AdvancedWriting04[21页]

1、Chapter 4 Paraphrasing and Summarizing,General guidelines for Paraphrasing and Summarizing: Always try to use your own words, except for technical terms. Do not try to paraphrase specialized vocabulary or technical terms. Include enough support and detail so that the presentation is clear. Include n

2、othing more than what is contained in the original. (Do not include your own comments or evaluation.) Make sure the summary/paraphrased version reads smoothly. Use enough transition devices and supporting detail. You don not want a collection of sentences that do not flow.,4.1 Paraphrase - Write it

3、in Your Own Words,A paraphrase is. your own rendition of essential information and ideas expressed by someone else, presented in a new form. one legitimate way (when accompanied by accurate documentation) to borrow from a source. a more detailed restatement than a summary, which focuses concisely on

4、 a single main idea. Paraphrasing is a valuable skill because. it is better than quoting information from an undistinguished passage. it helps you control the temptation to quote too much. the mental process required for successful paraphrasing helps you to grasp the full meaning of the original.,6

5、Steps to Effective Paraphrasing,1. Reread the original passage until you understand its full meaning. 2. Set the original aside, and write your paraphrase on a note card. 3. Jot down a few words below your paraphrase to remind you later how you envision using this material. At the top of the note ca

6、rd, write a key word or phrase to indicate the subject of your paraphrase. 4. Check your rendition with the original to make sure that your version accurately expresses all the essential information in a new form. 5. Use quotation marks to identify any unique term or phraseology you have borrowed ex

7、actly from the source. 6. Record the source (including the page) on your note card so that you can credit it easily if you decide to incorporate the material into your paper. (For basic skills, see Page 25),Some examples to compare,1. The original passage: Students frequently overuse direct quotatio

8、n in taking notes, and as a result they overuse quotations in the final research paper. Probably only about 10% of your final manuscript should appear as directly quoted matter. Therefore, you should strive to limit the amount of exact transcribing of source materials while taking notes. Lester, Jam

9、es D. Writing Research Papers. 2nd ed. (1976): 46-47.,A plagiarized version:,Students often use too many direct quotations when they take notes, resulting in too many of them in the final research paper. In fact, probably only about 10% of the final copy should consist of directly quoted material. S

10、o it is important to limit the amount of source material copied while taking notes.,A legitimate paraphrase:,In research papers students often quote excessively, failing to keep quoted material down to a desirable level. Since the problem usually originates during note taking, it is essential to min

11、imize the material recorded verbatim (Lester 46-47).,An acceptable summary:,Students should take just a few notes in direct quotation from sources to help minimize the amount of quoted material in a research paper (Lester 46-47).,2. Original Text Of the more than 1000 bicycling deaths each year, thr

12、ee-fourths are caused by head injuries. Half of those killed are school-age children. One study concluded that wearing a bike helmet can reduce the risk of head injury by 85 percent. In an accident, a bike helmet absorbs the shock and cushions the head. (53 words),Paraphrased Text The use of a helme

13、t is the key to reducing bicycling fatalities, which are due to head injuries 75% of the time. By cushioning the head upon impact, a helmet can reduce accidental injury by as much as 85%, saving the lives of hundreds of victims annually, half of whom are school children. (48 words) (For more example

14、s and exercises, see Page 26),4.2 Summarizing,4.2.1 Three Principal requirements for a good summary: 1. It should offer a balanced coverage of the original. 2. It should present the source material in a neutral fashion. 3. It should condense the source material and be presented in your own words.,(A

15、 better but more difficult strategy for summary writing would be to carefully consider the elements you consider important, put the original away, and write down what you have understood. This may allow you to condense the ideas in the source even further.),4.2.2 Steps in Writing a Summary,All the g

16、uidelines provided for paraphrasing also apply for summarizing. Here are some preliminary steps in writing a summary: 1). Skim the text, noting in your mind the subheadings. If there are no subheadings, try to divide the text into sections. Try to determine what type of text you are dealing with. Th

17、is can help you identify important information. 2). Read the text, highlighting important information or taking notes. 3). In your own words, write down the main points of each section. Try to write a one-sentence summary of each section. 4). Write down the key support points for the main topic, but

18、 do not include minor detail. 5). Go through the process again, making changes as appropriate. (For more advice, please see Page 27),Example: See Page 30, Practice 15Task one:Read this passage and underline the information you think is significant and should be included in a summary.,Task Two: Now t

19、ake a look at some attempts at summarizing some of the details in the third paragraph. Which summary provides the right amount of detail?,4.2.3 Language Foci in Summary Writing,4.2.3.1 The first Sentence in a Summary For instructions, see Page 27 For practices, see Page 30-31, Practice 17,Extra Prac

20、tice: Here are some introductory statements that students wrote for a summary for the “Nile” passage in Practice 15. Which, if any, would you prefer to have written? Why? Edit the weaker sentences.,1. Author Steven Goodman in “Transformation of the Nile River Basin” states that how the region has ch

21、anged as a result of continuous irrigation. 2. “Transformation of the Nile River Basin” by Steven Goodman claims that changes in irrigation have led to an increase in population. 3. According to “Transformation of the Nile River Basin” , Steven Goodman suggests that the Nile River basin has been cha

22、nged. 4. Goodman in “Transformation of the Nile River Basin” mentions that irrigation has had an impact on the enviroment and the population. 5. In Goodmans “Transformation of the Nile River Basin” , the Nile River basin has been transformed by the introduction of perennial irrigation.,4.2.3.2 Summa

23、ry Reminder Phrase For instructions, see Page 29.,Practice: Here are some summary reminder sentences written by our students. Which, if any, would you prefer to have written? Try to improve the weaker sentences. 1. Harmon finally says people are making a big fuss over the nuclear waste problem. 2. I

24、n addition, the article also discusses about the dangers of current disposal methods. 3. In Saleskas article, he also points out that low-level radioactive waste can be harmful. 4. Harmon concludes that current regulations need to be reexamined. 5. Saleska concludes about the current changes in regu

25、lations.,4.2.3.3 Nominal that-clauses In formal academic English, many reporting verbs are followed by a that-clause containing both a subject and a verb. See Practice 17 again. Can you decide which verbs in the table are not followed by that?,4.2.3.4 Comparative Summaries In a comparative summary, you need t