Summary Writing & Main Idea

1. Which of the following is NOT a common pitfall of summary writing?

• Including personal opinions and interpretations 

• Failing to capture the main idea 

• Paraphrasing word for word 

• Omitting important details 

Which of these is NOT a strategy for effective summary writing?

• Including dialogue 

• Writing in a formal tone 

• Eliminating unnecessary information 

• Using transition words 

What should be the primary focus of a summary?

• The main idea 

• The author's writing style 

• Supporting evidence 

• A restatement of the entire work 

What is the goal of a summary?

• To help readers find specific information 

• To provide detailed analysis 

• To provide personal commentary 

• To help readers quickly understand the text 

What is a good way to determine what information to include in a summary?

• Google other summaries 

• Re-read and highlight important details 

• Use a word count to determine length 

• Ask a friend for their summary and use that 

When should you use direct quotes in a summary?

• When paraphrasing is difficult 

• When you feel the author's words are powerful 

• When you want to disagree with something the author wrote 

• When you want to add more information 

Which sentence is a better summary? 

• The article said that it is important to take care of your skin by using sunscreen and moisturizer. 

• The article discussed how taking care of your skin, by using sunscreen and moisturizer, can help prevent skin damage. 

• The article takes the time to express the concise nature of taking care of your skin which is by using sunscreen and moisturizer, products that help to maintain good skin.

• Sunscreen is good for taking care of your skin. The article said this and I know it is true.

What is a good way to end a summary?

• With a question 

• With a personal opinion 

• With a restatement of the thesis 

• With a quote from the author 

What is the purpose of using signal phrases when summarizing?

• To change the author's words 

• To add more information 

• To break up long paragraphs 

• To credit the author 

Which of the following sources would be best for a summary?

• A political advertisement 

• A message board with anonymous users 

• An online blog written by a random person 

• A scientific article in a reputable journal