
Definition: Summarize
To summarize is defined as converting an original passage into a short and quick text of the main ideas. Summarizing gives a brief statement of the main points to the reader. To summarize is a vital skill used in various fields such as in a workspace when writing academic papers. One can also employ the expertise of summarizing in our day to day life when, for example, you ask a colleague or friend to give you a summary of the book they are currently reading.
Before constructing your summary, it is essential to consider your audience. These are the people you are writing it for and maybe, your professor, client or boss.
How do you summarize a text?
When you want to summarize you must first identify the key points when you are reading through the central passage. It would be best if you highlighted all keywords which are most likely the sever repeated words.
Second, to summarize all the main ideas from the whole piece with evidence from the original writing, the views and all the secondary opinions. You can list the main keywords as listed in the original but using your own expressions and terminologies to can summarize. Avoid including a lot of detail as you summarize as you will become redundant.
As you summarize, it would be best if you changed the order of words where necessary. Main ideas are supposed to come first as you summarize, then the supporting ideas and finally the evidence avoiding any repetitions. This will form a sequence that is logical to understand.
Use the author’s name or use “the writer” or a third person pronoun in either singular or plural instead of using “I”. You should always begin with a sentence that identifies the author and the original text.
One of the most common mistakes in summarizing a piece is quoting. Quoting should only be done when the writer aims to put forth a point.
A good summary should cover the following angles:
- Identify the author of the original passage as you summarize.
- Read the original passage very carefully so that you summarize only the important points.
- Use a pencil to underline what you think are the main points.
- Integrate the critical aspects of the author.
- Be impartial in the manner which information is presented.
- Write the summary in your own words.
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What is a Summarizer?
A summarizer is an online tool that can help you to summarize an original text in seconds. There are free and paid summarizers. The free one is not always the best but without any options, it can guide a student how to go about with the summary. When it comes to summaries it does this in seconds. The only disadvantage is that everyone who visits the same tool with the same text will give some wordings that may be termed as copied work if it is for submission.
They provide quick overviews for busy readers and turn complex ideologies into a piece of information that are easily understandable. Summaries allow you to engage and critically analyse the presented knowledge better to understand someone’s point of view and argument.
The knowledge and ability to summarize a text you have read or heard is a skill that is often taken for granted. Not many people can do a summary effectively and bring out the points clearly. It is an essential skill that is used in writing academic works mostly.
Summarize: Example
The passage below is an original text and a summary of it below to give the best analogy of how to summarize a text.
Original Text
Today, the world of pornography tries to cultivate a feeling of fantasies in their audience by making the audience focus on specific people. The “Playmate of the Month” is a woman chosen to give the readers some type of fantasy. In my view, this makes the audience unhinged and gives them a baneful effect. Unlike earlier pornographer, today’s pornography creates the illusion of somewhere in the world, you can get to live a life of never-ending desire of always available women and men that are infinitely potent.
This fantasy is often believed to be in Hugh Hefner’s mansion, in the next joint or the next snort you inhale and it is more than disturbing and is a lost cause. It is a futile cause that arises the feelings of anger and self-loathing.
The previous argument which was against censorship claiming that “no one can be seduced by a cover or book” was truthful back then when the art of pornography was not personal and anonymous. It was solely in place to fuel fantasies about a sexual utopia. In today’s world, however, addiction and seduction in pornography are vices that have cropped up over the years.
Midge Decter
The Summarized writing
Decter says that because the pornography industry is now more realistic, the use of photographs that reveal the names and identities of people, does more harm than good to the people reading and viewing it and can quickly cause dissatisfaction and frustration.
In a Nutshell
- A summarized text should show that your grasp and understanding of the main points of the original passage.
- Summarize in an excellent way to confirm that you know what the original text is talking about. It can be helpful in using the understood information in a future test or exam for students.
- You also capture the topics that are relevant and interesting to you personally and professionally.
- Always use the present tense to summarize the author’s argument.
- Give a Summary by use of the keywords from the original text but not whole phrases.
- You can rearrange the words from the original or use the structure but use your own words; this is the most critical element of any summary.
