Summarising

1. A summary is a short version of a longer piece of writing.

2. The summary should contain all the important parts of the original, but expresses them in a shorter space.

3. Summarising is a very useful skill when gathering information or doing research.

4. The summary should be written in your own words. It's more useful to re-express the original, rather than copying out parts of the original.

5. You might need to summarise a passage as a 'comprehension' exercise. That is, to prove that you can understand it.

6. Read the original quickly, and try to understand its main subject.

7. Then you will need to read it again to understand it in more detail.

8. Underline or make a note of the main issues. Use a highlighter if this helps.

9. Look up any words or ideas you don't know. You need to understand the sentences and how they relate to each other.

10. Work through the writing to spot its main sections or arguments. These might be shown as paragraphs.

11. Remember that the purpose of a paragraph is that it deals with just one issue or topic.

12. Draw up a list of the topics - or make a diagram. A simple picture of boxes or a spider diagram can often be helpful.

13. Write a one or two-sentence version of each section. Put your attention on the main point. Leave out any examples.

14. Write a sentence which states the main idea of the original writing.

15. Use this as the starting point. Then write a paragraph which combines all the points you have made.

16. The final summary should capture the main point of the original.

17. Remember that it should be in your own words. You re-create the meaning of the original in a way which makes sense for you.

18. Here is an example

At a typical football match we are likely to see players committing deliberate fouls, often behind the referee's back. They might try to take a throw-in or a free kick from an incorrect but more advantageous positions in defiance of the clearly stated rules of the game. They sometimes challenge the rulings of the referee or linesmen in an offensive way which often deserves punishment or even sending off. No wonder spectators fight amongst themselves, damage stadiums, or take the law into their own hands by invading the pitch in the hope of affecting the outcome of the match. [100 words]

Summary

Unsporting behaviour by footballers may cause hooliganism among spectators. [9 words]