Notes: Summary vs. Analysis

Last updated over 5 years ago

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If you are summarizing, you are...
paraphrasing what the text says
re-telling the story
using words like first, then, next
giving information that can be found just by reading the text
expressing someone else's ideas
giving correct citations

Here are some ways to begin sentences that summarize an academic argument.

If you are analyzing, you are...
discussing what the text does or means
using specific details to talk about how the text works
thinking about how the big picture and the details work together
using words like suggests, implies, reveals
expressing your own ideas
giving information that you had to think about, information can't be found just by reading the text's words

Stuck? Try using these templates to help you.

To analyze the importance or significance of a quotation, try starting sentences this way:
· This reveals that…
· This demonstrates….
· This highlights…
· This illustrates…
· It is important to notice/remember that…
· This is interesting/fascinating/disturbing/unexpected/other adjective because….
· The point of this event/conversation is to…

To analyze a character’s decisions or conflicts, try starting sentences this way:
(Replace the words the character with a name)
· The character says this because…
· The character makes this decision because…
· The character chooses to do this because…
· Because of this event, the character must…
· At this point in the story, the character realizes that…
· Because the character makes this choice, he/she…
· The character has a choice between ___ and ___; the choice he/she makes reveals…
· At this point, the major conflict is between __ and __, which suggests that…

To analyze the way a quotation or text uses language, try starting sentences this way:
· The repetition of [a word, symbol, or image] suggests that…
· The language of this passage highlights…
· At this point in the story, _____ symbolizes…
· This language is startling/vivid/effective/other adjective because…
· When the text says “___,” the reader understands that…
· The word “__” in the previous quotation suggests that….

To analyze what the author or the whole text is doing, try starting sentences this way:
(Replace the words the author with a name and the words the text with a title)
· At this point in the text, the author highlights/emphasizes/suggests…
· The author/the text wants the reader to understand that…
· The author’s/the text’s use of ___ is revealing because…
· The author/the text uses this incident to show…
· At this point in the text, the author’s argument is…
· The author’s/the text’s point is…