English 1A, Anna Mills

Handout credit to Karen Cox

Academic summary:  Summarizing means condensing a text into something as brief as a sentence or as long as several pages while retaining its original meaning. 

• The summary presents the author’s key ideas, omitting most details and supporting examples (except representative illustrations when desired).
• The summary is concise and accurate, true to the author’s original intent.
• The summary reveals no opinion or bias on the part of its preparer (by its nature, the summary reflects only the author’s ideas.
• The summary is written in your own words (though the occasional direct quote is acceptable and even desirable if the syntax is important).
• The summary effectively and accurately uses signal phrases such as “Kinsolver explain/argues/claims/describes/observes/objects” to guide us through her argument.

Assignment:  Write a thorough and accurate summary of the first chapter of Barbara Kingsolver’s book.  Imagining an audience unfamiliar with the text will encourage you to choose your words carefully and offer full explanations.  The introductory paragraph should include the title of the chapter and book, the author’s full name, and several sentences that explain what the article is about.  You do not need to present the material in the order it appears in the article.  However, consider an organization that makes sense given the logical progression of Kingsolver’s ideas.  If Kingsolver defines a word or phrase in an unusual way, do not assume your reader will understand without an explanation.  Use quotation marks to indicate direct quotes.

• The summary should be a minimum of one and a half pages and a maximum of two and a half pages. Part of the challenge is to include the most important ideas in a short form.
• The summary should have a thesis presented in the introduction.
• The summary should have focused paragraphs. Each paragraph should have a topic sentence and supporting details.

Grading:

In my class, I give you extra time to focus on proofreading because grammar and word choice count for a big part of your grade, approximately 50%.

I will grade and comment on the content (ideas and organization) of the final draft you turn in on Tuesday, 9/7.

I will grade and comment on the grammar of the new printed grammar version you turn in on Thursday, 9/9.