Summary Writing

Video link on Summary Writing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZazwJIU8eQ&feature=youtu.be

 

Points for writing good summary:

1. Read and understand the given passage.

2. Find out the main idea of the passage.

3. Locate the key sentence ( the line which highlights the main idea.)

4. Provide title to the summary with the help of key sentence.

5. Title should not be more than 5 words. Incase of proverbs as title you can use as it is.

6. If summary is in first person narration. It will be written in third person.

(Ex. I was wondering what.., 

This will be written as : The writer was wondering what)

7. The summary will be one whole. It means no paragraphs.

8. Summary will not have any examples or statistical data.

9. No personal opinions or comments to be written in the summary.

10. Summary should be maximum of 4 to 6 sentences only.

Important Note: A good summary will be short and at the same time covering all the given important points to Write a Summary

      

Preparing to Write: To write a good summary it is important to thoroughly understand the

material you are working with. Here are some preliminary steps in writing a summary.

1. Skim the text, noting in your mind the subheadings. If there are no subheadings, try to divide the text into sections. Consider why you have been assigned the text. Try to determine what type of text you are dealing with. This can help you identify important

information.

2. Read the text, highlighting important information and taking notes.

3. In your own words, write down the main points of each section.

4. Write down the key support points for the main topic, but do not include minor detail.

5. Go through the process again, making changes as appropriate.

For example:

                             Global Implications of Patent Law Variation

 A patent is an exclusive right to use an invention for a certain period of time, which is given to an inventor as compensation for disclosure of an invention.Although it would be beneficial for the world economy to have uniform patent laws,each country has its own laws designed to protect domestic inventions and safeguard technology. Despite widespread variation, patent laws generally fall under one of two principles: the first-to-file and first-to invent. The first-to-file principle awards a patent to the person or institution that applies for a patent first, while the first-to invent principle grants the patent to the person or institution that was first to invent –and can prove it. Most countries have adopted the first-to-file system. However, the United States maintains a first-to-invent system, despite obvious shortcomings. A result of countries employing different patent law principles is inconsistency of patent ownership.This first sentence is a general definition. It may be safe to assume that your audience is already familiar with patents; thus you do not have to include it in your summary. This is the main idea.The classification of the two principles is important.Ignore specific details about the different principles. The terms are self-explanatory.It is important to point out that most of the world follows one system and the United States another. Include a description of the problem surrounding variation in patent laws.Patent ownership is not recognized globally. On the contrary, ownership may change depending on the country. It is not uncommon for an invention to have two patent owners – one in the United States and one in the rest of the world. This is unclear ownership often has economic consequences. If a company is interested in using a patented invention, it may be unable to receive permission from both patent owners, which in turn may prevent manufacture of a particular product. Even if permission is received from both owners,pay royalties to both may be quite costly. In this case, if the invention is useful enough, a company may proceed and pass on the added cost to consumers. Inernational economic tension has also been increasing as a result of differing policies. Many foreign individuals and companies believe that they are at a serious disadvantage in the United States with regard to patent ownership because of the logistical difficulties in establishing first-to invent status. Further, failure of the United States to recognize patent ownership in other countries is in violation of the Paris Conventions on Industrial Properties, which requires all member nations to treat all patents equally. The conflict surrounding patents has prompted the World Intellectual Properties Organization (WIPO) to lobby for universality in patent laws. WIPO maintains that the first necessary step involves compelling the United States to reexamine its patent principle, taking into account the reality of a global economy. This push may indeed result in more global economic cooperation. 

 

Provide some support/explanation for the problem, but not all the details.   

 

Describe this other problem associated with differing patent principles.

 

Provide some explanation, but not all the details. 

 

Describe the action taken to solve the problem.

Writing the Summary:

When writing the summary there are three main requirements:

1. The summary should cover the original as a whole.

2. The material should be presented in a neutral fashion.

3. The summary should be a condensed version of the material, presented in your own words.

* * Also do not include anything that does not appear in the original. (Do not include your own comments or evaluation.)

and Be sure to identify your source.

For example:

In his paper “Global Implications of Patent Law Variation,” Koji Suzuki (1991) states that lack of consistency in the world’s patent laws is a serious problem. In most of the world, patent ownership is given to the inventor that is first to file for a patent. However, the United States maintains a first-to-invent policy. In view of this, patent ownership can change depending on the country. Multiple patent ownership can result in economic problems; however, most striking is the international tension it causes. The fact that the United States does not recognize patent ownership in other countries, in violation of the Paris Convention on Industrial Properties, has prompted the World Intellectual Properties Organization (WIPO) to push the United States to review its existing patent law principles.

 

Summarizing a Paragraph

        A summary is a short retelling of a longer written passage, containing the author’s most important ideas. Summarizing helps improve both your reading and writing skills. To summarize, you must read a passage closely, finding the main ideas and supporting ideas. Then you must briefly write down those ideas in a few sentences or a paragraph. It is important to understand the difference between a summary and a paraphrase. A paraphrase is simply a rewriting of a passage in your own words. A summary, on the other hand, contains only the main idea and the supporting ideas of a passage. A summary will be much shorter than a paraphrase.

How to Summarize a Paragraph

1. Preview and read. Preview and read the paragraph closely. You probably will find that you need to read the paragraph more than one time.

2. Make a list or outline. Determine the main idea and the supporting details of the paragraph. Make a list or outline of these ideas. Be sure to use your own words.

3. Write a summary. Using your list, write a summary of the paragraph. State the main ideas, followed by important ideas. Limit your summary to just one or two sentences.

4. Read aloud and correct. Read the summary aloud, correcting any mistakes.

EXAMPLE OF A SUMMARY

Original “The Northern Lights” There are times when the night sky glows with bands of color. The bands may begin as cloud shapes and then spread into a great arc across the entire sky. They may fall in folds like a curtain drawn across the heavens. The lights usually grow brighter, then suddenly dim. During this time the sky glows with pale yellow, pink, green, violet, blue, and red. These lights are called the Aurora Borealis. Some people call them the Northern Lights. Scientists have been watching them for hundreds of years. They are not quite sure what causes them. In ancient times