Objectives
In successfully
completing this assignment, you will be able to:
- Determine
the key points of a work
- Express
these points in a way that is true to the original without being
a copy of the wording or a listing of the facts
Directions
On pages
54-64 of Writing from Sources, there are three different
essays: "Interstellar Spaceflight" (54), "Molding Our
Lives in the Images of the Movies" (59), and "The Downside
of the Upside of the Downside" (63). Choose one
of these essays and summarize it in no less than 225 words
and no more than 275 words. It is important to keep within
this word limit as the summary should be a short expression of the
overall intent and main ideas, not a reworded version of the essay.
Helpful
Hints for Summarizing:
- Read
over every essay at least once before choosing. Then settle on one
to summarize. Always make clear in the summary the author and title
of the essay you are summarizing right off the bat
- Do
NOT use "I" anywhere in the summary (no "I am summarizing"
etc.)
- Identify
the OVERALL purpose of the essay first. Is it telling a story? Making
an argument? Expressing facts? Or something else entirely? What
conclusions does the author draw, if any?
- Identify
the main ideas and points that the author uses to accomplish that
purpose. For instance, how did he/she draw his conclusions if he/she
made any? Note how the essay is organized. Often the author's use
of paragraphing will help you to determine the emphasis he/she places
on certain aspects. You need to emphasize those same points in your
summary.
- Do
NOT simply put the author's words or "paraphrase" sentence
by sentence. You are trying to convey his/her OVERALL meaning and
express the gist of his/her argument IN YOUR OWN WORDS. Check your
summary against the original and make sure you have not copied the
author's wording in any way. If you feel that it is important that
you use the author's wording for a phrase or two, you MUST indicate
these exact words by putting them in quotation marks. You may not
directly quote more than a couple short phrases, and only when absolutely
necessary.
- Do
not just list the author's points.
- Don't
get bogged down in specific details. We want the big picture. That's
why the word limit is so small.
- Don't
make judgments on the article in your summary. The purpose of the
summary is to express the author's meaning succinctly, not to make
a commentary on its worth. That comes later in your own essays!
Assignment
Requirements
How
well you meet these requirements determines your grade. The summary
must:
- Make clear the author and essay title
- Make
clear the overall purpose for the work
- Make
clear the main ideas and points the author uses to accomplish and
convey the purpose of that work
- Use your own words, and not the author's
- Remain true to the author's meaning without coloring it with your
own judgments
- Weed out extra details and concentrate on what is necessary to
convey the overall idea
- Use MLA format, including a parenthetical
citation at the end
- Use correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, etc. and avoid careless
errors (Hint: read over summary before handing it in to take care
of those!)
Maximum
Score: 20 pts.
Due
Date: Wednesday, January 22