English 116    Spring 2016

Summary #3: Integrated Summary

Due: y, April 29^th

 

What

In an integrated summary, the writer summarizes what several sources say about a particular topic.  The goal is to present an overall “picture” of the topic based on what the sources say.  As with any summary, the writer does not include his or her opinion; it is the writer’s job only to provide his or her reader with a description of the topic.

 

This sort of summarizing resembles an important aspect of research writing.  A writer uses multiple sources in a research paper; moreover, for any given topic or sub-topic of the paper, the writer usually uses more than one source because relying on only one source creates the danger of an incomplete or biased discussion/description of the topic.  This is an extremely important skill (one which you will continue to learn about, if you are an undergraduate student, in 117 and/or 118).

 

Assignment

For Summary #3, the topic is the process of successful group decision-making, including any steps or components in the process and the problems that can occur. In other words: According to the sources, how can a group of people make good decisions, and what are the barriers and pitfalls a group may face? Of course, this discussion will include the reasons for the various components that are advocated. There will be six articles to read for this assignment.

 

Your assignment is to write an integrated summary using four (or more) of these texts to describe the steps/components and potential problems in the process of successful group decision-making.  It will probably be close to (but not more than) three pages long.

 

Requirements

1. Typed, double-spaced
2. 1-inch margins, top and bottom, left and right
3. 12-point Times New Roman font

(This means that a page of text should contain 21 to 23 lines.)

4. If it is longer than one page, the pages must be stapled.
5. Length: 2-3 pages (this means 42-69 lines of text)
6. References page (in addition to the other 2-3 pages)

 

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

1. You must submit both a hard copy (on paper) and an electronic copy

     (attachment via email with the correct name for your document). Both are due April 29th.

     No late submissions will be accepted.

2. No revisions will be permitted.
3. As stated in the course description, you must not receive assistance on your

     written work from anyone except your instructor or from classmates during peer

     reviews.  This includes editing for grammar and vocabulary. Receiving such

     assistance is grounds for failure of the assignment and/or the course for both the

     one receiving help and the one giving it.  Do not even let anyone else read your summary.

 

 

How

1. Beginning

Because there are several sources, this summary will begin with an introduction by you that establishes the topic. Thus, the beginning will be much different from those of the other two summary assignments and more like the introduction to an essay. Typically, the particular sources will not even be mentioned in the introduction.  The last sentence of the intro should be your thesis statement.

 

2. Attribution

Once you begin summarizing information from the sources, you will use only the last names of the authors.  Obviously, because there are multiple sources, attribution is essential.  You will also make a references list, which we will discuss next week.

 

3. Organizing the integrated summary

Such a summary typically involves a topic which consists of different parts or steps—a process, for example.  This means that the summary must be organized according to its topic; the summary must not summarize the sources one by one.  In other words, the sources are integrated in the summary.  Thus, two or more of the sources must be included in the discussion of any subtopic (whether it is a step or a problem).

 

4. Identifying relevant information

Good note-taking is critical for writing a successful integrated summary. Your task as a reader is to determine the steps or components (and reasons for them) in each source and then to determine whether they are the same across the sources (they may not be)—this may involve realizing that different names or terms are used for the same step or idea. You will also need to determine whether the sources identify common problems that arise in group decision-making. Such problems often motivate a source’s argument for the necessity of a step or steps and thus are essential information to be included. Therefore, your notes will need to include both names of components and problems and the descriptions and explanations of these; in this way, you will be able to determine where sources are saying the same thing and where they differ.

It is inevitable that the sources do not agree completely or include exactly the same information or ideas. Thus, your summary will also need to include any important variations (e.g., are there 4 or 5 components; a problem may vary depending on the type of group, etc.).

 

5. “Process” as it is meant here

Often, the word “process” refers to a set of steps that are taken to achieve a goal in a prescribed order: first, one must do X; 2^nd, one must do Y; after X and Y have been completed, a person must do Z; and so on. However, the term “process” is being used more loosely here; that is, there may or may not be a clear order of steps but rather, there may be a variety of steps or components that the sources advocate taking while not necessarily addressing the order in which they should be taken. Since this assignment is a summary—a re-presentation of what the sources say that does not include your own opinion or ideas—you must not impose an order if none of the sources present one or if none of them stress the importance of one step preceding another.  On the other hand, you might detect an order or be able to piece one together by combining the sources. The point here is that you will want to consider the question of a steps sequence as you read carefully.

 

Note: You will receive a handout with more details on the topic of “How” next week, including related to references. 

English 116    Spring 2016

Summary #3: Integrated Summary

Due: y, April 29^th

 

What

In an integrated summary, the writer summarizes what several sources say about a particular topic.  The goal is to present an overall “picture” of the topic based on what the sources say.  As with any summary, the writer does not include his or her opinion; it is the writer’s job only to provide his or her reader with a description of the topic.

 

This sort of summarizing resembles an important aspect of research writing.  A writer uses multiple sources in a research paper; moreover, for any given topic or sub-topic of the paper, the writer usually uses more than one source because relying on only one source creates the danger of an incomplete or biased discussion/description of the topic.  This is an extremely important skill (one which you will continue to learn about, if you are an undergraduate student, in 117 and/or 118).

 

Assignment

For Summary #3, the topic is the process of successful group decision-making, including any steps or components in the process and the problems that can occur. In other words: According to the sources, how can a group of people make good decisions, and what are the barriers and pitfalls a group may face? Of course, this discussion will include the reasons for the various components that are advocated. There will be six articles to read for this assignment.

 

Your assignment is to write an integrated summary using four (or more) of these texts to describe the steps/components and potential problems in the process of successful group decision-making.  It will probably be close to (but not more than) three pages long.

 

Requirements

1. Typed, double-spaced
2. 1-inch margins, top and bottom, left and right
3. 12-point Times New Roman font

(This means that a page of text should contain 21 to 23 lines.)

4. If it is longer than one page, the pages must be stapled.
5. Length: 2-3 pages (this means 42-69 lines of text)
6. References page (in addition to the other 2-3 pages)

 

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

1. You must submit both a hard copy (on paper) and an electronic copy

     (attachment via email with the correct name for your document). Both are due April 29th.

     No late submissions will be accepted.

2. No revisions will be permitted.
3. As stated in the course description, you must not receive assistance on your

     written work from anyone except your instructor or from classmates during peer

     reviews.  This includes editing for grammar and vocabulary. Receiving such

     assistance is grounds for failure of the assignment and/or the course for both the

     one receiving help and the one giving it.  Do not even let anyone else read your summary.

 

 

How

1. Beginning

Because there are several sources, this summary will begin with an introduction by you that establishes the topic. Thus, the beginning will be much different from those of the other two summary assignments and more like the introduction to an essay. Typically, the particular sources will not even be mentioned in the introduction.  The last sentence of the intro should be your thesis statement.

 

2. Attribution

Once you begin summarizing information from the sources, you will use only the last names of the authors.  Obviously, because there are multiple sources, attribution is essential.  You will also make a references list, which we will discuss next week.

 

3. Organizing the integrated summary

Such a summary typically involves a topic which consists of different parts or steps—a process, for example.  This means that the summary must be organized according to its topic; the summary must not summarize the sources one by one.  In other words, the sources are integrated in the summary.  Thus, two or more of the sources must be included in the discussion of any subtopic (whether it is a step or a problem).

 

4. Identifying relevant information

Good note-taking is critical for writing a successful integrated summary. Your task as a reader is to determine the steps or components (and reasons for them) in each source and then to determine whether they are the same across the sources (they may not be)—this may involve realizing that different names or terms are used for the same step or idea. You will also need to determine whether the sources identify common problems that arise in group decision-making. Such problems often motivate a source’s argument for the necessity of a step or steps and thus are essential information to be included. Therefore, your notes will need to include both names of components and problems and the descriptions and explanations of these; in this way, you will be able to determine where sources are saying the same thing and where they differ.

It is inevitable that the sources do not agree completely or include exactly the same information or ideas. Thus, your summary will also need to include any important variations (e.g., are there 4 or 5 components; a problem may vary depending on the type of group, etc.).

 

5. “Process” as it is meant here

Often, the word “process” refers to a set of steps that are taken to achieve a goal in a prescribed order: first, one must do X; 2^nd, one must do Y; after X and Y have been completed, a person must do Z; and so on. However, the term “process” is being used more loosely here; that is, there may or may not be a clear order of steps but rather, there may be a variety of steps or components that the sources advocate taking while not necessarily addressing the order in which they should be taken. Since this assignment is a summary—a re-presentation of what the sources say that does not include your own opinion or ideas—you must not impose an order if none of the sources present one or if none of them stress the importance of one step preceding another.  On the other hand, you might detect an order or be able to piece one together by combining the sources. The point here is that you will want to consider the question of a steps sequence as you read carefully.

 

Note: You will receive a handout with more details on the topic of “How” next week, including related to references.