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1. |
Keep your primary objective in
mind; reproduce faithfully the main ideas of a longer document,
skipping the details.
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2. |
Be accurate and brief: Condense
paragraphs to sentences, sentences to phrases, and skip sections
that you judge redundant or unnecessary. (Don't, however, reduce
the piece to an outline that only you can understand.)
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3. |
Write in your own clearest style.
A summary is about information: It is more important to be clear
than to be true to the style of the original document.
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4. |
Follow the organizational pattern
of the original: If the original has subheadings or numbered
points, use them as guides of writing your condensation.
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5. |
Maintain the tone of the original
as best you can. If the source is witty, be witty. If the source
is formal, be formal. |
