Q&A for How to Summarize an Article

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  • Question
    What is a good summary?
    Richard Perkins
    Writing Coach & Academic English Coordinator
    Richard Perkins is a Writing Coach, Academic English Coordinator, and the Founder of PLC Learning Center. With over 24 years of education experience, he gives teachers tools to teach writing to students and works with elementary to university level students to become proficient, confident writers. Richard is a fellow at the National Writing Project. As a teacher leader and consultant at California State University Long Beach's Global Education Project, Mr. Perkins creates and presents teacher workshops that integrate the U.N.'s 17 Sustainable Development Goals in the K-12 curriculum. He holds a BA in Communications and TV from The University of Southern California and an MEd from California State University Dominguez Hills.
    Writing Coach & Academic English Coordinator
    Expert Answer
    A good summary usually is supported with evidences and the important points from the text. Look at some of the keywords that really tell you what the author is trying to get across to the reader. Also, after you've written something, take a look at your verbs and avoid repetition. Look back at your work and see if you can make more efficient choices of great action verbs.
  • Question
    Can a summary have only one main idea?
    Community Answer
    Yes, a summary should have one main idea that explains what the article is about, though within that main idea there may be several subtopics.
  • Question
    How do I critique an article review?
    Community Answer
    This can be done by analyzing and reviewing the article that was being reviewed, then analyzing and reviewing the article review. You should make sure the article review is accurate and correctly identifies the main idea and supporting details of the article. It should be appropriate, on topic, and overall non-biased on the subject. In other words, they should not judge the article based on the subject matter, but based on the information and structure of the article. They should also provide an educated review, rather than a non-informational review. Lastly, the review should analyze each aspect of the article individually then conclude the review by analyzing the article as a whole. Comment on how the review does all of these things.
  • Question
    How do I include the title, author, source, and thesis in the first sentence?
    Community Answer
    You don't. Typically all of those details go in the middle of your intro. Your summary should just include a further explanation of how all those things link together and how your body paragraphs support your thesis.
  • Question
    How do I make an A-grade summary?
    Community Answer
    Make sure you summarize properly. Try to make a brief statement or account of the main points in your subject material.
  • Question
    How do you start a summary?
    Drew Hawkins1
    Community Answer
    It's always best to start a summary by giving a short overview of the author and the article. Tell the reader who wrote the article, what their credentials are, and then the title of the article you're summarizing. You can then briefly explain what the article is about as well as why it's significant. The rest of your summary can expand on your thoughts about the article.
  • Question
    How do you write a summary of an article?
    Drew Hawkins1
    Community Answer
    Writing the actual summary is the easy part. The key is to form a complete understanding of the article and what it means before you start writing. Scan the article to identify what its main points are and then read it at least twice so you understand it. As you're reading it, make small notes in the margins so you remember to mention them in your summary. If it helps, try writing a 1-sentence summary of each section or for every point that the article makes.
  • Question
    How do you summarize a research article?
    Drew Hawkins1
    Community Answer
    Always start with an introduction that explains who the author is and what their qualifications are, including their education, expertise, experience, and what makes them an authority on the subject. Then, mention the title of the article and a super brief explanation of what the article is about and why it's important. From there, you can summarize each of the main point that the article makes if you're writing a short summary. If you're writing a longer summary, discuss each of the points in a paragraph to expand on them.
  • Question
    Should I keep the titles and subtitles when summarizing an article?
    Community Answer
    Yes but not word by word. Rewrite the titles and subtitles in your own words and afterwards explain in your own words what it means.
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