Introduction to Academic Writing

58 Part 1 I The Paragraph A summary, then, is a short retelling in your own words. In this section, you will learn how to do it in writing. First, reread the model paragraph from page 38, \"A Hawaiian Wedding.\" Then read the summary. Original Paragraph A Hawaiian Wedding The mix of cultures in Hawaii makes weddings there very special occasions. Certainly, Hawaiian clothing, music, and other Hawaiian customs play a big role. For example, the bride often wears a long white holoku (wedding dress), and the groom wears a long-sleeved white shirt and pants with a red sash around his waist. Both the bride and the groom wear leis. The bride's lei is traditionally made of white flowers such as pikake (jasmine), and the groom's is made of green maile leaves. Another Hawaiian custom is the blowing of a conch shell three times to begin the ceremony. Hawaiian music is played both during the ceremony and during the luau afterward. Other customs included in the festivities depend on the ethnic backgrounds of the couple. For instance, there may be noisy firecrackers, a Chinese way of keeping bad spirits away. There may be a display of Japanese origami, or there may be a pandango, a Filipino custom. During a pandango, the wedding guests tape money together and wrap it around the couple during their first dance together as husband and wife. All in all, a Hawaiian wedding is truly a magical, multicultural event. (194 words) Summary Weddings in Hawaii combine customs from many cultures. Hawaiian customs may include the clothing worn by the couple, the flowers, the music, and the type of party after the ceremony. Chinese, Japanese, and Filipino customs may also play a part depending on the ethnicity1 of the bride and groom. (49 words) Notice that the summary gives the two main points - ( 1 ) Hawaiian customs and (2) customs of other ethnic groups- but no details. The summary does not describe the clothing, tell what kind of flowers, or talk about pandango, origami, or firecrackers. As you can see, the summary (49 words) is much shorter than the original ( 1 94 words). When you write a summary, write the important ideas in as few words as possible. There are three keys to writing a summary: 1 . Include only main points; leave out details. 2. Use your own words. Do not copy sentences from the original . 3 . Do not add any ideas that are not in the original. 1cthnicity: race or national group