Summary analysis

Summary analysis
Reid (1994) describes the main characteristics of a summary. The author claims that the general purpose of a summary is to give a limited amount of information to a specific audience.
However, summary writing is not an easy task. In order to write an accurate summary, you not only have to extract the main ideas but you also have to be capable of expressing these main ideas, trying to avoid repeating the exact phrases of the original material. Moreover, good summaries are clear and balanced. That is to say, the reader should not find difficulties in understanding the main ideas of the material.
According to Pintos (2008), the above summary partially fulfils the requirements needed. The introductory phrase “[i]n her book (. . .) Reid (1994) describes the main characteristics of a summary” (as cited in Pintos, 2008, p.20), contains the two essentials required: the source and the main idea. However, a supporting sentence, which underscores the general purpose of the summary, is not properly developed. Although summary writing seems a challenging task, the use of appropriate connectors will direct the reader to the understanding of the main idea developed in the body of the summary. Moreover, these linking devices balance and clarify the information provided. That is to say, if the above mentioned data is well- balanced, accurate and clear, the reader will not face any difficulty in understanding the core of this summary. Academic writing implies the use and understanding of certain specific formal elements.
Pintos (2008), comments that by analyzing grammatical and discourse competences, as well as by constructing knowledge, learners will be able to become members of a discourse community. However, this will be accomplished by reading and writing texts that promote advanced literacy. To be precise, being a writer at academic level implies becoming proficient in language use and developing reading and writing skills.



Reference

Pintos, V. (2008) Unit 3: Academic Writing. Universidad CAECE: Buenos Aires, Argentina. Retrieved August, 2009 from
http://caece.campus universidad.com.ar/mod/resource/view.php?id=273