Summarizing

Summarizing involves stating a works thesis and

main ideas simply, briefly, and accurately.

-Hacker, D. (2008) A Canadian Writers Reference.

It is reducing text to one-third or one quarter its

original size, clearly articulating the authors meaning, and retaining main ideas.
-Buckley (2004) Fit to Print

Summarizing contd
Purpose: To briefly present the key points of a theory or work and provides a context for an argument or thesis.

Summarizing contd
Steps: 1. Read the work to understand the authors intent 2. Decide which points are crucial to a summary of the authors work (include keywords) 3. In your own words, write the thesis and main ideas in point form and use it to form a summary 4. Follow original organization of the passage 5. Edit summary by deleting extraneous descriptors, details and examples and group related terms or ideas under one term and avoid technical language 6. Must be objective and in the third person 7. Reread the original work to ensure that you have accurately represented the main ideas in the summary
-Krum, B. Summarizing. Retrieved from: http://www.ohiorc.org/Literacy_K5/strategy/strategy_each.aspx?id =000002

Cooper, D. , Kiger, N., Au. K. (2006). Literacy: Helping Children Construct Meaning . Boston : Houghton Mifflin Company

Cooper, D. , Kiger, N., Au. K. (2006). Literacy: Helping Children Construct Meaning . Boston : Houghton Mifflin Company

Teaching Strategies
Rule-Based Strategy

Summary Frames
Reciprocal Teaching Quick Summaries (Dont Look Back, One-Sentence

Paraphrase (1 SP),One-Word Summary Refine and Reduce) Magnet Summaries Journalists Questions
-Summarizing Strategies, Meade PASS Training

Teaching Strategies Contd

GIST (Generating Interaction between Schemata

and Text) Summaries During Reading: Say Something After Reading: One Sentence/One Word Somebody Wanted But So During Reading: The Jigsaw After Reading: Save the Last Word for Me
-Summarizing Strategies, Meade PASS Training

Summarizing Strategies, Meade PASS Training

Benefits: Teaches student how to take a large text and reduce it to the main points for more concise understanding Helps students learn to determine essential ideas and consolidate important details Helps students to focus on key words and phrases which are worth remembering Builds comprehension by reducing confusion Improves writing and strengthens vocabulary skills May be used as a whole class, small group or individual activity

Summarizing contd

--Krum, B. Summarizing. Retrieved from: http://www.ohiorc.org/Literacy_K5/strategy/strategy_each.a spx?id=000002

Benefits contd: It is useful in many types of writing (narrative and expository) and at different points in the writing process It can be used to support an argument. Provide context for a papers thesis or main ideas (Executive Summary) For literature or article reviews Annotating a bibliography A writer may use it to guide the writing process for getting a better sense of which parts need elaboration

Summarizing contd

--Krum, B. Summarizing. Retrieved from: http://www.ohiorc.org/Literacy_K5/strategy/strategy_each.a spx?id=000002

Drawback
Although the summarizing process itself may not

be subjective, it lends itself to being so in the hands of an unskilled practitioner and may give false representation about the text Summary writing is a technical skill that must be taught Not suitable for text with detailed information (manuals)

Summarizing contd
What can be summarized? Results of studies being reported on Methods or approaches others have taken in an area you are describing Various researchers/authors viewpoints on given issues Contents of a book being reviewed Issues peripheral but necessary for providing context for writing Historical events leading to the event/issue/philosophy being discussed
--Krum, B. Summarizing. Retrieved from:
http://www.ohiorc.org/Literacy_K5/strategy/strategy_each.aspx?id=000002

Synthesizing
Synthesizing is the process whereby a student merges new

information with prior knowledge to form a new idea, perspective, or opinion or to generate insight.
- Bumgarner , S. Synthesizing http://www.ohiorc.org/adlit/strategy/strategy_each.aspx?id =000002

Synthesizing is combining elements and integrating them into a

new whole. When a reader synthesizes, he or she begins with the knowledge in his or her head, and then continually adds new information and recombines the old and the new. The new merges with the known and forms a new pattern.until in the end, the reader has constructed a meaning that is greater than what was.either in his or her head and/ or in the text.
Meaning . Boston : Houghton Mifflin Company

-Cooper, D. , Kiger, N., Au. K. (2006). Literacy: Helping Children Construct

Teaching Strategies
Direct explanation: The teacher explains why the strategy is

important, how it will help comprehension, and when to apply it. Modeling: The teacher models or demonstrates how to apply the strategy. An effective method for modeling is to use the thinkaloud strategy while reading a text to the students. Guided practice: The teacher guides and assists students as they learn how and when to apply the strategy. The teacher may give explanations, introduce organizational strategies, or pose questions to provoke student thinking and to assess understanding. The teacher provides additional opportunities for review and practice. Application: The teacher helps students practice the strategy until they can apply it independently. The teacher monitors the students' performance by observing the students' unassisted work
Through read-alouds and think-alouds

What readers do when they Synthesize?

Skilled readers synthesize as they read. They will: Stop to collect their thoughts Identify the main idea Put the information into their own words and respond to it Combine what they have just learned with what they already know and then respond to it
-Allen, Janet. (2004). Tools for teaching content literacy. Portland, ME: Stenhouse. - Harvey, Stephanie, & Goudvis, Anne. (2005). The comprehension toolkit: Strategy cluster 6 Summarize & synthesize. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. .

Cooper, D. , Kiger, N., Au. K. (2006). Literacy: Helping Children Construct Meaning . Boston : Houghton Mifflin Company

Cooper, D. , Kiger, N., Au. K. (2006). Literacy: Helping Children Construct Meaning . Boston : Houghton Mifflin Company

Synthesizing contd
Benefits: It aids reading comprehension, because it requires students to put the new material into their own words and combine it with their prior knowledge. This makes it more likely that they will remember the information and transfer it to new situations, which further reinforces the information
- Bumgarner , S. Synthesizing. Retrieved from http://www.ohiorc.org/adlit/strategy/strategy_each.aspx?id=00 0002

The Little Red Hen