LOCATING MAIN IDEAS

Guidelines in Summarizing
1. Clarify your purpose before you read.
Main Idea 2. Read the text and understand the
- It is the point of the paragraph or
meaning.
essay.
3. Select and underline or circle the
- It is the most important thought
key ideas and phrases while reading.
about the topic. 3.1 Annotate the text.
o Thesis Statement
4. Write all the key ideas.
o Topic Sentences
5. Identify the connections of these key
ideas and phrases using a concept
Thesis Statement map.
- It presents or describes the point of 6. List your ideas in sentence form in
essay. concept map.
- It usually appears in the middle or 7. Combine the sentences into a
end of an academic text. paragraph. Use appropriate
transitional devices to improve
Topic Sentences cohesion.
- It presents the point of the 8. Ensure that you do not copy a single
paragraph. sentence from the original text.
9. Refrain from adding comments to the
text.
10. Edit the draft of your summary by
BASICS OF eliminating redundant ideas.
11. Compare your output with the original
SUMMARIZING text to ensure accuracy.
12. Record the details of the original
source.
Summarizing 13. Format your summary properly.
- It is an important skill in critical
reading. Formats in Summarizing
- It is used to determine the essential 1. Idea Heading Format
ideas (which includes the gist or o Idea –> Citation
main idea). 2. Author Heading Format
- It is generally done after reading. o Citation –> Idea
3. Date Heading Format
Importance of Summarizing o Date –> Idea
1. Deepen your understanding of the
text. Reporting Verbs
2. Learn to identify relevant - A word used to discuss another
information or key ideas. person’s writings or assertations.
3. Combine details or examples that - They are used to incorporate the
support the main idea/s. source to discussion in the text.
4. Concentrate on the gist or main idea - They are used to indicate that
and key words presented in the text. discourse is being quoted or
5. Capture the key idea in the text and paraphrased.
put them together clearly and
concise.
 PARAPHRASING AND DIRECT QUOTING
SUMMARIZING
Does not match the source word
for word.
Involves putting the main
idea(s) into your own words,
but including only the main
point(s).
Presents a broad overview, so
is usually much shorter than
the original text.
Must be attributed to the
original source.
When to use?
PARAPHRASING
Paraphrase a short text with
one or two sentences or a
paragraph with a maximum of
five sentences.
Paraphrase when you want to:
a. Avoid or minimize direct
quotation; or
b. Rewrite the author’s
words by not changing
the message or use your
own words to state the
author’s ideas.
Guidelines in Paraphrasing
1. Read the text and understand its
meaning.
PARAPHRASING DIRECT QUOTING
Does not match the source word for Matches the source word for
word. word.
Involves putting a passage from a It is usually a short part
source into your own words. of the text.
Changes the words or phrasing of Cited part appears between
a passage, but retains and fully quotation marks.
communicates the original
meaning. Must be attributed to the
original source.
Must be attributed to the original
source.
SUMMARIZING DIRECT QUOTING
Summarize a text that has long Quote a textthat conveys
sections (e.g., a page or powerful message or will show
chapter of a book or the book less impact if it is
itself; a paragraph of an essay paraphrased or summarized
or the essay itself).
Quote directly when you want
Summarize when you want to: to:
a. Avoid or minimize direct a. begin your discussion
quotation; or use the with the author’s
main idea of the text stand; or
and write it in your own b. highlight the author’s
words. expertise in your
claim, argument, or
discussion
2. Use a pen to underline or highlight
the key words or main idea of the
text.
3. Recall the key words or main idea of
the text that you highlighted when
you read it.
4. Write in your own words what you 11.Format your paraphrase properly.
understood about the ideas in the
text.
5. Get the original text and compare it
with your paraphrase.
Guidelines in Direct Quoting
6. Check the meaning. Remember, your
1. Copy exactly the part of the text
paraphrase should have the same
that you want to use.
meaning as the original text.
2. Use quotation marks to show the
7. Check the sentence structure.
beginning and ending of the quote.
8. Refrain from adding comments about
3. Record the details of the original
the text.
source. Indicating the page number/s
9. Compare your output to the original
is necessary in citing sources in
text
quoting.
10. Record the details of the original
4. Format your quotation properly. If
source (author’s name/s, date of
your direct quotation is at least 40
publication, title, publisher, place of
words, it should be indented.
publishing, and URL [if on-line]).

PARAPHRASING vs SUMMARIZING vs DIRECT QUOTING