Writing Summaries for the WPE
Many WPE topics ask students to read and summarize an essay or article.
A summary is a condensed statement conveying the main points of a longer
work; ideally, a summary should restate the essence of the original
in as few words as possible. Do not quote heavily from the article or
essay that you are summarizing. Use your own words to show that you
understand what you have read.
Tips for summarizing:
Circle key words or ideas in the original version.
Pay attention to topic sentences--the first and last sentences of
the paragraph often suggest the main ideas of the essay.
Focus on the most important parts and eliminate less important
material.
Use as few words as possible--your own words.
Get to the main points quickly.
The following paragraph is a possible summary for a sample WPE reading passage. Read the sample
passage before you read the sample summary below.
The article, "Is the Fault in our Planes or in Ourselves,"
discusses the uncomfortable nature of airplane travel. To paraphrase its
thesis, the majority of air passengers are fed up with the crowded
condition of air travel, with passenger rudeness, and with the rudeness of
flying attendants, etc. However, Jeff MacGregor attributes the
passengers' disappointment to their own misconception of air travel; he
argues that passengers who expect perfection will ultimately be let down
since perfection is nearly impossible to achieve.