1. Ms. Jessica Steinbauer Academic Reading & Writing jsteinbauer@uic.edu.hk Writing a Summary

2. What is a summary 2 A summary is a shortened version of a text, article, document, speech, etc. It must not contain new material that was not in the original article. The original writer must be cited. Use your own words --- NO quotes.

3. How is a summary similar to and different from a paraphrase? Similarities: Keeps same meaning as the original text Must cite the original source Must use your own words Differences: It only includes the main points of a text It is shorter

4. Summary Writing in 8 Easy Steps (page 47) 1. Divide the article into parts 2. Read the article for general understanding 3. Actively reread the article and take notes 4. Write a one sentence summary for each part of the article (if you divided your article into 5 parts, you should have 5 sentences) 5. Write a thesis statement that sums up the entire article 6. Put everything together, adding transition words and acknowledge the original author 7. Check your summary for accuracy 8. Revise and edit your summary

5. Check Your Understanding Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of a summary? a) It is much shorter than the original text b) It contains all the same main points and specific details of the original text c) It makes reference to the author of the original text d) It is written in different words b is correct! A summary only contains main points, not specific details.

6. Let’s Practice!

7. Nuclear Power’s New Age (page 31) Before you Read: Understand the Topic: What is nuclear power? Make a Prediction: What do you think the title of the article means? Predict what you think the article is about based on the title. Relate to yourself: Can you think about any recent events in the news about nuclear power?

8. Nuclear Power

9. Summary Writing Practice 1. Divide the article into parts (perhaps by paragraph) 2. Skim the article 3. Reread the article and underline the main points. Cross out specific details because you won’t need them in your summary.

10. Make a Mind-map 10 What is the main topic? Can we divide this article into parts? Look for patterns of organization.

11. 11 Nuclear Power Past Present/Future A nuclear accident spread radioactivity and despair in the West The industry went into decline and bankers and govt. don’t want to touch it In the west, nuclear power is becoming popular again and it could be a good thing Geopolitics, economics, and environment are changing in nuclear’s favor Climate change gives nuclear an advantage

12. Main Idea: Paragraph 1 Summary Writing 12 IN MARCH 1986 this newspaper celebrated “The Charm of Nuclear Power” on its cover. The timing wasn't great. The following month, an accident at a reactor at Chernobyl in Ukraine spread radioactivity over Europe and despair in the Western world's nuclear industry. Main Idea: Accident at a reactor spread radioactivity all over EU.Accident at a reactor spread radioactivity all over EU. Despair was spread in the Western industryDespair was spread in the Western industry

13. Main Idea: Paragraph 2 Summary Writing 13 Some countries never lost their enthusiasm for nuclear power. It provides three-quarters of French electricity. Developing countries have continued to build nuclear plants apace. But elsewhere in the West, Chernobyl, along with the accident at Three Mile Island [in the USA] in 1979, sent the industry into a decline. The public got scared. The regulatory environment tightened, raising costs. The industry became a byword of secrecy and profligacy with taxpayers' money. For two decades neither governments nor bankers wanted to touch it. Main Idea: In most of the west the industry went into declineIn most of the west the industry went into decline Regulatory environment tightened, costs raisedRegulatory environment tightened, costs raised Neither bankers/govt. wanted to touch itNeither bankers/govt. wanted to touch it

14. Main Idea: Paragraph 3 Summary Writing 14 Now nuclear power has a second chance. Its revival is most visible in America where power companies are preparing to flood the Nuclear Regulatory Commission with applications to build new plants. Finland, too, is building a reactor. In Australia, which has plenty of uranium but no reactors nuclear power appears to be inevitable. Managed properly, a nuclear revival could be a good thing. Main Idea : There is a revival of the nuclear industry in the WestThere is a revival of the nuclear industry in the West

15. Main Idea: Paragraph 4 15 Geopolitics, technology, economics and the environment are all changing in nuclear power's favour. Western governments are concerned that most of the world's oil is in the hands of hostile governments. Most of the uranium is conveniently located in friendly places such as Australia and Canada. Nuclear power stations are expensive to build but very cheap to run. Gas-fired power stations are the opposite. Costly gas has therefore made existing nuclear plants very profitable. Main Idea : This revival is due to current geopolitical, economic and the environmental factors.This revival is due to current geopolitical, economic and the environmental factors. Uranium is found in friendly nations as opposed to oil in hostile nationsUranium is found in friendly nations as opposed to oil in hostile nations

16. Main Idea: Paragraph 5 16 The latest boost to nuclear has come from climate change. Nuclear power offers the possibility of electricity that is cleaner than coal, more secure than gas and more reliable than wind. If cars switch from oil to electricity, the demand for power generated from carbon-free sources will increase still further. Main Idea: Climate change concerns are giving nuclear power a boost.Climate change concerns are giving nuclear power a boost. Nuclear power is cleaner than coal, more secure than gas and more reliable than wind.Nuclear power is cleaner than coal, more secure than gas and more reliable than wind.

17. Summary Writing Practice Now… Write one sentence that sums up each part of the article.

18. Paraphrase #1 Summary Writing 18 Accident at a reactor in Chernobyl Ukraine spread radioactivity all over EU. Accident at a reactor in Chernobyl Ukraine spread radioactivity all over EU. Despair was spread in the Western industry Despair was spread in the Western industry In 1986, an incident at a nuclear reactor caused radiation to spread across Europe, causing the nuclear power industry great distress.

19. Paraphrase #2 Summary Writing 19 In the west the industry went into decline In the west the industry went into decline Regulatory environment tightened, costs raised Regulatory environment tightened, costs raised Neither bankers/govt. wanted to touch it Neither bankers/govt. wanted to touch it While some countries continued to use nuclear power, nuclear catastrophes have caused many people to distrust this form of energy production, and prevented governments and bankers from supporting it.

20. Paraphrase #3 Summary Writing 20 There is a revival of the nuclear industry in the West There is a revival of the nuclear industry in the West In western countries, nuclear power is now becoming popular again.

21. Paraphrase #4 Summary Writing 21 This revival is due to current geopolitical, economic and the environmental factors This revival is due to current geopolitical, economic and the environmental factors Uranium is found in friendly nations as opposed to oil in hostile nations Uranium is found in friendly nations as opposed to oil in hostile nations. Nuclear power is becoming a preferable choice to regular gas power because of its political and economic advantages.

22. Paraphrase #5 Summary Writing 22 The latest boost to nuclear has come from climate change. Nuclear power is cleaner than coal, more secure than gas and more reliable than wind. Nuclear power is cleaner than coal, more secure than gas and more reliable than wind. Current concerns regarding climate change has given nuclear power another advantage. It is better for the environment because it is clean, reliable and secure.

23. Then… Put it all together 23 In 1986, an incident at a nuclear reactor caused radiation to spread across Europe, causing the nuclear power industry great distress. While some countries continued to use nuclear power, nuclear catastrophes caused many people to distrust this form of energy production, and prevented governments and bankers from supporting it. In many western countries, nuclear power is now becoming popular again because of its political, economic and environmental advantages over regular gas power. Unlike oil, uranium is easy to source and, once built, nuclear facilities are inexpensive to run. Current concerns regarding climate change is also a factor; nuclear energy is better for the environment because it is clean, reliable and secure.

24. Thesis Statement 24 Read through your summary. What is the article as a whole trying to say? Formulate a thesis statement that clearly tells the meaning of the whole text. Nuclear catastrophes have strayed countries away from nuclear energy; however in efforts to cut carbon emissions and geopolitical hardships accessing oil, the nuclear industry is on the rise.

25. Summary Writing Practice 5. Add transitions and reference the author 6. Check for accuracy (Did you change the meaning?!) 7. Edit and revise

26. Finished Summary 26 Nuclear catastrophes have strayed countries away from nuclear energy; however in efforts to cut carbon emissions and geopolitical hardships accessing oil, the nuclear industry is on the rise. According to the article, “Nuclear Power’s New Age” written in the Economist in 2007, an incident at a nuclear reactor in 1986 caused radiation to spread across Europe, causing the nuclear power industry great distress. While some countries continued to use nuclear power, nuclear catastrophes caused many people to distrust this form of energy production, and prevented governments and bankers from supporting it. However, in many western countries, nuclear power is now becoming popular again because of its political, economic and environmental advantages over regular gas power. “Nuclear Power” (2007) states that unlike oil, uranium is easy to source and, once built, nuclear facilities are inexpensive to run. Current concerns regarding climate change is also a factor, as nuclear energy is better for the environment because it is clean, reliable and secure.