Checklist for Summaries

This checklist may be helpful as you draft your Summary/Response papers (Project I). These are due on February 14.

For our essays the summary portion of your paper will be appriximately one, well-developed pargraph.

CHECKLIST FOR WRITING A SUMMARY
_____ Read the title and subtitle of the original: do these state its main idea?
_____ Carefully read the original, underlining and jotting notes for yourself.
_____ Determine the author’s thesis or main idea.
_____ Find the author’s main supporting points. Subheads, sentences and the first and last paragraphs of the original may help you locate key points.
_____ Now write your topic sentence, stating the author’s thesis and giving the title, source and
publication date of the original.
_____ In your own words, jot down the author’s most important supporting points, following his or her
order.
_____ Write your draft summary, skipping lines so that you have room to make corrections.
_____ Now revise your work, asking yourself, “Will my summary convey to someone who has not read
the original, the author’s main idea and key supporting points?”
_____ Proofread and type a final draft of the summary. Give a title for practice.