|
SUM2015 Summarising Skills |
|
|
|
Features of good summarising
What constitutes a good summary?
Consider these sample summaries (adapted from www.educationscotland.gov.uk/studyskills). This exercise is designed to highlight some strengths and weaknesses of summary writing. Click on the highlighted summary number to read the comments.
Original text: In a typical football match, we often see players being disrespectful of a referee's decision, committing deliberate fouls or trying to take a free kick from an incorrect but more advantageous position, to try to gain an advantage. No wonder spectators also fight among 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 (Clark, 2009). Clark (2009) argues that the behavior of supporters during a football match can be influenced by the players on the field, the disrespect shown to referees by some players, and their acts of foul play. Such acts could include deliberate field positioning for free kicks, for example. The players' behaviour could incite spectators or fans to violence, causing physical damage to others and property, and disruption to the game by moving onto the field in protest. Clark (2009) argues that unsportsmanlike on-field behaviour of footballers to try to win the game can encourage their supporters to behave badly too. Clark (2009) argues that players are sometimes disrespectful and commit deliberate fouls on the field. Spectators fight among themselves and cause damage. Clark (2009) argues that football fans behave badly when they do not like the way the match is going. |
A good summary is therefore one which shows that you have understood the text completely and accurately. It has SCALES:
- Source acknowledgement and attribution (see the next section for more explanation);
- Coverage. A good summary captures the main essence of the text, including only main ideas and important supporting ideas, without unnecessary details or examples;
- Accuracy. A good summary retains the meaning of the original, including only main ideas and important supporting ideas. Your summary should accurately represent what the author wanted to say, NOT to provide a critique or your own interpretation or ideas;
- Length. An acceptable length for a good summary is achieved through the concise expression of ideas. A summary is much shorter than the original and shorter than a paraphrase.
- Expressions. A good summary expresses key ideas using alternative words and phrases while still retaining the original meaning (see the next section for more on using your own words);
- Style. A good summary rephrases key ideas from the original text using different grammatical forms and sentence structures. It may even use a different organisational structure. It also maintains an appropriate academic writing style and uses cohesive devices or linking words to create a coherent summary that reflects accurate understanding and identification of key points (see the next section for more on this).
