summary特点总结.docx

The Characteristic of summary
1. Definition
By summary, we mean a brief restatement, in your own words, of the content of a passage, an article, a chapter or a book.

2. key points of a summary:
A summary should be brief, complete, accurate, coherent and objective.
Brief: omit unnecessary details like examples, explanations and other unimportant information.
Length: 1/4---1/3 of the original text
Complete: to include all the main and supporting points delivered in your own words.
Accurate: to give the same attention and stress to the points as the author does.
Coherent: rather than an outline listed as key words and phrases, a summary is a paragraph with necessary transitions and function structures to make it flow.
l first, in the first part, in the introductory part
l second, next, in the second part
l then, afterwards, after that, in addition to that, also, furthermore
l finally, at last, in the end, as a conclusion, on the whole, in a word, to sum up, last but not least,
l as a result, so
Objective: Do not include your own ideas or emotions on the topic. The summary should reflect the content of the original passage only.

3. Steps to write a summary
1) skim the text to find out the general theme

2) analyze the text's structure to divide it into several sections, find out the main idea of each section and write it out briefly with your own words. (one sentence)

3) write down the key supporting points for each main idea without involving minor details.

4) organize the main and related supporting points in a logical order with necessary transitions to achieve coherence.

5) proofread for grammatical, spelling and punctuation mistakes. At the beginning of a summary, we usually elicit引出 the author's name and the name of the chapter/ article.

摘要 （或文摘），也就是英文的 Abstract

顾名思义，是一篇文章摘出来的要点。其内容讲究的是对文章内容的高度压缩，强调的是对文字本身的概括，不能夹带图表、参考文献。摘要（Abstract）写好了很不简单，原因是其对文数的限制比较严格。一般SCI英文论文摘要允许200 - 300字，很少有超过500字的。摘要不论是在书里还是论文中，都是放在文前。许多SCI期刊对摘要的格式有不同的要求，比如结构摘要，非结构摘要等。是出于出版形式的考虑，本质和目的不变。

提要（或简介），即英文的 Summary ：

既然称之为提要，即包含提炼和要点两个方面。在科技文献和教科书中，提要强调对研究课题内容的概括，比如实验内容、目的、研究的展望等方面的简述。提要对字数的要求比较灵活，可长可短。既可以图文并茂，也可以广征博引。既可放在文前，也可以置于文后。和摘要 Abstract 相比，提要 Summary 更普及常用，不论是在学术界还是日常交流中都会经常出现，是个总结就可以称之为 Summary。

Writing a Summary

A summary is also referred to as an abstract in which you reduce material in an original work to its main points and key supporting detail. Unlike an outline, however, a summary does not use symbols such as I, A, 1, 2, etc., to indicate the relations among parts of the original material.
A summary may consist of a single word, a phrase, several sentences, or one or more paragraphs. The length of any summary you prepare will depend on your instructor’s expectations and the length of the original work. Most often, you will be asked to write a summary consisting of one or more paragraphs.
Writing a summary brings together a number of important reading, study, and writing skills. To condense the original assigned material, you must preview, read, evaluate, organize, and perhaps outline it. Summarizing, then, can be a real aid to understanding; you must “get inside’ the material and realize fully what is being said before you can reduce its meaning to a few words.

How to Summarize an Article

To write a summary of an article, follow the steps described below. If the assigned material is a TV show or film or a radio program, adapt the suggestions accordingly.
1. Take a few minutes to preview the work. You can preview an article in a magazine by taking a quick look at the following:
1) Title. A title often summarizes what an article is about. Think about the title for a minute, and about how it may condense the meaning of the article.
2) Subtitle. A subtitle, if given, is a short summary appearing under or next to the title. For example, in a Newsweek article titled “Growing Old, Feeling Young,” the following caption appeared: “Not only are Americans living longer, they are staying active longer --- and their worst enemy is not nature, but the myths and prejudices about growing old.’ In short, the subtitle, the caption, or any other words in large print under or next to the title often provide a quick insight into the meaning of an article.
3) First and last several paragraphs. In the first several paragraphs, the author may introduce you to the subject and state the purpose of the article. In the last several paragraphs, the writer may present conclusions or a summary. The previews or summaries can give you a quick overview of what the entire article is about.
4) Other items. Note any heads or subheads that appear in the article. They often provide clues to the article’s main points and give an immediate sense of what each section is about. Look carefully at any pictures, charts, or diagrams that accompany the article. Page space in a magazine or journal is limited, and such visual aids are generally used only to illustrate important points in the article. Note any words or phrases set off in italic type or boldface type; such words have probably been emphasized because they deal with important points in the article.
2. Read the article for all you can understand the first time through. Do not slow down or turn back. Check or otherwise mark main points and key supporting details. Pay special attention to all the items noted in the preview. Also, look for definitions, examples, and enumerations (lists of items, which often indicate key ideas. You can also identify important points by turning any heads into questions and reading to find the answers to the questions.
3. Go back and reread more carefully the areas you have identified as most important. Also, focus on other key pints you may have missed in your first reading.
4. Take notes on the material. Concentrate on getting down the main ideas and the key supporting points.
5. Prepare the first draft of your summary, keeping these points in mind:
1) Identify at the start of your summary the title and author of the work. Include in parentheses the date of publication. For example, “In ‘Leaking with a Vengeance’ (Time, October 13, 2003), Michael Duffy states ….”
2) Do not write an overly detailed summary. Remember that the purpose of a summary is to reduce the original work to its main points and essential supporting details.
3) Express the main points and key supporting details in your own words. Do not imitate the style of the original work.
4) Quote from the material only to illustrate key points. Also, limit your quotations. A one-paragraph summary should not contain more than one or two quoted sentences.
5) Preserve the balance and proportion of the original work. If the original devoted 70 percent of its space to one idea and only 30 percent to another, your summary should reflect that emphasis.
6) Revise your first draft, paying attention to the principles of effective writing (unity, support, coherence, and clear, error-free sentences).
7) Write the final draft of the paper. Summaries can vary in length from a single sentence to many pages, depending on the length of the text being summarized. It is often 1/3 or 1/4 of the original text.

The first sentence of a summary
You are expected to identify the title of the text and the author in the first sentence, as well as the author’s thesis or controlling idea. A general format for the first sentence is as follows:
In the article {“title of Article,”}, {Author’s name} + {primary verb} + {main idea}.
Example: In the article “How Children Fail,” John Holt argues that most children fail because they do not develop their full potential.
The most commonly used primary verbs include:
1. claim 2. recommend 3. argue 4. report 5. show
6. insist 7. explain 8. describe 9. suggest 10. believe
Remember that all sentences should be stated in YOUR OWN WORDS. If you must use a sentence or phrase from the original text, make sure to put it within quotation marks.

The characteristics of a good summary
A good summary is concise, focusing on the main ideas, and leaving out much of the supporting and explanatory details of the original text. A good summary is also complete, covering all of the important ideas found in the primary text. Moreover, a summary should be objective: the goal should be to cover the text fairly, without adding one's own opinions or perspectives. Furthermore, a good summary is coherent: it contains necessary transitions and function structures to make it flow as a unified passage.

1. What Is Summary?
n A summary is a shortened passage, which retains the essential information of the original. It is a fairly brief restatement --- in your own words --- of the contents of a passage.
n Note: You simply report back what the writer has said, without making value judgments.
2. Characteristics of a good summary
n Briefness
Omit unnecessary details like examples, explanations and other unimportant information. (length: 1/4-1/3 of original text)
n Completeness
to include all the main and supporting points delivered in your own words in a condensed manner
n Coherence
rather than an outline listed as key words and phrase, a summary is a paragraph with necessary transitions and function structures to make it flow.
n Objectivity
to contain only the ideas or information of the original. Do not include your own ideas or emotions on the topic.
Some Useful Expressions of Transition
On one hand,…….On the other hand,……
One reason is ……Another reason is ……Still another reason is ……The final reason is ……
To begin with, ……What’s more,……In addition,……Finally,……
In short,
From what is mentioned above, we can come to the conclusion that ….

3. Steps in Writing a Summary
n Read the article
1). Divide the article into sections of ideas. Each section deals with one aspect of the central theme.
2). Label (classify) each section with a general phrase that captures the subject matter of the section.
3). Highlight or underline the main idea and key points
Topic: _________
Outlines: 1. ________a….. b….. c. ….
2. ________3. ________
n Begin with a proper citation of the title, author, source, date of publication and the main idea of the article summarized.
n Write according to your outlines.
n Use transitions for a smooth and logical flow of ideas.
n Compress supporting details
1). Omit the details
2). Reduce the examples
3). Simplify the descriptions
4). Eliminate all repetitions
5). Compress wordy sentences and change clauses or sentences to phrases and phrases to words.
6). Use general words instead of specific words
7). Use the shortest possible transitions
8). Avoid figurative (比喻的) language
9). Put the main points of a dialogue in indirect speech
Beginning a Summary
n Begin your summary with
1. The author’s name
2. The article’s or chapter’s name
3. The author’s thesis statement--a general overview (survey概述) of the article
The Opening Sentence: e.g. In the feature (特写；专题) article "Four Kinds of Reading," the author, Donald Hall, explains his opinion about different types of reading.
The Body：
First of all, the author describes…………
He then points out that……
In addition, the author talks about …..
Finally, the author suggests…………….

Some other introductory phrases
1. (The author) states in (this article) that...
2. (The author, in (this article) shows that...
3. In (this article), (the author) writes that...
4. As (the author) says in (this article), ...
5. The main idea of (the author's article) is
6. The author believes (holds; maintains; claims; argues; points out; suggests; proposes)that + clause
7. The author talks about (explains; describes; reveals; discusses; focuses on) + n.

Here is model summary of a magazine article:
Why do some animals die out?
　　In the past two hundred years people have caused many kinds of animals to die out--to become extinct. People keep building houses and factories in fields and woods. As they spread over the land, they destroy animals' homes. If the animals can't find a place to live, they die out. Sixteen kinds of Hawaiian birds have become extinct for this reason. Other animals, such as the Florida Key deer, may soon die out because they are losing their homes. Hunters have caused some animals to become extinct, too. In the last century, hunters killed all the passenger pigeons in North America and most of the buffalos.
　　Today they are fast killing off hawks and wolves. Pollution is killing many animals today, too. As rivers become polluted, fish are poisoned. Many die. Birds that eat the poisoned fish can't lay strong, healthy eggs. New birds aren’t born. So far, no animals have become extinct because of pollution. But some, such as the bald eagle and the brown pelican, have become rare and may die out.
　　Scientists think that some animals become extinct because of changes in climate. The places where they live become hotter or cooler, drier or wetter. The food that they eat cannot grow there any more. If the animals can't learn to eat something else, they die. Dinosaurs may have died out for this reason.
　　Summary:
　　In the past two hundred years, many kinds of animals have died out. There are several reasons for it. First, people keep building houses and factories in fields and woods, which destroys animals' homes. Then, hunters' killing has also caused some animals to become extinct. Besides, some animals aren't able to bear strong offspring and nor do they have enough food to eat because of pollution and climatic changes.