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summaries instructions



Definition of a Summary
According to the Webster's Dictionary, a summary:
1. constitutes or contains a summing up of points
2. covers the main points concisely.


Why Summarize?
Summarizing is an activity that forces one to study a piece of writing closely in order to grasp its essential proposition or argument. It asks you to dissect a piece of writing in order to:
  • learn about an issue solely from the writer's point of view
  • identify the main elements of the writer's argument or proposition
  • understand how the writer structures his/her argument
  • extract the important concepts, terms, and ideas embedded within it

The readings selected for COA 1060 represent a broad range of issues and writing styles. Writing weekly summaries will not only help you read and write better (and faster), but will sharpen your critical thinking skills as well. For 1060, these weekly summaries will also help you prepare for the Final Exam.

You will find that you are called upon to summarize more often than you think. Many of your writing assignments in college courses, as well as the design or project presentations during studio reviews, will require you to summarize. You will find yourself having to summarize arguments – your own and others' – and then evaluating their respective merits.

Think of summarizing as a useful technique that will stand you in good stead as you learn to tackle and use various opinions in order to enhance your own argumentation and critical skills. The ability to summarize well will set you apart from others as you advance in your academic career.


Summary Template for 1060
For the first few summary writing assignments we would like all of you to follow the template given below. This template should serve as both a scaffold and as a checklist: it tells you what to look for and how to organize what you find.

A few weeks into the semester you may feel you have gotten the hang of it. At that point you may wish to flesh out the structure and sequence that the template lays out to produce more fluid writing.

The 4-point template below outlines a structure and a sequence for your summary. In addition it suggests a set of phrases in red that may help you keep the writing simple, clean, and straightforward.

1. What broad issue, general topic or debate does the author take on or contribute to by writing this article? In this article, the author takes on/focuses on. . .

2. How does the author structure his/her discussion or argument (the primary mechanism or device that organizes the argument and the article)? She does this by reviewing/contrasting/opposing/pairing. . .

3. What is the sequence through which the author plays out her argument, from the opening shot of the argument to its conclusion/resolution? She begins by/first she . . . Next she. . . She ends with. . .

4. What are some of the important terms, concepts, and constructs that the author introduces and deploys in the article? Some of the important terms etc. are. . . (list and define them)


Essential Writing Tips
  • Active voice, present tense. Read it out loud; simple and clear sentences sound right!
  • Make sure that each new paragraph begins on a new line. There should be an empty line between each paragraph for visual clarity.
  • Paragraphs need to be coherent. Sentences should relate to each other.
  • Avoid plagiarism. Look at the plagiarism & citation guidelines page on plagiarism.
  • Post your summaries before the due date.

Additional Resources

Grading Criteria
Both the quality of the summarizing and of the writing will be taken into consideration when grading summaries. If you follow the template, using it both as a scaffold and as a checklist, you should be fine.

Each summary will be assigned a grade, from 0 to 4. (1=D; 2=C; 3=B; 4=A)
  • 0: Summary not turned in.
  • 1: Summary not turned in on time but posted within 24 hours of time due.
  • 2: Sloppy writing and sloppy summarizing. Does not follow the template structure or does so carelessly. Does not address adequately three or more parts of the template. Writing is sloppy: spelling errors, misquotes, disconnected sentences, etc.
  • 3: Follows the template but does not address adequately all 4 parts (misses the main point, does not play back the sequence, does not identify important terms, etc.). Writing is adequate.
  • 4: Follows the template and covers all 4 parts well. Writing is coherent and grammatically correct.

Late submissions will not be accepted.

If you get a "2", your GTA may ask you to either rewrite the summary or may direct you well-written summaries. The responsibility to improve your grade is yours. Continued 2s will effect your overall summaries grade.

Your grades will be posted on the COA 1060 Course Folder in the GRADES folder. Each GTA has an Excel spreadsheet in the GRADES folder containing your summary grades according to your GTE#. Go to http://cool.coa.gatech.edu/cooldaze/810

You will write numerous summaries this fall. While each one is important, it is especially important that you show consistent progress over the course of the semester.

REMEMBER!
Careless writing will be penalized. Get into the habit of proof-reading each essay or summary. Read it out loud; use spell-check. We strongly suggest that you compose your essay or summary in Microsoft Word before copying and pasting it into your Reading Summaries Page.

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