Writing an Abstract, Précis or Summary?

 A video clip will be shown about a current social issue (crisis in

Marawi City)
 With a partner, determine the key ideas presented in the video.
Then, write five to six sentences that will encapsulate these key
ideas. Write your answer on a sheet of paper.

What is an Abstract, Précis or Summary?

Texts are classified as either abstract, précis, or summary and sometimes as

synopsis, are all the same. Whatever they may be called, these texts aim to
precisely condense a larger work to present only the key ideas. They tell the
audience the gist of what has been read, listened to or viewed.

Note that the way we write an abstract, précis, or summary depends on

the expectations of a particular discipline or field. For example, publishing
companies, libraries and movie catalogs do not give away the actual content of
the material when they write summaries of materials. Their purpose is simply to
pique the interest of the target audience. These kinds of abstracts are called
descriptive abstracts. Research papers on the other hand readily present the key
ideas and major findings of the study. This kind of abstract is known as summative
abstract. Between these two types of abstracts, a summative abstract is more
preferred in an academic setting.

Since an abstract, précis, or summary aim to present the key ideas of the
text, the general rule is to condense the information into around 15 percent of
the original length of the text. However, this is not a hard and fast rule. In most
cases, a 6,000-word research article for an academic journal may require only
200 to 250 words for its abstract.

Structure of an Abstract, Précis, or Summary

The structure of abstract, précis, or summary depends on how it will be

used. For instance, the abstract of a research paper usually contains 150-300
words. It does not use any citation, does not include specific result statistics and
is last to be written.
 In terms of structure, a research abstract generally follows the given
allocation of words:

 Rationale
 Research Problems (around 10%)
 Methodology (around 20%)
 Major findings (around 40%)
 Conclusion and Implications (around 10%)

Guidelines in Writing an Abstract, Précis, or Summary

1. Read the text at least twice until you fully understand its content.
2. Highlight the key ideas and phrases.
3. Annotate the text.
4. State the author’s name, the title of the passage and the main idea at the
beginning sentence.
5. Use words or phrases indicating that you are presenting an abstract, précis, or
summary. Reporting verbs are the most useful for this purpose.
6. Write the main idea of each paragraph using your own words. In some cases,
you can write one main idea for multiple paragraphs particularly of a research
paper.
7. Never copy in verbatim a single sentence from the original text.
8. Combine the main ideas to form one paragraph. Use appropriate transitional
devices to improve cohesion.
9. Refrain from adding comments about the text. Stick to the ideas presented in
the text.
10. Compare your output with the original text to ensure accuracy.
Guided Practice

Original Text
 Summarized Text

According to Barrot (2013), reading is a complex cognitive process of

decoding written symbols. It is complex because it involves interactive and
problem-solving processes. Reading can be developed through constant
practice. It is a two-way communication between readers and texts. It involves
the transmission of messages using optic nerves. It has purpose. It is the foundation
of good writing and speaking. You learn vocabulary through reading. Reading
also includes reading fluency. Fluency means the number of words that you can
read in a certain period of time. The average reading speech is 200 words per
minute. However, there are people who can read higher that 280 words per
minute.

Rubric for an Abstract, Précis, or Summary

VGE GE SE LE N
5 4 3 2 1
CONTENT (35%)
Paper accurately reflects the content of the
original text while incorporating only the key
ideas.
Key ideas from the original text are reworded
without compromising accuracy or content.
Proper incorporates the name of the author
and title of the text at the start of the summary.
Specific examples are excluded in the abstract,
précis, or summary
This paper is free from personal comments or
opinions.
Proper uses appropriate length.
ORGANIZATION (25%)
Paper employs an organizational pattern and
structure appropriate for the genre.
Cohesive devices are effectively used.
Ideas are correctly placed which improves the
paper’s organization.
 Flow of ideas is smooth and easy to read.
STYLE (20%)
Paper showcases the writer’s voice
Proper uses a variety of sentence structures
Paper eliminates sexist language
Paper uses language appropriate to context
Paper eliminates wordiness.
GRAMMAR AND MECHANICS (10%)
Grammar is accurate.
Spelling, capitalization, and punctuations are
correctly used.
Word Choice is appropriate.
Sentences are well-structured.

Legend: VGE – To a very great extent

GE – To a great extent
LE – To a little extent
N- Not at all

Activity: Independent Practice

Write an abstract, précis, or summary. Assume the persona of a professor who is writing
an abstract for a recently completed research paper.

A. Find a partner. Complete the given information to come up with a writing situation for your
abstract, précis, or summary.

Title of text: ________________________________________________________________

Author of the text: _________________________________________________________
Purpose: __________________________________________________________________
Target Outputs: ___________________________________________________________
Audience: ________________________________________________________________
Writer’s Persona: __________________________________________________________
Tone/Formality: ___________________________________________________________

B. Within 15 minutes, read the following text before writing your own abstract, précis, or summary.
Keep the following questions in mind while reading.

1. What is the purpose of the given text?

2. Who is the target reader?
3. Has the writer achieved his/her purpose?
IV. EVALUATION

Write E if the statement shows an effective strategy in writing an abstract,

précis, or summary and N if not.

__________ 1. Kip adds his own explanations to some of the key ideas he writes in
his summary.
__________ 2. Joey copies in verbatim some of the sentences from the original
text.
__________ 3. Rachel highlights the key ideas in the original text while reading it.
__________ 4. Monica includes the specific examples that the original text while
reading it.
__________ 5. Janice presents her summary in bullet form.
__________ 6. Mona reads her summary and compares it to the original text.
__________ 7. Emily reads the original text several times until she fully understands
it.
__________ 8. Gunther writes a research abstract without any major findings in it.
__________ 9. Ross writes in his summary how he feels after reading the text to be
summarized.
__________ 10. Candace write the name of the author, year of publication, and
title of the text at the beginning of the summary.