SUMMARIZING

[Link]
English
Language
Arts
Key Concepts/
Understanding to be Developed

Equip the learners with knowledge to

address the learning gaps of students
in synthesizing information from
various sources through summarizing
and paraphrasing.
Learning Objectives
Knowledge: Hypothesize the importance
of summarizing and paraphrasing.
Skills: Make a summary and paraphrase
information from various sources.
Attitude: Perform with open-mindedness
in evaluating paragraphs based on rubrics.
Values: Display oneness in accomplishing
group tasks.
 INTRODUCTION
With a partner,
•Tells about a recent activity that you had
participated (e.g. playing a video game, going
to the mall, working on a project, etc.) in as
much detail as possible. You will be given two
minutes to tell about your experience.
•The second volunteer will be asked to
summarize what the first volunteer described
in no more than three sentences and include
the most important information about what
was said.
•The first volunteer will decide whether all
relevant information was included in the
summary.
ACTIVITY (10 mins)
In groups of four, the facilitator:
•Distributes a sheet of paper which contains
three parts.
1st-original text.
2nd- summary of the original text.
3rd- paraphrased of the original text.
•Participants will take note of their
observations in their notebooks.
PROCESSING QUESTIONS:
1. What information is presented in each
part of the paper?
2. Which is a summary? a paraphrase?
3. Differentiate the two.
4. What are some characteristics of a
good summary? a good paraphrase?
5. What are the steps in
summarizing/paraphrasing?
SUMMARIZING VS.
PARAPHRASING
- both are indispensable writing tools.
They are both techniques of
incorporating other writers’ works or
ideas into your writing using your own
words. Although a writer must always
use his/her own ideas when writing,
sometimes it becomes necessary to use
other writers’ thoughts and concepts.
This may be due to one or
more of the following
reasons:
•To provide support to your own ideas
•To give reasons of why you agree or disagree
with something
•To give depth to your writing
•To refer to something that led to your ideas
•To give a point of view which is different from
yours
Paraphrasing
-is re-writing another writer’s
words or ideas in your own
words without altering the
meaning. The paraphrase is
about the same length as the
original since the purpose is to
rephrase without leaving out
anything, and not to shorten.
Now when
should you
paraphrase and
when should
you summarize?
Paraphrase when:
•You want to use another writer’s
words without plagiarizing
•You want to use another writer’s
words without the use of quotes
•The ideas of the other writer are
more important than his/her
style
•You think that the words of the
other writer are too difficult for
your readers
Summarize when:
•You want to identify only the
main ideas of the writer
•You want to give an overview
of the topic (from several
sources)
•You want to simplify a complex
argument
•You want to condense the
matter to suit your requirement.
Paraphrasing Answer Key
Example 1: An example of
acceptable paraphrasing:
Original Material
New York is referred to as “the
city that never sleeps.” At nights,
people can be assured that
something is going on no matter
what the time.
Paraphrase
In New York, there is
something to do at all hours
of the night.
Example 2: An example
of unacceptable
paraphrasing:
Original Material
Brooklyn is the most populous of
New York City's five boroughs,
with approximately 2.5 million
residents, and the second-
largest in area.
Paraphrase
Brooklyn is the most populous
borough in New York City, with
about 2.5 million residents, and
is
the second biggest area.
Why is this an example
of unacceptable
paraphrasing?
This is a bad example of
paraphrasing because it
substitutes a few words with
synonyms but the
structure and word order
remains the same as the
original.
Directions: Paraphrase the
following paragraphs.
Original:
Hemmingway’s work contains a lot of
symbolism. In The Old Man and The Sea,
the protagonist is
struggling to capture a large marlin. His
struggle against the marlin symbolizes
the protagonist’s struggle
against defeat. Hemmingway’s use of
symbolism truly affects the way the
reader reads and interprets
his work.
Paraphrase:
When reading Hemmingway’s
work, it is important to recognize
how symbolism affects
interpretation.
Hemmingway’s use of symbolism
affects the reader’s
interpretation of the work.
Original:
2. Organic foods are said to be
healthier because they are grown
without pesticides, radiation, or
genetic mutations that most non-
organic food contains. Non-organic
foods are often injected with
hormones and dyes, which
jeopardize the quality of the food.
Paraphrase:
Organic foods are healthier
than most non-organic
foods
Original:
“No historian should begin research
with someone else’s notes. Taking
notes is the first (and perhaps
most important step) in developing
our own interpretation of a subject.
It forces us to decide (again and
again) what is interesting and
important” (Reuben, 2005, p. 413).
Paraphrase:
- Reuben (2005) states that in order
to develop an original analysis of
their topic, historians must
commence research with their own
“notes” rather than relying on a
secondary analysis of
another’s.
 Just a hint!
When writing the paper, rely on
your notes rather than on the
author's work. You will find it much
easier to avoid borrowing from the
original passage because you will
not have recently seen it.
Follow this simple sequence:
[Link] the ideas from your notes
into full sentences.
[Link] a reference.
3. Go back to the original to ensure
that (a) your paraphrase is accurate
and (b) you have truly said things in
your own words.
Summarizing
on the other hand, is putting down
the main ideas of someone else’s
work in your own words. A summary
is always shorter than the original
since the idea is to include only the
main points of the original work and
to leave out the irrelevant. A
summary is usually about one-third
the size of the original.
Writing a good summary is not as
easy as it may appear. It actually
requires quite a bit of finesse.

First, the student must read and

comprehend the text.
Second, this may involve unpacking
lengthy sentences and decoding
challenging vocabulary.
Third, identify main ideas and key
points, which means that they must
have a good enough understanding
of the text to distinguish between
essential and nonessential
information.
Finally, they must express this
information in their own words. This
means that summarizing a text
requires both comprehension and
expression skills.
Please watch this video on
plagiarism from this site:
[Link]
lesson/paraphrasing-without-
[Link]

After watching, ask the participants

to:
Hypothesize the importance
of summarizing and paraphrasing.
Individual Activity:
Make a summary and paraphrase
information from various sources
that is provided (30 min)
•Read the material that is provided.
•Use a bond paper, folded into two
and rewrite the paragraph or article
in two ways: paraphrasing and
summarizing the text.
•Share your newly written product
with your group mates.
Sample Response:
Sample Response:
Incorrect!
Sample Response:
Incorrect!
(This will be done in groups)
 2
• Humpty Dumpty
Sat on a wall.
Humpty Dumpty
Had a great fall.

All the King's horses

And all the King's men
Couldn't put Humpty
Together again.
 3

• Old Mother Hubbard

Went to the cupboard
To give her poor dog a bone.
But when she got there
The cupboard was bare,
And so the poor dog had
none.
 4
Jack and Jill went up the hill,
To fetch a pail of water.
Jack fell down and broke his crown,
And Jill came tumbling after.

Up Jack got and home did trot,

As fast as he could caper,
And went to bed to mend his head
With vinegar and brown paper.
 5
Little Miss Muffet
Sat on a tuffet,
Eating some curds and whey.

Along came a spider

Who sat down beside her
And frightened Miss Muffet
away.
CONCLUDING ACTIVITY
(individual)
Write your answers on a bond paper.

• In 6 words, write what you have

learned. (This is a variation of the
Smith Magazine writing contest)