1. Writing Summary Reports Comm Arts I Mr. Wreford

2. Writing Summary Reports  A Summary Report: –Condenses and presents information. –Goal: Concisely present information from an essay, article, or book so that your reader understands the main points. –Present the author’s ideas objectively.

3. Writing Summary Reports  Five Steps in Writing an Article Summary: –Step 1: Choose a Topic and Find Sources of Information: May be assigned, or you may choose. Pick something that interests you. Articles may be found in periodicals, databases, or on Internet sites. Internet suffixes on page 188. Advice for Online Researchers: Go online, find a friend, ask a librarian, print the information, be patient.

4. Writing Summary Reports  Step 2: Evaluate Sources of Information: –Length: Probably 25 to 50 percent of the article. If you are assigned a 500-word essay, choose an article between 1,000 and 2,000 words. –Readability: Expect to find unfamiliar terminology. Don’t pick one written for experts in the field.

5. Writing Summary Reports  Step 2: Evaluate Sources of Information: –Publication Date: Helps you evaluate the timeliness of the source. If change is rapid, find up-to-date sources. –Author: Is the author an authority in the field? If not, does the author consult and quote credible, authoritative sources?

6. Writing Summary Reports  Step 3: Read Your Article Thoroughly: –Read your article through once or twice. –Find the main and major ideas. –Find examples and supporting details. –Record information for the works cited list. –See list on page 191.

7. Writing Summary Reports  Step 4: Draft Your Paper: –Introduction: The author’s name, the title of the article, and the central idea of the article. –Body paragraphs: Outline the most important points in the article. Topic sentence of each body paragraph should state the idea that the paragraph will develop. Paraphrase the author’s ideas. –Conclusion: Sums up the author’s ideas and presents your evaluation of or reaction to the article.

8. Writing Summary Reports  Step 5: Format, Proofread, and Cite Your Source: –Use the documentation style recommended by your instructor or follow the brief guide to MLA style that appears in the text. –Your instructor may ask you to include a copy of your article.

9. Writing Summary Reports  Paraphrasing: An Essential Skill: –Difficult task: putting an author’s ideas into your own words. –Use your own sentence structure and your own words.

10. Writing Summary Reports  Making the Switch to Academic Writing: –A Learning Approach: Requires a willingness to read, understand, and evaluate the ideas of others. –Objectivity: Put aside your own opinions and look without bias at the ideas of another person. –Knowledge of Key Terms: Learn the meanings of unfamiliar terms. Will greatly aid in your comprehension.

11. Writing Summary Reports  Making the Switch to Academic Writing: –Use of Third Person: In academic writing, third person is preferred. –Careful Acknowledgment of Others’ Work: If you are quoting or using the ideas of other writers, it is important to acknowledge your sources. Failure to do so is called plagiarism.

12. Writing Summary Reports  Brief Guide to MLA (Modern Language Association) Style: –Formatting Your Paper: Double-space the paper, including the works cited page. Use one-inch margins. Indent paragraphs one-half inch. –Referencing Sources Within Your Paper: MLA style requires parenthetical references, not footnotes. –Works Cited List: see page 198 in your text.