Lesson 4
Various
Techniques in
Summarizing a
Variety of
Academic Texts
1
Target:
At the end of this lesson, you
are expected to
use various techniques in
summarizing a variety of
academic texts
2
What is
Summarizing?
01
Summarizing
• As an important skill in critical reading, summarizing
is often used to determine the essential ideas in a
book, book chapter, article, or parts of an article.
These essential ideas include the gist or main idea,
useful information, or keywords or phrases that
help you meet your reading purpose.
• Summarizing is generally done after reading.
However, it can be done as well while reading a text.
4
Summarizing is an important skill because it helps
you to…
• Deepen your understanding of the text;
• Learn to identify relevant information or key ideas;
• Combine details or examples that support the main
ideas/s;
• Concentrate on the gist or main idea and keywords
presented in the text; and
• Capture the key ideas in the text and put them
together clearly and concisely.
5
On the contrary, you do not summarize if you…
• write down everything;
• write down ideas from the text word-for-word;
• write down incoherent and irrelevant ideas;
• write down ideas that are not stated in the text; or
• write down a summary that has the same length or
is longer than the original text.
6
How to Summarize?
Questions to ask yourself:
• What is the main idea?
• What details are necessary?
• What is the shortest way I can get the point across?
Things to look out for:
• Unnecessary details
• Do not include your own analysis in the summary
7
What are the
techniques in
Summarizing?
01
Techniques in Summarizing:
1. Clarify your purpose before you read.
2. Read the text and understand the
meaning.
3. Select and underline or circle the key
ideas and phrases while reading. Another
strategy is to annotate the text.
9
Techniques in Summarizing:
4. Write all key ideas or phrases you
identified in the margins or in your
notebook in bullet or outline form.
5. Without looking at the text, identify the
connections of these key ideas and phrases
using a concept map.
10
Techniques in Summarizing:
6. List your ideas in sentence form.
7. Combine the sentences into a paragraph.
Use appropriate transitional devices to
improve cohesion.
11
Techniques in Summarizing:
8. Ensure that you do not copy a single
sentence from the original text.
According to the Merriam-Webster
online dictionary, to "plagiarize" means:
• to steal and pass off (the ideas or words of
another) as one's own
• to use (another's production) without
crediting the source 12
Techniques in Summarizing:
• to commit literary theft
• to present a ‘new and original’ idea or
product derived from an existing source
In other words, plagiarism is an act of
fraud. It involves both stealing someone
else's work and lying about it afterward.
13
Techniques in Summarizing:
All of the following are considered
plagiarism:
• turning in someone else's work as your
own
• copying words or ideas from someone else
without giving credit
• failing to put quotation marks in direct
quotation 14
Techniques in Summarizing:
• giving incorrect information about the
source of a quotation
• changing words but copying the sentence
structure of a source without giving credit
• copying so many words or ideas from a
source that it makes up the majority of your
work, whether you give credit or not.
15
Techniques in Summarizing:
Common Types of Plagiarism:
1. Word-for-Word (Verbatim) Plagiarism –
This is also known as cut-and-paste
plagiarism. This happens when a researcher
copies another writer’s work in verbatim
and claims it as his or her own.
16
Techniques in Summarizing:
2. Word Order Plagiarism –
This happens when a writer changes some
of the words of another author to make
them look as if they were his or her own.
17
Techniques in Summarizing:
3. Idea Plagiarism –
This happens when a writer paraphrases a
work and includes it in his or her own article
without proper attribution. Thus, it is
necessary to cite the sources of all the
borrowed ideas found in a paper.
18
Techniques in Summarizing:
9. Refrain from adding comments about the text.
Stick to the ideas it presents.
10. Edit the draft of your summary by eliminating
redundant ideas.
11. Compare your output with the original text to
ensure accuracy.
12. Record the details of the original source.
(author’s name, date of publication, title, publisher,
place of publishing, and URL, if online) 19
Techniques in Summarizing:
13. Format your summary properly.
There are three (3) formats that you
may use in writing summaries: idea heading,
author heading, and date heading.
20
Formats in Summarizing:
1. Idea Heading Format
In this format, the summarized idea comes
before the citation.
Example: Benchmarking is a useful strategy that
has the potential to help public officials improve the
performance of local services (Folz,2004; Ammons,
2001). Once the practice of a particular city is
benchmarked, it can be a guidepost and the basis
for the other counterparts to improve its own.
21
Formats in Summarizing:
2. Author heading format
In this format, the summarized idea
comes after the citation. The author’s
name/s is/are connected by an appropriate
reporting verb.
22
Formats in Summarizing:
Example: The considerable number of users of FB has led
educators to utilize FB for communicating with their students
(Grant, 2008; as cited in Donmus, 2010). The study of Kabilan
and Abidin (2010) shows that the students perceived FB as an
online environment to expedite language learning specifically
English. Donmus (2010) asserts that educational games on FB
fecundate learning process and make students’ learning
environment more engaging. As regards literacy, this notion
reveals that FB could be used as a tool to aid individuals
execute a range of social acts through social literacy
implementation (ibid). Blackstone and Hardwood (2012) suggest
the facilitative strength of FB as it elicits greater achievement
23
on collaboration among students.
Formats in Summarizing:
3. Date Heading Format
In this format, the summarized idea comes
after the date when the material was published.
Example: On the other hand, active participation of the
citizens in development contributes to a sound and
reasonable government decisions. In their 2004 study
on the impact of participatory development approach,
Irvin and Stansbury argue that participation can be
valuable to the participants and the government in
terms of the process and outcomes of decision making.
24
Techniques in Summarizing:
14. Use reporting verbs when summarizing
Reporting Verbs
A reporting verb is a word used to
discuss another person’s writings or
assertions. They are generally used to
incorporate the source into the discussion
in the text. To illustrate, see the sample text
next slide. The reporting verbs are
italicized. 25
Techniques in Summarizing:
Example: Having a syntactically correct
sentence is not enough to create meaning.
As Noam Chomsky pointed out, a sentence
can be perfect in terms of syntax and still
not make sense. He showed this by
producing the famous sentence, “Colorless
green ideas sleep furiously” (Chomsky,
1957).
26
Techniques in Summarizing:
In summarizing, you are highly
encouraged to vary the verbs you use
to make your writing more interesting
and to show importance to each of
your sources.
27
Techniques in Summarizing:
Hyland (1999) lists the frequency of
reporting verbs used according to discipline
Discipline Reporting Verbs (from left to right, most common to least
common)
Biology describe find report show suggest observe
Marketing suggest argue find demonstra propose show
te
Linguistics suggest argue show explain find point out
Sociology argue suggest describ note analyze discuss
e
Philosophy say suggest argue claim point hold think
out
28
Paraphrasing
01
Paraphrasing
It is employed when borrowing another’s idea
or text in writing your own paper without directly
quoting the source. The goal of paraphrasing is
clarification by using the writer’s own language.
Here are important reminders in using
paraphrasing:
- Identify and do NOT alter the main idea/ thesis
statement/ primary message of a text. 30
Paraphrasing
- Restate the other’s main idea and subordinating
points in a different form using your own words.
- Cite the source of the text using the prescribed
citation format.
31
Paraphrasing
Original Source:
For some reason, cheese-topped donuts are quite popular in Indonesia, and in
September 2013 KFC decided to get in on the action, offering a glazed donut
topped with shredded Swiss and cheddar cheese.
Incorrect Paraphrase:
Cheese-topped donuts are popular in Indonesia. In September 2013, KFC
decided to offer a glazed donut topped with shredded Swiss and cheddar cheese.
Correct Paraphrase:
In 2013, a KFC in Indonesia began selling shredded Swiss and cheddar cheese-
topped glazed donuts, a treat that is popular in this Asian country.
32
Direct Quoting
01
Direct Quoting
It is an exact copy of words from a source.
When should one quote?
Only use a direct quotation when one of these
statements is true:
• The passage is particularly effective, memorable,
or well-written.
• Your analysis will focus on specific words or
phrases in the passage. 34
Direct Quoting
• You want to emphasize the source’s opinion,
especially if the passage clarifies a difficult or
contested claim.
• You are quoting an authority who will lend weight
to your argument.
35
Direct Quoting
Here are the guidelines for direct quoting:
- Copy exactly the part of the text that you want to
use.
- Use quotation marks (“,”) to show the beginning and
ending of the quote.
36
Direct Quoting
- Record the details of the original source. Indicating
the page number/s is necessary in citing sources
when quoting.
- Format your quotation properly. If it consists of
less than 40 words, it should be presented as part of
the text. If it is at least 40 words, it should be
indented.
37
Direct Quoting
With less than 40 words:
To address economic issues, Scheliz (2015) recommended that there is a need
to “(1) enhance government’s strategy and involve key sectors for a collective
and coordinated response to poverty, and (2) sustain efforts for economic and
institutional reforms” (pp. 80-81)
With more than 40 words:
In his article “Poverty in the Philippines: Income, Assets, and Access,” Schelzig
(2005) suggests a list of causes of poverty.
(1) low to moderate economic growth for the past 40 years; (2) low
growth elasticity of poverty reduction; (3) weakness in employment
generation and the quality of jobs generated; (4) failure to fully develop
sectors… (p.2) 38
Summarizing,
Paraphrasing, and
Direct Quoting
01
COMPARING SUMMARIZING, PARAPHRASING, AND DIRECT QUOTING
The table below lists the similarities and differences among the three skills:
Summarizing Paraphrasing Direct Quoting
• Does not match the original • Does not match the original • Matches the original
source word for word source word for word source word for word
• Involves putting the main • Involves putting a passage • It usually a short part of
idea(s) into your own words, from a source into your the original source
but includes only the main own words
• Cited part appears inside
point(s)
• Changes the words or quotation marks
• Presents a broad overview, phrasing of a passage. But
• Must be attributed to the
so is usually much shorter retains and fully
original source
than the original text communicates its original
meaning
• Must be attributed to the
original source • Must be attributed to the
original source
40
WHEN TO USE SUMMARIZING, PARAPHRASING, AND DIRECT QUOTING
Summarizing Paraphrasing Direct Quoting
1. Summarize a text that 1. Paraphrase a short text 1. Quote a text that conveys a
has long sections (e.g., a with one or two powerful message or whose
paper or chapter or the sentences or a impact lessens if it is
book itself; a paragraph paragraph with a paraphrased or summarized
of an essay or the essay maximum of five (e.g., Constitution, government
documents, philosophies,
itself). sentences.
monographs, or other scholarly
2. Summarize when you 2. Paraphrase when you materials).
want to want
2. Quote directly when you want to
a. Avoid or minimize direct a. Avoid or minimize a
a. Begin your discussion with the
quotation; or direct quotation; or
author’s stand; or
b. Use the main idea of the b. Use your own words to
b. Highlight the author’s
text and write it in your state the author’s ideas.
expertise in your claim,
won words.
argument, or discussion.
41
EXAMPLES OF SUMMARIZING, PARAPHRASING, AND DIRECT QUOTING
Original Passage
42
EXAMPLES OF SUMMARIZING, PARAPHRASING, AND DIRECT QUOTING
Summary
Plagiarism can be defined as using ideas, data, or any relevant information of
another without giving proper credit or acknowledgment (Standler, 2012).
Paraphrase
According to Standler(2012), plagiarism can occur in minor stances, when small
parts of a passage are used without enclosing them in quotation marks and citing
the author. It can also occur in more grave instances when big chunks of the
original text are used. There may be changes in the format, but the original author
is not attributed to, and the work is claimed as the plagiarist’s own and submitted
to comply with academic requirements or as a part of a material for publication.
Direct Quotation
Standler (2012) states that plagiarism can be “the quotation of a sentence or two,
without quotation marks and without citation (e.g., footnote) to the author” (p.5). 43
WRAP-UP!
• Summarizing is a crucial skill in critical reading, used
to identify essential ideas. It condenses the text
read.
• It involves capturing the main idea, useful
information, and key phrases.
• Avoid plagiarism by not copying sentences from the
original text.
• Refrain from adding personal comments and focus
on the text's ideas. 44
WRAP-UP!
• Reporting verbs add variety and importance to
your summaries.
• Paraphrasing involves restating ideas in your own
words while preserving the main idea.
• Direct quoting is used for particularly effective,
memorable, or authoritative passages.
• Summarizing, paraphrasing, and direct quoting
each have their distinct purposes and techniques.
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