THE FORMATS &

VARIOUS
TECHNIQUES IN English for Academic and

SUMMARIZING A
Professional Purposes - 11
What is Summarizing?
What are the various techniques
in summarizing a variety of
academic text?
What are the five easy techniques
in summarizing various academic
texts?
Why summarizing is an important
What is summarizing?
Buckley (2004)
Defines summarizing as
reducing text to one-third or
one-quarter to its original
size, clearly articulating the
author’s meaning, and
retaining main ideas.
What is summarizing?
Diane Hacker (2008)
Summarizing involves
stating a work’s thesis
and main ideas “simply,
briefly and accurately.”
 to express the most
important facts or ideas
about something or
someone in a short and
clear form.

REDUCING TEXT

“simply, briefly and

accurately.”
CLEARLY


ARTICULATING

“Condensed
version”
 THESIS

“Most important facts

or ideas.”
 MAIN IDEAS

“Short and clear

form.”
 Is often used to determine the
essential ideas in a book, book
chapter, an article or parts of an
article. These essential ideas
include the gist or main idea,
useful information, or key words
or phrases that help you meet
your reading purpose.
Summarizing is generally done
TECHNIQUES IN SUMMARIZING
1. Read the work first to
understand the author’s intent.
This is crucial step because an
incomplete reading could lead to
an inaccurate summary.
Note: an inaccurate summary is
plagiarism
TECHNIQUES IN SUMMARIZING
2. Present information through
facts, skills and conception
visual formats. You can provide
the cause and effects charts,
timeline, and venn diagram.
TECHNIQUES IN SUMMARIZING
3. Know the main points and the
supporting details. You can
exclude any illustrations,
examples, or explanations.
TECHNIQUES IN SUMMARIZING
4. Analyzed the text to save
time in thinking what you will do.
TECHNIQUES IN SUMMARIZING
5. Think what information you
can put in your summary. Be
sure to cover the main points
and arguments of the document.
TECHNIQUES IN SUMMARIZING
6. Restating the words into
different one. You should avoid
using the original word of the
author instead, you use your
own vocabulary but sure to
retain the information.
TECHNIQUES IN SUMMARIZING
7. Organize all ideas.
8. Write down all information in
a coherent and a precise form.
Keep in mind that a summary is
a condensed version of a original
paper. So avoid making it long.
TECHNIQUES IN SUMMARIZING
9. Represent information
through using dimensional
constructions in representing the
concepts, skills and facts.
TECHNIQUES IN SUMMARIZING
10. Paraphrase. Do not use the
same words with the author.
 FIVE EASY
TECHNIQUES IN
SUMMARIZING
ACADEMIC TEXTS
TECHNIQUE 1:
Somebody Wanted But So

(stories)
TECHNIQUE 1:
Somebody:
Who is the story about?
TECHNIQUE 1:
Wanted:
What does the main character
want?
TECHNIQUE 1:
But:
Identify a problem that the main
character encountered.
TECHNIQUE 1:
So:
How does the main character?
TECHNIQUE 2:

S A A C Method

(story, article, speech, etc.)

TECHNIQUE 2:
STATE
A SSIGN
A CTION
COMPLET
E
TECHNIQUE 2:
State:
Name of the article, book, or
story
TECHNIQUE 2:
Assign:
Name of the article, book, or
story
TECHNIQUE 2:
Action:
What the author is doing
(example: tells or explains)
TECHNIQUE 2:
Complete:
Complete the sentence or
summary with keywords and
important details.
TECHNIQUE 3:

5 W’s, 1 H
TECHNIQUE 3:

Who What When

Where Why and
How
TECHNIQUE 3:
Who – is the story about?
What – did they do?
When – did the action take place?
Where – did the story happened?
Why – did main character do it?
How – did the main character do, what he/she
did?
TECHNIQUE 4:

First, Then, Finally

(events in chronological)
TECHNIQUE 4:
First.
What happened first?
Include the main character
and main event/action.
TECHNIQUE 4:
Then.
What key details took
place during the
event/action?
TECHNIQUE 4:
Finally.
What were the results
of the event/action/
TECHNIQUE 5:

Give Me the Gist.

(Summary not a retelling of every detail)
SUMMARIZING IS AN
IMPORTANT SKILL
Deepen your understanding of the text;
Learn to identify relevant information or key ideas;
Combine details or examples that support the
main idea/s;
Concentrate on the gist or main idea and key
words presented in the text; and,
Capture the key ideas in the text and put them
together clearly and concisely.
WHAT IS NOT
SUMMARIZING?
Write down everything;
Write down ideas from the text word-for-
word;
Write down incoherent and irrelevant
ideas;
Write down ideas that are not stated in the
text; or
Write down a summary that has the same
length or is longer than the original text.
FORMATS IN
SUMMARIZING
1. Idea Heading
Format
In this format, the
summarized idea comes
Example:

Benchmarking is a useful strategy

that has the potential to help
public officials improve the
performance of local services
(Folz, 2004; Ammons, 2001). Once
the practice of a particular city is
benchmarked, it can be a
guidepost and the basis for the
other counterparts to improve its
Benchmarking is a useful
strategy that has the potential
to help public officials improve
the performance of local
services (Folz, 2004; Ammons,
2001).
FORMATS IN
SUMMARIZING
2. Author Heading Format
In this format, the summarized idea
comes after the citation. The
Author’s name/s is/are connected by
an appropriate reporting verb.
Example:
The considerable number of users of FB has led
educators to utilize FB for communicating with their
students (Grant, 2008; as cited in Donmus, 2010).
The study of Kabilan, Ahmad, and Abidin (2010)
shows that the students perceived FB as an online
environment to expedite language learning process
and make students’ learning environment more
engaging. As regards literacy, this notion reveals
that FB could be used as a tool to aid individuals
execute a range of social acts through social
literacy implementation (ibid). Blockstone and
Hardwood (2012) suggest the facilitative strength of
FB as it elicits greater engagement on collaboration
Example:
The considerable number of users of FB has led
educators to utilize FB for communicating with their
students (Grant, 2008; as cited in Donmus, 2010).
The study of Kabilan, Ahmad, and Abidin
(2010) shows that the students perceived FB
as an online environment to expedite
language learning process and make
students’ learning environment more
engaging. As regards literacy, this notion reveals
that FB could be used as a tool to aid individuals
execute a range of social acts through social
literacy implementation (ibid). Blockstone and
Hardwood (2012) suggest the facilitative strength
FORMATS IN
SUMMARIZING
3. Date Heading
Format
In this format, the summarized
idea comes after the date when
the material is published.
Example:
On the other hand, active
participations of the citizens in
development contributes to a sound
and reasonable government
decisions. In their 2004 study on the
impact of participatory development
approach, Irvin and Stansbury argue
that participation can be valuable to
the participants and the government
Example:
On the other hand, active
participations of the citizens in
development contributes to a sound
and reasonable government
decisions. In their 2004 study on
the impact of participatory
development approach, Irvin and
Stansbury argue thar
participation can be valuable to
QUIZ