Class Notes: Summarizing and Paraphrasing “How to Write with Style”

Photo:Kurt Vonnegut in 1972 from the author’s Wikipedia page

In today’s class today we discussed and practiced paraphrasing (working line by line through Vonnegut’s sub-titles) and summarizing (condensing the whole essay into one paragraph.  Please remember the following points that came up in our discussing:

1. A summary rewords and condenses; a paraphrase rewords but does not aim to shorten the original text.
2. Avoid “you” in all paraphrases and summaries.
3. Keep summaries and paraphrases in present tense.
4. Remember to add the author’s concluding idea in the summary.

See also the previous post with the handout on summarizing.  Here are the paraphrases the class made of Kurt Vonnegut’s main points.  In class, when summarizing, we changed the “second person” voice to third person:

1. Pick a topic that you’re interested in.
2. Make sure your writing is not lengthy or inconsequential
3. You don’t have to use big words to get your point across; don’t be too complicated; get straight to the point
4. Avoid sentences that do not correlate to the subject.
5. Be original; find your voice; be yourself.
6. Write in a way that communicates your ideas clearly to your audience.
7. Keep the audience interested.
8. Consult a text on writing when necessary