What are the main steps for writing a successful summary after reading a chapter, paragraph, and section?

Answer 1

When you summarize, you are presenting the gist of the chapter/paragraph/section in a shorter way along with some key facts/details/supporting evidence.

Here is an example of a summarized chapter from EL Education on a page accessible to the public:

(https://curriculum.eleducation.org/sites/default/files/curriculum/lessons/2148//g4m4u1l6modulelessons-supportingmaterials121117.doc) Please note I have revised the example for clarity.

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In Chapter 1 of The Hope Chest by Karen Schwabach, we learn that Chloe left the family in order to “do something meaningful" with her life. In this chapter, Violet finds letters that her mother has hidden from her. The letters are from Violet's sister Chloe who left home. In a letter on page 8, Chloe describes how she is working hard as a public health nurse caring for families with influenza, which is doing something meaningful because it is a job helping others. On page 9 it says directly that before Chloe left, Violet had heard her shout “something about wanting to do something meaningful with her life.” Based on the details that the author shares about Chloe in this chapter, the gist is that she left the family to do something meaningful.

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As illustrated above, start by quoting the text, author, and name the part that you are summarizing. Next, state the main idea/gist along with the most important examples that support/prove that same idea that are within this same part of the text. Cite page or paragraph examples for each example, if possible. Also, if not paraphrasing, include any direct quotations from the text in quotation marks.

Conclude by restating the gist/main idea and reminding the reader how the author used clear examples to support the main idea or claim.

Happy writing!