Summar writing skills

2. In summary writing, you are asked to condense
a selected area of text by:
reproducing facts and ideas required by the
question,
using your own words as far as possible,
keeping within the word limit specified by the
question,
in a well-constructed continuous paragraph.

3. When marking the summary, the examiners
will look at 2 categories for a total of 15 marks :
Content (8 marks)
-The key points you were asked to select from
the passage
Style (7 marks)
-The accuracy and quality of your writing
-The extent to which you are able to use your
own words

4. Content
Here's 3 simple steps to identifying the
content points from the passage.
Step 1
Read the question and pick out the key
instruction words.

5. The sweet potato plant has many nutritional
benefits. Using your own words as far as possible,
summarise the uses and nutritional benefits of the
different parts of the sweet potato plant as
discussed in the passage.
Use only information from paragraphs 4 to 6.
Your summary should be in continuous writing,
and should not be longer than 80 words ( not
including the words in italics below) [15]

6.  So in short, the question requires you to
identify 3 key areas:
 The different parts of the sweet potato plant.
 The uses of these different parts.
 The nutritional benefits of these different
parts.

7.  Step 2
 Mark out clearly the area of text to be
summarised from the passage.
 Use only information from paragraphs 4 to
6.

8.  Step 3
 Pick out the content points.
 Avoid the distractors and elaboration points.
 Never lose sight of what the question wants!

9.  Distractors: phrases or sentences which are
irrelevant to what the question wants.
 Elaboration points: phrases or sentences
which do not form points in themselves, but
give extra information as examples or
explanations.

10.  Remember that there will be more points
available than the number you need to score
full marks for content (8 marks).
 Therefore, it is possible to score full marks
for content!
 Lets start obtaining the points from
Paragraph 4.

11.  The sweet potato is superior in nutritional value to
most other root crops. Its vitamin content is
comparable to most fruit and vegetables as well. It is a
rich source of beta-carotene, thiamin, Vitamins C and
E as well as anti-oxidants. Anti-oxidants help in the
prevention of heart diseases and certain types of
cancer. They can also increase the body’s ability to
detoxify pollutants and counteract the effects of
ageing. Furthermore, sweet potatoes contain
insoluble and soluble dietary fibre. Soluble fibre helps
to bring down blood cholesterol levels while insoluble
fibres prevents constipation.

12.  Keep in mind what are the3key areas you
should focus on when gathering points :
 The different parts of the sweet potato plant.
 The uses of these different parts.
 The nutritional benefits of these different
parts.

13. Criteria Points
Different parts Root/Flesh
Uses / benefits Benefits High vitamin and mineral content.
High in anti-oxidants to prevent heart diseases
and cancers, keep the body healthy and
youthful.
Contains insoluble and soluble dietary fibre to
prevent constipation and high blood cholesterol
levels.

14.  Presently, research is being carried out to
produce more innovative food products using
the sweet potato. In Japan, a dark-purple
hued sweet potato variety known as
‘Ayamurasaki’ is used to make purple flour as
well as natural food coloring. As the
nutritional composition of the sweet potato is
similar to certain fruits, it is possible to make
jams, juices and can it in syrup.

15. Criteria Points
Different parts Root/Flesh
Uses / Benefits Uses Purple colour from the flesh [its purple flesh]
used to make purple flour and natural food
colouring.
Uses The sugary flesh can be used to make syrups,
jams and juices.

16.  Even the leaves and shoots of the sweet potato
are useful.They are a rich source of polyphenols
– powerful anti-oxidants that prevent cancer. In
several South-east Asian countries, sweet potato
shoots are cooked and eaten as a vegetable.
Japanese scientists are currently experimenting
with the use of the leaf or vine in the production
of sweet potato green tea, bread or cakes and
green sweet potato noodles while keep the anti-
oxidative properties intact.

17. Criteria Points
Different parts Leaves and shoots
Uses / Benefits Benefits Rich source of cancer-preventing anti-oxidants.
Uses Shoots can be cooked and eaten as food in
[many South-east Asian countries.]
Possible to use the leaves and vines in everyday /
common food products. / tea or staple foods.

18. 1. The root has high vitamin and mineral content.
2. High in anti-oxidants to prevent heart diseases and
cancers (terminal diseases?)
3. Keep the body detoxed and youthful.
4. Contains insoluble and soluble dietary fibre
5. Prevent constipation
6. and lowers blood cholesterol levels
7. Purple colour from the flesh [The purple flesh] is used to make
purple flour
8. and natural food colouring.
9. The sugary flesh can be used to make syrups, jams and juices.
10. The leaves and shoots are a rich source of cancer- preventing
anti-oxidants.
11. Shoots can be cooked and eaten as food.
12. Possible to use the leaves and vines in everyday / common food
products. / tea or staple foods.

19. You have learned a lot about the assessment of
content, and have developed some strategies to
ensure you locate and identify as many content
points as possible.
Now, let's look at style.There are 7 marks
allocated to the style in which your summary is
written.

20.  The examiners judge the style of your
summary writing under 2 categories:
 1. Use of own words
2. Use of English
 The next slide shows a modified set of rubrics
in which style is graded.

21. Grade Descriptor
Perfect Re-phrasing of language is very successful; excellent ability to use your own
words. No lifting from passage. Accurate and correct language.
Above average Tries to re-phrase the passage and is generally successfully. Lifting of text is
limited to one or two sentences. Language is mostly accurate with few
errors.
Pass Tries to re-phrase the passage but not often successful. Lifts from text often,
trying to inject own words into lifted sentences.Tries to substitute words but
not always correct. Language is quite accurate but present more errors.
Below average A lot of copying from the text is done but it is not a complete copy. Lifting is
very common. Single words are substituted rather than phrases or group of
words. Serious errors are frequent. May add in irrelevant information not
required by the question.
Fail Copies totally from the text without any focus on the question. Lots of
serious errors when attempting to write in own words; random addition of
information that is not required by the question.

22.  Golden rule:The more you manage to avoid the
original wording (without losing the original
meaning), the higher your mark for own words
will be.
 However, this does not mean you have to
substitute all the words in the passage.You just
need to use your own words as far as possible!

23. This can be classified under 3 sections:
1. Mechanical accuracy
2. Sentence structure
3. Organisation and linking

24. 1. Mechanical Accuracy
The ability to write without making errors of
grammar, spelling or punctuation.

25. 2. Sentence structure
The ability to write in sentences and to vary
their types by using:
Conjunctions, eg. and, but, since, when
Present participles, ie. the part of the verb
ending in -ing
Relative pronouns, ie. who, whose, whom,
which, that

26. 3. Organisation and linking
The ability to organise and link your content points
by:
Combining points
Taking a point in a later stage of the text and
linking it to one made earlier
Using linking devices
-To indicate a change of direction, eg. however,
although, nevertheless
-To indicate a continuation of ideas, eg. in
addition, also, furthermore

27.  Refer to all the points we have surfaced earlier from
the passage.
 Remember that you should use your own words as far
as possible, check your mechanical accuracy, and have
varied sentence structure.
 You may want to classify these points into the 3 key
areas required by the question, so as to have better
organisation and linking for your summary.
 For now, do not worry about the word limit.

28.  Learning Points
 Let's review the summary writing skills we have
learned together!

Summary Question
 Read the question properly.
 Pick out the key instruction words.
 Check the area of text to be summarised.
 Keep to the word limit laid down for the
summary.
 Use the opening words provided in the question.

29.  Content
 Locate and identify at least 12 content points.
 Avoid the distractors and elaboration points.

Style
 Organise your content points according to key
areas required by the question.
 Use your words as far as possible.
 Use a variety of sentence structures.
 Use linking devices.
 Check that your summary does not have
grammar, spelling or punctuation errors.
Adapted from http://summary-writing.tripod.com/index.htm for the new syllabus