4. Why should you summarize?
a) Primary sources are hard to understand without summary.
b) Because summarizing is more effective than paraphrasing.
c) none of these is correct
d) So your paper doesn’t turn into a string of quotations.
If I had to choose one, I'd go for b. However, a and d are also correct.
What does your book say?
Research article in a journal about the impact of climate change is a _____________ resource.
Travel guide book is a _____________ resource.
The correct answer is d) So your paper doesn't turn into a string of quotations.
Summarizing is an essential skill in academic writing for several reasons. Firstly, summarizing helps you avoid simply stringing together a series of quotations in your paper. Instead of relying excessively on direct quotes, summarizing allows you to convey the main ideas or arguments of a source in your own words, demonstrating your understanding of the material.
Secondly, summarizing helps to condense complex information or texts into a more concise form. By selecting the most relevant and important information, you can present a coherent summary that captures the essence of the original source. This is particularly useful when dealing with lengthy texts or when you need to communicate large amounts of information in a more succinct manner.
Thirdly, summarizing facilitates comprehension and analysis. When you summarize a text, you engage with it at a deeper level, processing the information, identifying the main ideas, and discerning the underlying arguments or points being made. By summarizing, you demonstrate your own understanding and interpretation of the material.
While the other options mentioned (a) Primary sources are hard to understand without summary and (b) Because summarizing is more effective than paraphrasing) are not entirely incorrect, they do not capture the main reason why summarizing is important in academic writing.