Summary is a natural place to start any writing activity that involves reading other texts. Summary is often used as a prewriting step to clarify the author’s actual message and purpose. Often this involves active reading, highlighting passages, annotating in the margins, and rereading. It’s very difficult to use someone else’s words and ideas when you aren’t certain what is really going on in the text.
For this assignment, you are asked to compose an effective summary of the Frederick Douglass essay, “Escape from Slavery.” To help you compose an effective summary, please review the linked document “How to Write a Summary.” Also, be sure to refer to the active reading strategies you reviewed and practiced in Module 1.
Concepts to keep in mind when writing a successful summary:
Summary Definition A summary provides a concisely expressed explanation of the selection’s content: what the author’s main points are, what particular methods the author uses, etc. Your focus in summary writing is always on the primary and main supporting points rather than on the details of the text.
The text is objective: This means you should not editorialize or evaluate the text either by reading between the lines or judging the article as “masterful” or “insulting,” etc.
The text is in third person: For a brief summary like this, there is no reason for any “I statements,” such as “I think he’s saying¦” or “I believe¦” etc.
The author is the subject in most, if not all, sentences. Remember: people, not articles, write, so avoid phrases such as “The article is saying¦” Instead, start most sentences with subject/verb like this: “Heywood argues¦,” “The author claims¦,” “She supports her assertion with¦” etc.
Requirements:
The summary is a minimum of 10 sentences long (maximum length is two pages), not counting the title and reference pages, which you must include.
You have maintained objectivity and refrained from passing judgment.
The author, designated by last name only, is included throughout the summary.
The first sentence includes the title of the article and the author’s name.
The text has been proofread for coherence, readability, and grammar errors.
Your paper, including direct quotes, must be formatted according to APA format, using the CSU Global Writing Center.(Links to an external site.)
Link: “My Escape from Slavery” – http://timtrask.com/amliti/escape.pdf
