Writing a summary involves two major steps: 6XPPDU\,GHQWLI\WKHLPSRUWDQWLQIRUPDWLRQLQWKHWH[WXQGHUGLVFXVVLRQ To do this, you should read the text at least four times: 2Q\RXUILUVWUHDGLQJDLPIRUDJHQHUDOXQGHUVWDQGLQJSD\LQJVSHFLDODttention to the content and the structure of the text. 2Q\RXUVHFRQGUHDGLQJXQGHUOLQHWKHDXWKRU VPDLQWKHVLVDQGDUJXPHQWVGHEDWDEOHVWDWHPHQWV 2Q\RXUWKLUGUHDGLQJQRWHGRZQKRZWKHDXWKRUVXSSRUWVHDFKRIKLVDUJXPHQWV 2Q\RXUIRXUWKDQG final reading, identify the major parts, or sense units, of the text. Each part usually contains one main idea. 5HSKUDVHWKHLPSRUWDQWLQIRUPDWLRQLQ\RXURZQZRUGV )LUVWZULWHRQH-sentence summaries for each part of the text (not necessarily for each physical paragraph!) you have identified in 1, 7KHQZULWH\RXURQH-sentence summaries up into a connected text. In the first sentence or two, state the topic and the title of the source text, give the author s name and, if possible, reformulate the author s main thesis. In the body of the summary, restate the author s main ideas in your own words. Once you have finished work on your summary, check whether it is %ULHI not longer than one fourth of the original text &RPSUHKHQVLYH it contains all of the author s important ideas, claims or findings $FFXUDWH it does not misrepresent the author s views or findings 1HXWUDO it contains only the author s ideas, claims or findings, not your own opinion,qghshqghqw it will make sense to someone who has not read the text you have summarized For further detail and sample summaries, see Part II. Writing an analysis involves four major steps: $QDO\VLV 1. &DUHIXOO\UHDGWKHVRXUFHWH[W in order to reach a FRPSOHWHXQGHUVWDQGLQJ of the text under discussion; decide which text type it belongs to. When you are dealing with an argumentative text, make sure you can paraphrase the author s thesis and main ideas. In addition, determine the main aim of the text. 2. 1H[WFDUHIXOO\UHUHDGWKHWH[WDQGWDNHQRWHVRQWKHIROORZLQJSRLQWV: a) the author s use of language (formal vs. informal; technical vs. non-technical; shifts in language use; simple vs. complex sentences) b) the author s tone (attitude towards topic: ironic, angry, serious, etc.) c) the targeted readership d) the author s train of thought (order of ideas or arguments, logical connections) e) supporting evidence (types of evidence: statistics, expert testimony Expertenaussagen, case studies, etc.; patterns in the use of evidence; adequate-inadequate evidence) 3. 7KLQNDERXWWKHRYHUDOOSLFWXUHWKDWHPHUJHV IURP\RXUILQGLQJVDQG IRUPXODWHDWKHVLV. 4. :ULWHDURXJKGUDIW. Begin by restating the question or topic 1, then state your thesis and provide evidence to support your findings. 1 This is good practice for beginners. More sophisticated ways of beginning a text will be discussed in Part II:
5. 5HYLVH\RXUURXJKGUDIW. Check for clear structure and language errors. To sum up, a good analysis should be $FFXUDWH it shows a complete understanding of the text 7KRURXJK it completely explains and supports all your findings 2UJDQL]HG it has a clear structure and makes sense to readers For further detail and sample analyses, see Part II. $QDO\VLV)LFWLRQ Writing an analysis of a fictional text involves four major steps: &DUHIXOO\UHDGWKHWKHTXHVWLRQDQGILQGRXWSUHFLVHO\ZKDW\RXDUHEHLQJDVNHGWR GR 2. 1H[WFDUHIXOO\UHUHDGWKHWH[WDQGWDNHQRWHVRQWKHTXHVWLRQ: 3. 7KLQNDERXWWKHRYHUDOOSLFWXUHWKDWHPHUJHV IURP\RXUILQGLQJVDQG IRUPXODWHDWKHVLV. In other words, try to find a central idea that will serve as the focus for what you will write. 7KLQNDERXWPDWHULDOLQWKHWH[WWKDWZLOOKHOSVXSSRUW\RXUWKHVLV Do not keep any material that is not relevant. Sift out more important from less important material, and make sure that your answer will stress the more important material. 5. :ULWHDURXJKGUDIW Begin by restating the question or topic, then state your thesis and provide evidence to support your findings. Use suitable terminology (e.g. LPSOLFLWH[SOLFLW FKDUDFWHUL]DWLRQ, SRLQWRIYLHZ, PRGHRISUHVHQWDWLRQ etc.) to present your findings. 5. 5HYLVH\RXUURXJKGUDIW. Check for clear structure and language errors. To sum up, a good analysis should be $FFXUDWH it shows a complete understanding of the text 7KRURXJK it completely explains and supports all your findings 2UJDQL]HG it has a clear structure and makes sense to readers For further detail and sample analyses, see Part II. (YDOXDWLRQ Having formed a full understanding of the text under discussion, you can go on to write an evaluation. This involves two major steps: $VN\RXUVHOIWKHIROORZLQJTXHVWLRQVZKLFKZLOOKHOS\RXILQGFULWHULDE\ZKLFKWRMXGJH the text. A) What is my emotional reaction to the author s thesis and main ideas? B) Do the author s ideas reflect my experience of the world? C) Do the author s thesis, main ideas and supporting evidence match what others have said (or might have said) on the same subject? Is the text logically organized? D) Is the evidence provided by the author adequate, current and authoritative? E) Has the author ignored alternative viewpoints? F) Does the author s style make it easy to follow the thread of the argument? Are his syntax and word choice clear and effective? G) In the margin of the text, note down your answers to these questions using key words,
questions, statements, punctuation marks or colour-coding. You can also make a OLVWRIDOO WKHDUJXPHQWVIRUDQGDJDLQVW the author s thesis. :ULWHXS\RXUDQVZHUVLQWRDQHDWFRQQHFWHGWH[W A) State your thesis. B) Make sure you explain the criteria by which you judge the text and the words you are using (e.g. do not say this is crazy without explaining what you mean by crazy ). C) Explain your judgements and give examples to support your thesis. D) Draw a conclusion from your findings. To sum up, a good evaluation should be +RQHVW it should reflect your true opinions and judgements $FFXUDWH it should reflect the author s views fairly 7KRURXJK it should cover all the issues raised by the text under discussion 2UJDQL]HG its line of argument should be easy to follow &RKHVLYH it should contain words marking the place where you shift from one argument or example to another (e.g. IXUWKHUPRUHDQRWKHUSRLQWWRQRWHLVWKDW) or from an opposing argument to a supporting one (e.g. KRZHYHU) For further detail and sample evaluations, see Part II. :ULWLQJDQ$EVWUDFW DQ([SODQDWRU\6XPPDU\ In an abstract, the structure (or the argumentation) of the text is summarized together with the message. The first question on a typical exam paper may involve writing an abstract, or you may want to put an abstract at the beginning of one of your essays to summarize its main ideas. An example of such a question is: Determine the subject of the text and analyse its structure. 7KHUHDUHDQXPEHURISKUDVHVZKLFKZLOOKHOS\RXWRLQGLFDWHWKHVXEMHFWRIWKHWH[W The text is about / deals with... The author of the text is concerned with... The author of this report addresses the question as to why... The author attacks / supports the idea that... The author suggests that... In this paper I present... (TXDOO\WKHUHLVDYDULHW\RIZD\VLQZKLFK\RXFDQLQGLFDWHWKHVWUXFWXUHRIWKHWH[W 1. in the first / second / third (etc.) PARAGRAPH (of the text [under discussion] / of the excerpt [etc.]) in the first / second / third (etc.) SECTION / PART (of his / the book / work /...) 2. the author first cites two examples of... next, he points out hinweisen / suggests nahelegen, vorbringen / notes, observes bemerkt / says / argues darlegen, argumentieren / claims behaupten / reports berichten that then he discusses erörtern / shows / demonstrates / describes / analyses finally, it is shown how / found that...
3. having + ing KDYLQJH[SODLQHGWKHDXWKRUJLYHVWZRH[DPSOHVRI 4. the author opens the text by saying / remarking / pointing out... &OLQWRQRSHQVKLVLQDXJXUDODGGUHVVE\UHPDUNLQJWKDW the author begins by+ing *DVVHQGLEHJLQVE\DGGUHVVLQJDTXHVWLRQ the author goes on to + inf. / moves on to + inf. / proceeds to + inf. WKHDXWKRUJRHVRQWRSRLQWRXWH[DPLQHH[SODLQHWF this is followed by + noun WKLVLVIROORZHGE\DGLVFXVVLRQRIWKHSUREOHPV the author ends / concludes by +ing WKHDXWKRUFRQFOXGHVE\VD\LQJ to conclude, the author stresses... )LQDOO\WKHUHLVDZLGHUDQJHRIZRUGVDQGH[SUHVVLRQVZKLFK\RXFDQXVHWRGHVFULEHWKH WKUHDGRIWKHDUJXPHQW ARGUMENT: an argument is what a person produces when he or she makes a statement and gives reasons for believing the statement; the statement itself is called the conclusion of the argument; the stated reasons for believing the argument are called the premises PREMISE (ASSUMPTION): a premise is something that you accept as true and that you use as a basis for developing an idea THESIS: a thesis is an idea that is expressed as a statement and is discussed in a logical way 7KHWH[WVWDUWVIURPWKHSUHPLVHWKDW 7KHSUHPLVHLVWKDW 7KHSUHPLVHWKDWLVWKHVWDUWLQJSRLQWRIWKHDXWKRU VDUJXPHQWDWLRQ 7KHDXWKRUDGYDQFHVWKHWKHVLVWKDW +LVWKHVLVLVWKDW +HVXSSRUWVKLVWKHVLVE\ZLWKDTXRWDWLRQDQH[DPSOHE\TXRWLQJIURPDQDXWKRULW\ 7KHDXWKRUFRPHVWRDUULYHVDWUHDFKHVGUDZVWKHFRQFOXVLRQWKDW 6DPSOH$EVWUDFWV In his article entitled Does work make you stupid?, [(the) British journalist] David Nicholson-Lord deals with the effects of modern working practices on employees. He starts from the premise that the two sides of the brain, the abstract left brain and the intuitive right brain, need to be kept in balance. He goes on to advance the thesis that (to claim that) changing work practices may lead to an over-use of the left hemisphere because state-of-theart technology reduces real human contact. The result is that left-brain- heavy employees who climb the corporate ladder may not be able to act effectively at the top, where creativity becomes more important. Nicholson-Lord proceeds to quote authorities who suggest that the best ideas spring to mind when you are relaxed and that office environments do not foster creativity. He concludes by making a plea for more-people friendly working practices in order to overcome the imbalance. In this excerpt from Emotional Intelligence, [(the) American journalist / popular science writer] Daniel Goleman advances the thesis that emotional intelligence is at a premium in
today s business world, especially for those in authority. To illustrate what lack of emotional intelligence may lead to, he opens the passage by telling a cautionary tale of an airline pilot whose imperious character forces his crew members into tacit subservience. Goleman then argues that, while being less starkly evident to outside observers, the same sort of behaviour may also result in considerable losses for ordinary companies. This, however, had not always been widely recognized, as Goleman suggests drawing on the results of a study from the 1970s. He concludes by saying that we can no longer afford to adopt the bullyish attitudes of those days. (approx. 130 words)