Reading summary

Put simply, your paper should layout the specifics of the reading. This means, exclude all superfluous facts and minor details from the reading. And please, absolutely no bullet points. Don’t be lazy.

1. Identify the main points of the passage. In some paragraphs, the main idea is expressed in the topic sentence, yet in others, it may not be explicitly stated at all.

2. A passage may contain one or more points that are vital to its meaning. These elements must be mentioned in your summary. Keep in mind that you may need to tease these points out of the reading. Close reading will be required.

3. Organize and present these main points in a coherent way. Be careful NOT to use the author’s words or to follow the sentence structure of the original passage. THIS MEANS NO QUOTES FROM THE TEXT!!! I want to see your words, not the author’s.

4. Make sure that you are faithful to the meaning of the piece you are summarizing and that you have accurately represented the main ideas.

5. Again: NO quotes, No numbers, and No statistics from the author. I only want your words! Keep in mind that you are summarizing.

6. Be concise yet be thorough. Cut out the fat and get down to the essentials. 

    

    

   What exactly is the author saying in the reading? What comments can you make or what questions are raised by the reading? Don’t be lazy. Show me that you are thinking deeply about the text and that you can provide intelligent commentary on it.