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40 Examples of Summaries. In the spirit of showing rather than telling, let’s dissect examples of summaries from various genres. For brevity’s sake, I’ll categorize these examples and provide insights into what makes each effective. Research Articles/Essays
- Step 1: Read The Work
- Step 2: Take Notes
- Step 3: Identify The Author's Thesis Statement, Objective, Or Main Point
- Step 4: Note Other Important Elements
- Step 5: Prepare to Write Your Summary
- Step 6: Begin by Introducing The Work
- Step 7: Present The Thesis, Main Idea, Or Central Argument
- Step 8: Briefly Discuss The Important Elements of The Work
- Step 9: Write A Conclusion That Ties It All Together
- Step 10: Edit
Summaries are often perceived as a workaround for reading the work itself. That's not a great strategy under most circumstances because you tend to lose a lot of the details and nuance of a work, but it's particularly impractical to do so when writing about the work. Remember, a summary is supposed to present your perception of the work as a whole....
As you read the work, simultaneously take notes. If you own the book, it might be helpful to add your notes to the margins or highlight passages that are particularly relevant or capture a key idea. If you don't own the book, try taking notes on your computer or in a notebook. You can still notate important passages by writing down the page and par...
In some works, such as a journal article, a writer will provide a thesis statement. A thesis statement is a one-sentence synopsis of the author's argument and intention. A thesis statement can be really helpful in forming the backbone of your own summary, just as it forms the backbone of the essay. However, even when a thesis statement isn't presen...
If something stands out to you about the work and seems to play an important role in the text's overall narrative or structure, make a note about it. This could be a recurring theme, an incident in the storyline, or a deviation from the overall argument. As you identify and note important elements and moments in the work, the structure of your summ...
Once you've finished reading the work, review your notes and highlight the key points that came to light. Remember, your summary should be objective, so disregard any opinions you might have noted about the work. You should introduce the thesis or objective, briefly encapsulate the important ideas and moments from the work, and end with a conclusio...
As you begin, introduce the work, its author, and, if relevant, the context. Depending on your situation—for example, if your teacher or professor has asked you to summarize a work as part of an assignment or quiz—this might seem redundant. However, it is standard practice to begin by introducing the work, even if the reader already knows what you'...
Once you've introduced the work, your priority is to clearly define the author's thesis, important point, or central argument. As mentioned above, sometimes the author presents this idea clearly and succinctly at the outset of their work; at other times, it's buried deep in the text. Regardless of how the main idea is presented in the work, it shou...
After identifying the thesis or central argument, you should provide a brief overview of the work's other elements, ideas, and plot points. For the most part, the information you present throughout this section should bolster the thesis presented previously. Each sentence should serve as a supporting point for the topic sentence. Don't simply list ...
Much like you introduce the author's major point at the outset of your summary, you should revisit it as you close out your writing. If you presented the author's main idea in the introduction, and then bolstered that main idea by recollecting plot points or important elements from the work, your conclusion should then reiterate how those elements ...
Before submitting your work, read it in full, and edit out any superfluous and redundant information. It's likely that unnecessary details snuck in as you were writing, and you might find that certain plot points just feel unnecessary within the scope of your finished product. In addition to editing for content, be sure to edit it closely for gramm...
Mar 5, 2024 · By following these steps and using the examples as a guide, you can write a great plot summary that captures the essence of the story and engages your readers. An Example of a Quality Plot Summary Example 1: “On the Road” by Jack Kerouac
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Mar 22, 2024 · Plot: The sequence of events that unfold in the story. It usually follows a pattern of exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. Setting: The time and place where the story occurs. Setting can influence the story’s mood, atmosphere, and character development.
Apr 18, 2024 · Your synopsis should include 5 key elements. This includes the premise, a main plot and subplot overview, your main characters, and an implicit outline of the appeal of your book. Writing a book synopsis is notoriously tricky for authors.
Feb 6, 2024 · Learn more. What is a book summary? A book summary is a short and accurate description of a book’s main themes, plot, and characters. Summaries of books highlight key ideas and messages conveyed by the author. They also convey unique story elements and information about the major events and the setting of the story.
May 10, 2023 · A summary example of Hamlet would mention the main plot points like the murder of Polonius, but wouldn’t mention details irrelevant to the plot, like Polonius’s “to thine own self be true” monologue. The key to summary writing is to stick to the facts; do not include opinions, analysis, or bias.
