Writing@CSU

Writing Guides

Writing Summaries

Introduction

The Standard Summary - Form and Function

More on Form and Function

As an End In Itself

nutshell statement

Example Article

Example Précis

detailed summaries

Example Article

Example Detailed Summary

As Part of a Response or Position Paper

Using Author Tags

Example Summary

As Part of an Annotated Bibliography

Example Objective Annotated Bibliography Entry

Example Critical Annotated Bibliography Entry

As Part of a Larger Paper

Example of Summary to Set Context in a Review of Literature

Concise Statement of the Main Idea

More on the Concise Statement

Example Summary

Test Your Ability

Citing the Author and Title

Details and Quotes

View More on Details and Quotations

Using Details

Example Summary

Using Quotations

View Steve Hill Article

View Example Summary of Steve Hill Article

Documenting Sources

Style and Tone

More on Style and Tone

Objectivity

Example Summaries

Brevity

Example Summaries

Verb Tense

Using Author Tags

Example Summary

Putting it All Together

Example Summary

Processes for Writing Summaries

View More on Source Analysis to Jump-Start Summary

Process For Finding Main Point

Steps for Finding the Main Point

Process For Summarizing Support

Steps for Summarizing Support

View More on Writing to Jump-Start Summary

Process For Finding Main Point

Steps for Finding the Main Point

Process For Summarizing Support

Steps for Summarizing Support

Additional Resources

Related Resources View Related Resources
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Steps For Finding Main Point

Back Back to Process For Finding Main Point
  1. Read through the article quickly, skimming the details.
  2. Immediately after reading, jot down everything you remember about the article.
  3. Look through your notes to see if a main point emerges; if not, repeat steps 1-2.
  4. If you have a main point in your freewrite, circle the sentence and/or group of phrases that led to that point and use them to construct a single sentence which summarizes the article.
  5. Re-read the article closely and slowly this time to check your sentence for accuracy.
  6. Revise your sentence constantly as you read.

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