Summarizing

Getting to the Point

Summary

Short account of the central ideas of a text

Summaries are not a place for…

• Opinions
• Background knowledge
• Personal information

How To Summarize

1. Read the text.
2. Don’t let big words scare you.
3. Ask, “What was this text about?”

Your Answer…

• Should be a complete sentence or two
• Should cover main point and key ideas
• Should be in your own words
• Shouldn’t just be a word or two

Should It Go in My Summary?

Only major ideas and necessary information should go into a summary.

​

Ask yourself:

If the answer is yes, put it into your own words in your summary.

Main Idea and Key Points

The main idea is what the text is about.

Key points are arguments or information that is used to support the main idea.

​

Key points may be developed or elaborated with supporting details.

​

Your summary should only include main ideas and key points, not supporting details.

Example Text

A penny for your thoughts?  If it’s a 1943 copper penny, it could be worth as much as fifty thousand dollars.  In 1943, most pennies were made out of steel since copper was needed for World War II, . .   Another rarity is . . T These pennies were mistakenly double stamped, so they have overlapping dates and letters.  If it’s uncirculated, it’d easily fetch $25,000 at an auction.  Now that’s a pretty penny.  

so, the 1943 copper

penny is ultra-rare.

the 1955

double die penny.

Incorrect Example Response 2

The 1943 copper penny is worth a lot of money. Copper was hard to get during the war so there aren’t many of them. The 1955 double die penny is worth a lot too. These pennies were stamped twice on accident.

​

• Too much unnecessary stuff.
• Main idea is not clear.

Incorrect Example Response 1

This text is about pennies.

​

• This response is too short.
• It does not include key ideas.

Correct Example Response

This text is about two very rare and valuable pennies: the 1943 copper penny and the 1955 double die penny.

​

• Includes key information.
• Doesn’t include unnecessary information
• Is a complete sentence.

Practice

Summarizing nursery rhymes.

​

Directions

1. We will read each nursery rhyme.
2. Summarize the nursery rhyme in as few words as possible.
3. Include key information.
4. We will discuss our answers.

1

The itsy bitsy spider

Climbed up the water spout

Down came the rain and

Washed the spider out

Up came the sun and

Dried up all the rain

And the itsy bitsy spider

Climbed up the spout again.

2

Humpty Dumpty�Sat on a wall.�Humpty Dumpty�Had a great fall.��All the King's horses�And all the King's men�Couldn't put Humpty�Together again.

3

Old Mother Hubbard�Went to the cupboard�To give her poor dog a bone.�But when she got there�The cupboard was bare,�And so the poor dog had none.

4

Jack and Jill went up the hill,�To fetch a pail of water.�Jack fell down and broke his crown,�And Jill came tumbling after.��Up Jack got and home did trot,�As fast as he could caper,�And went to bed to mend his head�With vinegar and brown paper.

5

Little Miss Muffet�Sat on a tuffet,�Eating some curds and whey.��Along came a spider�Who sat down beside her�And frightened Miss Muffet away.

Example Answers

1. A spider fell but got up again.
2. An egg fell and was irreparably broke.
3. An woman had no food to feed her dog.
4. A boy fell, hurt his head, and bandaged it.
5. A spider scared away a girl.

​

​

​