Part One: Warm Up
Discuss the following questions with your partner(s).
- What's your favourite movie, and how do you give a brief description of it to someone who has never seen it?
- What other things do you give brief descriptions, or summaries, of?
Part Two: Getting Ready to Write & Your Turn & Further Discussion
The ability to summarize the main points of an essay, article, lecture, or even movie, is an essential life skill. Below are some useful tips when summarizing. A good summary...
- ...is clear to someone who has not read/watched/heard the original source material. Always assume the reader is unfamiliar with the book/film/article/information/etc. that you are summarizing.
- ...follows paragraph structure, with a topic sentence stating the title/author/speaker/etc. The reader must be aware that he or she is reading a summary and not original ideas.
- ...gives the main points and only the main points. Leave out unnecessary details, figures, etc.
- ...paraphrases, with no direct quotes from the original source. Do not copy and paste; use your own words.
- ...is not wordy. A good summary is clear and direct.
- ...presents the information in the same order as the original, if possible.
- ...is objective. Do not include your opinion unless your instructor asks you to do so.
To recap, watch this video.
Review - How to Write a Good Summary
Review - How to Write a Good Summary
Now, let's use what we've learned about summarizing to analyze a summary. First, read the ICBC webpage on "how to prepare for a road test." Then read the summary below.
The ICBC’s webpage outlines the things you have to do when you are taking your road test to get your British Columbia driver’s license. You need to bring an acceptable ID, money to pay for the test, valid insurance and registration, a safe vehicle, and questions for your examiner. The safe car that you use must also have Canadian license plates, be clean and scent-free, and be free of any dangerous items. Remember that you are not allowed to record or use navigation devices during the test. If you need to reschedule or cancel your road test, it’s what I think is an expensive $25 fee if you don’t give 48 hours’ notice. And, if you don’t pass your road test, you can just study the feedback you get on your failed attempt.