PROJECT: SUMMARIZE IT The ability to paraphrase or summarize information is a vital component to understanding the information you read in your coursework. There is an important difference between paraphrasing, summarizing, and quoting information from texts.

To summarize information:

Include crucial points.
Create a brief statement explaining the meaning of something much longer.
Use your own words.
Attribute the summary to the original source.
Attribute material to the original author
OBJECTIVES
Select and read a technical text with a geographic theme.
Write a summary of the article.
Materials
Technical texts
Pen/pencil and paper or computer
Directions
For this project, select a technical text with a geographic theme. When looking for technical texts, remember that they will meet the following criteria:

Educate the reader through study and practice.
Include very specific detail.
Examples include: geography textbooks, population-distribution tables, detailed maps on climate change, and a study on deforestation.
Your technical text should be specific and detailed and on a topic of geography for this assignment. If you are having trouble deciding on a topic, consider the themes of the previous lessons to help guide your search.

Writing Process
Step 1: Audience and Purpose

Identify who your audience is and what your purpose is. You want to be specific here, because it will guide you through your writing.

For example, if you have a research study about deforestation, perhaps your goal is to convince other students that this is a topic that relates to them. This means your tone will be more informal, and your points need to appeal to a teenager.

If you intend to appeal to elected officials to change a policy on deforestation in your state, you will need to use a more formal tone and a lot of hard data. Every audience needs you to explain exactly how the topics matters and what you would like them to do. This is often called the call to action. You may want people to vote, recycle, or find out more about the issue.