As you probably know from other lessons and courses, a summary focuses only on the main idea or ideas in a passage or article. Summaries provided within a research report are usually very short--between one and three sentences--unless the source is especially long and all of its main ideas relate to the research topic.
Summaries can serve as direct support for a claim, but summarizing is more often used to provide some context for a researcher's use of a source's ideas. Readers of a research report are more likely to understand why the writer included certain information from a source if the source's overall purpose or message is also made clear.
See if you can identify some examples of summary. Use your knowledge of summarizing to answer the questions below.
Which answer best summarizes the first paragraph?
- Many cats contain a parasite that can harm a fetus if a pregnant woman is exposed to it. Scientists have long believed that the parasite is not harmful to humans once they can live outside the mother.
- Many cats contain the parasite Toxoplasma gondii, which can harm a fetus but was believed to not harm children and adults.
A summary includes all of the main ideas in a passage, but not specific details.
A summary includes all of the main ideas in a passage, but not specific details.
Which answer provides the best summary of the entire passage?
- Many cats are infected with a parasite, Toxoplasma gondii, that can harm a fetus but has generally been believed to be harmless to children and adults. However, recent studies show that the parasite can affect mice's behavior and may affect the behavior of people as well, making men more introverted, suspicious, and risk-taking, and making women more extroverted, trusting, and rule-following.
- Many cats carry a dangerous parasite that can affect people's brains and personalities. Scientists used to believe that only fetuses were at risk, but have learned recently that the virus can harm children and adults as well.
A summary includes just the main ideas in a passage.
A summary includes just the main ideas in a passage.
Summary
Questions answered correctly:
Questions answered incorrectly:
Many cats are infected with the parasite Toxoplasma gondii, which can cause damage to a fetus if a pregnant woman is exposed through a cat's litterbox or through the soil. Scientists have believed that the parasite is not generally harmful to children or adults.
However, new studies are revealing that the parasite may actually affect people in unexpected ways. It has already been shown that T. gondii can affect mice and cause them to be attracted to the smell of cat urine. Now, researchers believe that the parasite may affect humans' brains and personalities as well. Men infected with the parasite may become more introverted, suspicious, and prone to risk-taking behaviors. Infected women, on the other hand, may become extroverted, trusting, and prone to follow rules.
