Effective Summarizing Techniques

Summaries must include the original text's main idea and major supporting details.

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The most effective summaries of written material are often compiled in steps. You must first gain a thorough understanding of the original text before attempting to summarize it. Some people might only need one technique to reach this understanding. But others, especially those who are new to writing summaries, might need to use more than one technique to gain a good understanding of the text and clearly organize their thoughts.

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Skim through the text you are summarizing to get a basic understanding before you do a thorough reading. The introductory paragraph typically contains the thesis, but you might need to read more to get a good grasp of the main idea. Rephrase and write this main idea in a single sentence, keeping it in mind as you continue skimming. Read the conclusion and rephrase your main idea sentence as necessary.

Highlighting and Underlining

After you obtain a good understanding of the main idea, re-read the text, underlining, circling or highlighting any phrases that support the thesis. You also should underline phrases that demonstrate the connection between major points being made. Afterward, re-read all the underlined text to gain a clearer understanding of the information in need of summarizing.

Outlining

Write an outline of the most important information in the text you are summarizing. Refer to your notes and highlights to help you along. If you must re-read the text, jot down the main idea of each paragraph in the margin of the page or on a separate sheet of paper before organizing this information into outline form. Avoid pulling direct quotes from the text for your outline. This will help you avoid plagiarizing the work.

Review and Rewrite

After going through your notes and outlines, write a rough draft of your summary. Review your draft, checking for accuracy and clarity. Your draft must have the same main idea of the original text and mention each of the major supporting points. Your summary must never read the exact same as the original article, however. Your draft must also give credit to the author and the original text. Revise this draft as necessary.

ReferencesColumbia University: Writing Center HandoutsSt. Cloud State University - LEO: Process for Writing a SummaryUniversity of Idaho: How to SummarizePhoto Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty ImagesRead Next:

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The Most Effective Techniques to Encourage Team Members to Contribute to a Project

Supportive environments can encourage participation in a group.

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Organizations form teams to complete specific projects or foster ongoing improvement. The project manager or team leader has the task of managing the group to elicit the best performance from members. Encouraging team members to contribute to a group project requires the leader to use effective motivation techniques.

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A relaxed atmosphere that encourages team members to freely speak and share their ideas is a motivating environment for the group. A productive environment for a team also includes an open discussion of member ideas and decisions based on consensus opinion. Members of the team must not harbor hidden agendas or ulterior motives. The team leader must ensure team meetings are a comfortable environment for all members of the group and stop disparaging comments among teammates.

Preferences

Team leaders can interview each member of a team to determine preferences and skills before the project begins. Understanding these preferences can help the leader assign work to members that best uses their abilities. While it may not always be possible to assign members to tasks that they enjoy, taking the skills and inclinations of the group into consideration can help create a positive team environment.

Work Assignments

The tasks assigned to team members must be clearly defined to encourage participation. Project managers must ensure all members of the group understand the expectations for completing work assignments.

Praise and Feedback

Praise can help encourage team members to participate and complete work assignments on a project. Team leaders must share the praise and success of the project from upper management. Leaders who take all the credit for the success of the team can demotivate the group and discourage future involvement. In addition, team leaders must accept criticism on behalf of the group and refrain from assigning blame.

Support

Supporting the members of a team encourages the group to participate in work assignments and the project. For example, if a member of the team is overwhelmed or experiencing difficulty with project tasks, the leader can provide assistance by assigning another member to help with the workload. Support also can include resources such as data, equipment and experts to help complete work assignments. Providing support creates an encouraging environment for team members.

ReferencesThe Free Library: Building and Managing an Effective Project TeamCVTips: Teamwork: 12 Ways to Motivate Co-Workers to ContributePhoto Credit Jupiterimages/Comstock/Getty ImagesRead Next:

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