In 3–5 sentences, answer the following questions. 

1. What information should a summary include? (Include at least three characteristics of a good summary in your response.)

2. Identify one thing that a summary should not include, and explain why.

(4 points

1 answer

  1. A good summary should include the main ideas or key points of the original content, a concise representation of the author's purpose or argument, and it should be significantly shorter than the source material. It should also be written in the summarizer's own words to ensure clarity and understanding. A clear and objective tone is essential as well, avoiding personal interpretations or judgments.

  2. A summary should not include personal opinions or interpretations, as it is meant to distill the original content objectively. Including personal views can bias the summary and misrepresent the author's intent, leading to confusion or misunderstanding for the reader. The goal of a summary is to accurately reflect the source material rather than to express the summarizer's thoughts.