How to Write a Summary

How to Write a Summary Writing a Summary with a IVF Topic Sentence

What is a summary? • A shortened version of a text that highlights its key points. • Can be written for both fiction and non-fiction pieces. • Contains an IVF topic sentence.

IVF Topic SentenceStep 1 Identify the item you will be summarizing. • State what form of literature the reading is (i.e. short story, article) • State the name of the reading • State the author of the reading

Tells Lists Provides Describes Explains Challenges Compares Gives Shows Presents Showcases Discusses IVF Topic SentenceStep 2Use an active verb to help you organize.

IVF Topic SentenceStep 3 Finish your thought. • Answer what the article or story is about in a general phrase. No specifics. • State the main point of the article or story. • Don’t give away the ending of the article or story.

IVF Topic SentenceExample 1 • Identify the item: The story “Rikki-tiki-tavi” by Rudyard Kipling • Pick an active verb: tells • Finish your thought: how a young mongoose protects his family and friends from two deadly cobras. The story “Rikki-tikki-tavi” by Rudyard Kiplingtells how a young mongoose protects his family and friends from two deadly cobras.

IVF Topic SentenceExample 2 • Identify the item: “Chapter Five” in my science book • Pick an active verb: explains • Finish your thought: how a simple telegraph works. “Chapter Five” in my science book explains how a simple telegraph works.

IVF Topic SentenceExample 3 • Identify the item: The poem “Paul Revere’s Ride” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow • Pick an active verb: describes • Finish your thought: Paul Revere’s ride to warn the colonists about the British. The poem “Paul Revere’s Ride” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow describes Paul Revere’s ride to warn the colonists about the British.

IVF Topic SentencePractice IVF Topic SentencePractice Write complete sentence:

“Eleanor Roosevelt” IVF Topic Sentence Write a complete sentence:

“A Crush”IVF Topic Sentence Write a complete sentence:

Highlighting As you read your article… • Highlight the article’s name, author, and date of publication • Highlight all major headings • Highlight facts that support the title and main idea of the article

Fact Outline • Directly transfer the facts of the article or story to a fact outline (8-12 facts). • You can use bullet points, hyphens, or numbers to organize your fact outline.

Sample Fact Outline for “A Crush” • Flowers are being left in front of Stan’s Hardware store, so people think someone has a crush on an employee there. • Dick Wilcox is married, so everyone thinks the flowers are for Dolores. • Dolores…

Sample Sample Pre-write with 3 step format Complete Sentence: Fact Outline • Include 8-12 statements!

Writing your Summary • Rewrite your IVF Topic Sentence (it is first sentence of your summary) • Rewrite all of the facts in sequential order from your fact outline in complete sentences in your own words!  Remember: A summary is a comprehensive and usually brief writing of previously stated facts or statements.

After A ___ laterDuringFinallyLater While NextSome time later That dayThenThe next _____ When Summary Transitions

How to Write a Summary