Continuing Studies at UVic wordmark

The Hitchhiker: Summarizing the Story

There are two ways to complete this exercise:

  1. Write it on paper and give it to your teacher.
  2. Type it on this page and print it out.

Fill in the boxes below.

Your name:

Your teacher's name:

Today's date:

Your task

Your task is to summarize the story you have read. Include only the most important details of the story, and try to make your summary less than 100 words. Type your summary in the box below.

Writing a Summary

Here are the steps you can follow when writing a summary:

  1. Read or reread the material until you really understand it.
  2. Identify the main idea in the original writing. What is it about?
  3. Write notes about the main supporting details (don’t include examples).
  4. Write a summary from your notes. Always use your own words.
  5. Begin with the main idea (what the article is about).

When you have written your summary, ask yourself these questions:

  1. Did I begin my summary with the main idea?
  2. Did I include only the most important details (no examples)?
  3. Is my summary short and clear?
  4. Did I use my own words?
  5. Could I improve my summary by adding transition words?