2020-10-10
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Guidelines for writing a summary of an article:
• State the main ideas of the article.
• Identify the most important details that support the main ideas.
• Write your summary in your own words; avoid copying phrases and sentences from the article unless they’re direct quotations.
• Express the underlying meaning of the article, not just the superficial details.
• Your summary should be about one third of the length of the original article.
Your summary should include:
Introduction
• Start with a summary or overview of the article which includes the author’s name and the title of the article.
• Finish with a thesis statement that states the main idea of the article.
Body Paragraphs
• The number of paragraphs in your summary depends on the length of the original article.
• Your summary should be about one third the length of the original article. For a one-paragraph summary, discuss each supporting point in a separate sentence. Give 1-2 explanations for each supporting point. For a multi-paragraph summary, discuss each supporting point in a separate paragraph.
• Start each body paragraph with a topic sentence.
• Each paragraph focuses on a separate main idea and just the most important details from the article.
• Put the ideas from the essay into your own words. Avoid copying phrases and sentences from the article.
• Use transitional words and phrases to connect ideas.
Concluding Paragraph
• Summarize the main idea and the underlying meaning of the article.
(Adapted from "Guidelines for Writing a Summary" by Christine Bauer-Ramazani, Saint Michael's College. http://academics.smcvt.edu/cbauer-ramazani/AEP/EN104/summary.htm)
Ex. 8.14. Write a summary of the text “ The complexity of the global issues is far too big for any party to tackle alone ” using the guidelines.
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Ex. 8.15. Use the following website https://www.scimagojr.com to find a research paper, which is related to the topic ‘Environmental threats’. Read it carefully, make up a glossary, write a summary of the paper (7-10 pages) and discuss it in the class.
Ex. 8.16. Search for a video on the subject ‘Geopolitical problems’, watch the video, take notes and get prepared to deliver a small talk in class (a 5-minute lecture) using your notes. You may use the following website to complete the task: https://www.ted.com/talks.
APPENDIX. ACADEMIC SKILLS.
THE PURPOSES OF ACADEMIC WRITING
1.1. The most common reasons for writing:
• to report on a piece of research the writer has conducted
• to answer a question, the writer has been given or chosen
• to discuss a subject of common interest and give the writer’s view to synthesize research done by others on a topic
Common types of academic writing
• Notes
• Reports
• Projects
• Essays
• Dissertations/Thesis
• Papers
The most common written sources
• Textbooks
• Websites
• Journal articles
• Official reports (e.g. from government)
• Newspaper or magazine articles
• e-books
The most common requirements to your academic text
• you should give reasons for your initial hypothesis
• you should obtain more well-rounded data
• you should show the logic of your experiments
• you should present clear, consistent logical argument to somebody else involved in the research of this field.
WRITING A PARAGRAPH
A paragraph - a group of related sentences that discuss mainly one idea. It
• can be long enough;
• the number of sentences is unimportant;
• visually organized
Three parts of a paragraph:
• The topic sentence - states the main idea of the paragraph
- names the topic
- limits the topic to one specific area
• The controlling idea - announces the specific area
• Supporting Sentences - develop the topic sentence;
- explain or prove the topic sentence;
- give more information
• Concluding sentence - signals the end of the paragraph;
- summarizes the paragraph. with important points to remember. (It can do this in two ways: by summarizing the main points of the paragraph or by repeating the topic sentence in different words)
- is needed only for stand-alone paragraph.
LINKING PARAGRAPHS TOGETHER
Each new paragraph begins with a phrase that links it to the previous paragraph, in order to maintain continuity of argument:
- Despite this (i.e. the lack of a conclusive link)
- All these claims (i.e. arguments in favor of the previous idea)
- In order to begin a new topic, you may use:
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- Turning to the issue of...
- Some (points, elements, arguments…) must also be examined...
- ... is another area for consideration
- Paragraphs can also be introduced with adverbs:
- Traditionally, few examples were...
- Finally, the performance of...
The following expressions make up links and connectors accounting for
a). Conjuncting
b). Adjuncting
c). Correlating
d). Opposing
e). Orientating
f). Coordinating
g). Determining
ahead, against, in order to, though, regardless, unless, concerning, notwithstanding; but, if, hence, since, rather than, namely, that is, above/ after all, aside, besides, according to, consequently, furthermore, according/ due to, because, nevertheless, regarding, respectively, with, without away, as well, counter, whether, only, versus, next, now, vice versa, otherwise, whereas, aside, back, backward, behind, neither, against, between, here, to trans-, under, up, upon, via, where, within, therefore, which,despite,after, still, while, as yet, such, with respect to, each, other, the same, something, what,, whose, why, thereby.
WRITING AN ESSAY
Some steps that should be taken into consideration while preparing an essay
- Brainstorming
- Organizing
- Drafting
- Reviewing
- Revising
- Publishing
Choosing a topic
The topic must:
- not be too broad
- not be too narrow
- be interesting and important
- be something that you know about
- be researchable
- have a point.
Writing a thesis statement in an essay
A thesis statement for an essay functions like the topic sentence of a paragraph; it tells the reader the main idea of the essay. However, while a topic sentence of a paragraph is often the first sentence, the thesis statement of an essay is usually the final sentence of the introduction.
