A summary is a short statement or paragraph that tells what an article is mainly about. An objective summary does not include your opinions. (Remember that summarize means to sum up. When writing a summary, you’re summing up what an article says, not weighing in on it. An objective summary is different from a review, which includes your opinions.)
Writing an objective summary can help you comprehend what you’ve read and teach other people about a topic. After all, if you can accurately explain the gist of an article to someone else in just
a few sentences, it’s likely that you’ve understood what it’s about.
How do you craft an objective summary? Choose any article in this issue of Upfront. Then follow the steps below to summarize it.
CHALLENGE:
On a separate sheet of paper, turn your objective summary into a review of the article. How do an objective summary and a review differ in terms of purpose, tone, and content?
Step 1: Write the main idea of the article here.
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Step 2: Find three key details from the article that support that main idea. Write them in your own words in two to three sentences here. (Hint: Avoid choosing minor details from just one section of the article. Instead, pick key details that support the article’s overall main idea.)
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Step 3: Combine your answers to steps 1 and 2 to form one cohesive paragraph. Make sure your sentences are free of opinions. Revise as necessary.
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