PROJECT: SUMMARIZE IT!
The ability to summarize information is a vital component of understanding the information you read in your coursework.
To summarize information:
create a brief statement that explains the meaning of something much longer;
decide what points are crucial to the main idea;
put the information into your own words, i.e., decide how would you say it if you were the author.
OBJECTIVES
Select and read a news article with a geographic theme.
Cross out the information that is not essential to the article's main idea.
Write a summary of the article.
Materials
News article
Pen/pencil and paper or computer
Directions
For this project, select a news article with a geographic theme. As you read the article, think about the organization of the article:
Is there an introduction?
What important details or supporting information does the article provide?
Is there a conclusion to the article?
After reading the article, think of a sentence or two that explains what the article is about.
Read the article again. As you read, cross out the information that is not vital to understanding the article's main idea. Using the information that remains, write a 200-word summary of the article in your own words. Your summary must include:
the title of the article;
where you found the article (online, newspaper, magazine, other);
publication date;
summary of the article's contents.
