how to do a summary speech

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101: Introduction to PF

What is Public Forum?

How to Win a PF Debate Round

How to Judge a PF Debate Round

How to Prepare for a PF Tournament

Speech Types & Lengths in PF

The Case: Constructive

The Rebuttal Speech

The Summary Speech

The Final Focus

102: Beyond the Basics

Constructing a Case

Mastering the Constructives

Mastering the Rebuttals

Final Speeches

The summary is commonly considered to be the most important speech in the round. In the summary, debaters need to start crystallizing and condensing down the most important points brought up in the debate. Specifically, if a case has several contentions, it is commonplace for the summary speaker to only go for one of the contentions brought up previously in the round. This is known as the “collapse.” When the summary speaker collapses on an argument, it’s important that they are also able to weigh the argument. Comparisons between your case and the case of your opponent -- which is better and more important in the round -- are critical for giving the judge an idea of why you deserve to win the round. Without making weighing comparisons between arguments in the summary, the judge won’t have a clear reason to prioritize one argument ahead of the other.

There are several specific components of an effective collapse. First, the debater must “extend” their argument . Extending an argument means restating (briefly) what the argument is & why it is true. If you try to discuss an argument without extending it first, you won’t have access to it on the flow. Secondly, debaters must rebuild (aka frontline) the argument(s) that they’re extending. This consists of responding to the other team’s rebuttal against your case. Third, as previously discussed, the debater will have to weigh their case against their opponent’s. Fourth, the summary speaker will extend responses made against the other team’s case in an effort to disprove the other case to the judge. These responses will have been originally made in the rebuttal, so it will be up to the summary speaker to accurately extend the responses & sufficiently implicate them.

How to Write a Summary of a Speech

Justin a. perry.

Successfully summarizing a speech is an essential skill, especially for students, journalists or government employees. A summary can help clarify the essential elements of a speech in the quickest way possible and also help extrapolate its main points and essential arguments. A well-crafted summary can act as the baseline for an important news article, be used in an analytical report or even act as a study guide for students studying history, literature or rhetoric.

Read your assigned speech carefully. Do not annotate your copy of the speech yet. Instead, read the work thoroughly and focus on the speech's tone, mood and diction. Give special focus to the speech's theme - the argument it is making or the issue it is covering - and also pay particular attention to how the different portions of the work fit together.

Take your pen and reread the work. This time, begin to annotate the speech and underline any portions that you should include in your summary. Highlight the speech's thesis statement and underline any evidence you find that bolsters the speaker's argument. Mark any words or phrases that illustrate the speaker's particular style.

Write an outline of the speech's main ideas. Using Roman Numerals or bullet points, piece together the main ideas and supporting arguments from each portion. Read the speech again if you need to refresh your ideas. Phrase the speaker's ideas in your own words in your outline; this will help clarify your ideas about the overall point of the speech.

Compose a first draft of your summary. Use your outline as your skeleton and begin to consolidate the speaker's ideas into your own prose. Write your summary as a shorter speech of your own, being sure to rephrase the speaker's points into a more easily readable format. Do not simply include a string of quotations from the original speech.

Compare and contrast your own rough draft with the original speech. Take care to ensure that you mention all the speaker's main points and include their eventual conclusion. If you need to, add any ideas that you missed in your draft. Check your grammar, polish your formatting and include your citations before printing and turning in your summary.

Do not plagiarize. If you plan to quote portions of a speech, put them in quotation marks and cite them properly.
Ask your teacher or supervisor how long your summary should be.
Though not all speeches are available as audio recordings, listen to the speech as it was originally performed if you can.
1 Purdue OWL: Quoting, Paraphrasing and Summarizing
2 Columbia University; Speech Summarization; Julia Hirschberg

About the Author

Justin A. Perry began writing professionally in 2007. Since then, his work has appeared in "The Point News," "The River Gazette" and "The Mulberry Tree," all publications based in Southern Maryland. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science and English from St. Mary's College of Maryland.

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how to write a summary

A step-by-step guide to writing a great summary.

A summary of a literary work isn't just a plain-old synopsis. It's a valuable study tool, a foundational element of all kinds of essays, a common testing mechanism, and one of the basics of literary analysis.

Whether you're in high school or college, developing a deep understanding of how and when to summarize a book or text is a valuable skill. Doing so might require a little more knowledge and effort than you'd think.

That's why we're covering all aspects of summaries, from study tools to plot summaries, below.

What Is a Summary?

A summary is a brief overview of a text (or movie, speech, podcast, etcetera) that succinctly and comprehensively covers the main ideas or plot points.

Sounds simple, right? Well, there are a lot of unique characteristics that differentiate summaries from other commentary, such as analyses, book reviews, or outlines.

Summaries are:

In your own words. It's important that you don't just copy and paste the writer's words (in fact, that's plagiarizing). Writing the key points of a work in your own words indicates your comprehension and absorption of the material.
Objective. While a summary should be in your own words, it shouldn't contain your opinions. Instead, you should gather the main points and intentions of the writer and present them impartially. (If you include your opinions, it instead becomes an analysis or review.)
More than paraphrasing. Many students fall into the trap of simply paraphrasing—plainly restating the ideas or events of the work. (Is our definition starting to sound contradictory? We told you it wasn't straightforward!) Rather than recounting the events or ideas in a work chronologically or in the order they're presented, instead consider the broad scope of how they all contribute to the narrative or argument.
Short. There are no strict rules regarding length, only that it is concise. It's largely dependent on the length of the text it summarizes: longer texts, longer summaries. It also depends on the assignment or objective. However, most are about one to two paragraphs in length.
Comprehensive. Yes, it's another seemingly contradictory descriptor, but an important one. Summaries are comprehensive, meaning they cover all of the main plot points or ideas in a work (so they inherently contain "spoilers"). You should present those ideas in a way that condenses them into an inclusive, but not exhaustive, recounting in order to keep it short.
Straightforward (even if the text isn't). A good summary should be easy to comprehend, presenting the reader with a simple but all-encompassing understanding of the work at hand. With complex texts, summaries can be particularly useful because they distill big, complicated ideas into a bite-sized package.

When to Write a Summary

Like so many elements of literary analysis, summaries are misunderstood. We've already explained why they aren't as simple as most people think, but neither are their uses.

Summary writing is a useful skill in a variety of circumstances, both in and outside the English and Language Arts classrooms.

Readers, writers, teachers, and students can use summaries:

As a study tactic. The ability to summarize a book or text indicates that you've absorbed and understand the material. Plus, writing down notes (as in a summary) is a great way to retain material. Try summarizing at the end of a book chapter, after each section of an article, or periodically in textbooks. Doing so will help you digest the material you've just read, confirming you understood and retained the information therein. Stopping frequently to summarize is most effective because you're less likely to forget important plot points or ideas.
As an assignment. Teachers and professors often ask students to summarize a text as a test to confirm they read and understood the material. Before heading into class—especially if you have a test or quiz scheduled—try practicing summarizing the text. Write it down (rather than practicing it out loud or in your head) so that you can review your ideas and ensure you're presenting them succinctly and sensibly.
As part of an essay. If you're referencing a book or article in your own paper, you might need to summarize the source as the foundation for your argument. In this case, your summary should be particularly short so the reader doesn't lose sight of your own argument and intention. Introduce the name of the work and its author, then use one sentence (two at most) to describe their objective and how it relates to your own.
As part of a review. Summaries are very useful in an academic setting, but they have their place outside of it too. Whether you're on a book review site or just sharing a recommendation with a friend, being able to succinctly write a book summary (with or without spoilers) will help others to make their own judgements of a book.

Your Step-by-Step Guide for How to Write a Summary

Step 1: read the work .

Summaries are often perceived as a workaround for reading the work itself. That's not a great strategy under most circumstances because you tend to lose a lot of the details and nuance of a work, but it's particularly impractical to do so when writing about the work.

Remember, a summary is supposed to present your perception of the work as a whole. So in order to develop that perception, you have to first read the original text.

Step 2: Take Notes

As you read the work, simultaneously take notes. If you own the book, it might be helpful to add your notes to the margins or highlight passages that are particularly relevant or capture a key idea. If you don't own the book, try taking notes on your computer or in a notebook. You can still notate important passages by writing down the page and paragraph number or writing an abbreviated version of the quotation. Alternatively, try marking key passages with sticky notes or tabs.

It might also be helpful to write out a short outline of the work as you go. While you won't want to use this verbatim (remember, you shouldn't just paraphrase the work), it can help you establish and remember the text's framework.

Step 3: Identify the Author's Thesis Statement, Objective, or Main Point

In some works, such as a journal article, a writer will provide a thesis statement. A thesis statement is a one-sentence synopsis of the author's argument and intention. A thesis statement can be really helpful in forming the backbone of your own summary, just as it forms the backbone of the essay.

However, even when a thesis statement isn't present—like in a novel—the writer always has an objective or main idea. You should always identify this idea and use it to form the foundation of your summary.

The main point might be apparent at the outset of the work. Other times, the author won't present it until the conclusion. Sometimes you might identify multiple objectives throughout the work. That's why it's important, as you read, to note any ideas that might be the main idea. Even those that aren't the most important will likely remain relevant.

Step 4: Note Other Important Elements

If something stands out to you about the work and seems to play an important role in the text's overall narrative or structure, make a note about it. This could be a recurring theme, an incident in the storyline, or a deviation from the overall argument.

As you identify and note important elements and moments in the work, the structure of your summary should begin to fall into place.

Step 5: Prepare to Write Your Summary

Once you've finished reading the work, review your notes and highlight the key points that came to light. Remember, your summary should be objective, so disregard any opinions you might have noted about the work. You should introduce the thesis or objective, briefly encapsulate the important ideas and moments from the work, and end with a conclusion that ties those ideas to the objective. Keep this structure in mind as you begin.

Step 6: Begin by Introducing the Work

As you begin, introduce the work, its author, and, if relevant, the context.

Depending on your situation—for example, if your teacher or professor has asked you to summarize a work as part of an assignment or quiz—this might seem redundant. However, it is standard practice to begin by introducing the work, even if the reader already knows what you're writing about.

Example: In The Great Gatsby , F. Scott Fitzgerald...

Step 7: Present the Thesis, Main Idea, or Central Argument

Once you've introduced the work, your priority is to clearly define the author's thesis, important point, or central argument. As mentioned above, sometimes the author presents this idea clearly and succinctly at the outset of their work; at other times, it's buried deep in the text.

Regardless of how the main idea is presented in the work, it should be front and center in your summary. Some teachers might refer to this as a "topic sentence" or "introductory sentence." This is the central point around which you will construct the rest of your writing. As you progress, you'll highlight other ideas or occurrences that relate or contribute to this main idea, so it's important that your representation of it is easily understood.

Example: In The Great Gatsby , F. Scott Fitzgerald uses the story of Jay Gatsby as a symbol of the social stratification, greed, and indulgence of 1920s America.

Step 8: Briefly Discuss the Important Elements of the Work

After identifying the thesis or central argument, you should provide a brief overview of the work's other elements, ideas, and plot points. For the most part, the information you present throughout this section should bolster the thesis presented previously. Each sentence should serve as a supporting point for the topic sentence. Don't simply list ideas or plot points, but show how they're connected and inform the work as a whole. Of course, there may also be important elements of the work that are not directly tied to the main idea; it's ok to include these if you feel they are vital to understanding the work.

When writing the body, you should consciously and intentionally leave out unnecessary details. They tend to bog down your writing and lose the reader.

Example: The narrator, Nick Carraway, moves to New York's "West Egg," where he reunites with his cousin, Daisy, and her husband, Tom Buchanan. Fitzgerald clearly delineates social lines between West Egg (new money) and East Egg (old money), where Tom and Daisy reside.

Nick attends a lavish party thrown by his neighbor, Jay Gatsby, and learns Jay formerly had a relationship with Daisy. The two reignite their forbidden affair. Tom reveals to Daisy that Gatsby earned his money illegally, through smuggling alcohol, and is actually a man of humble Midwestern origins. Daisy and Gatsby try to run away together, but Daisy accidentally runs over Tom's mistress. Tom, eager to exact revenge, convinces his mistress' husband that Gatsby was to blame in her death, and he murders Gatsby before committing suicide. Few of Gatsby's many friends attend his funeral.

Step 9: Write a Conclusion that Ties It All Together

Much like you introduce the author's major point at the outset of your summary, you should revisit it as you close out your writing. If you presented the author's main idea in the introduction, and then bolstered that main idea by recollecting plot points or important elements from the work, your conclusion should then reiterate how those elements relate to the main idea.

Example: Though Gatsby subscribed to the extravagance of his peers, his efforts to fit into the upper echelon of West and East Egg were negated by his humble origins; always out of place, he was rejected for his social class as much as his perceived crimes.

Step 10: Edit

Before submitting your work, read it in full, and edit out any superfluous and redundant information. It's likely that unnecessary details snuck in as you were writing, and you might find that certain plot points just feel unnecessary within the scope of your finished product.

In addition to editing for content, be sure to edit it closely for grammatical or spelling errors. Even if your summary is well thought out, its expertise is compromised if it's full of errors!

How to Write a Plot Summary

The step-by-step guide to writing an effective summary, outlined above, applies to most summaries. However, each type has its own unique elements outside of those standard requirements.

A plot or book summary, for example, should encapsulate the plot of a short story or novel. When writing one, there are unique strategies to follow.

Dos of Writing a Plot Summary

Note plot points as the book or story unfolds. Especially in longer novels, it can be difficult to keep track of the twists and turns in the storyline. That's why we recommend taking notes as you read.
Use online study guides for inspiration. Websites like SuperSummary provide in-depth summaries free of charge. While this is a good starting point when writing your own, it should only be for inspiration. Don't copy examples online (that's plagiarism!).
Be sure to cover the three main arcs of every story: the exposition, climax, and conclusion. The exposition is the moment when the conflict or driving narrative is introduced. The climax is when that conflict comes to a head, and the narrative reaches its most dramatic moments. The conclusion is when the conflict is resolved or the story comes to an end. You should also include any inciting incidents (the first domino in a plot point).
Connect the dots. Throughout, you should demonstrate an understanding of how events and characters are related, rather than introducing each element as an independent variable. Remember, you should tie each plot point back to the main idea.

Don'ts of Writing a Plot Summary

Don't just regurgitate the storyline. Rather than drone through the story plot point by plot point, you should highlight key moments in the narrative and direct them back to the author's objective.
Avoid repetitive phrases like "then" or "next." A key indication you're just repeating the storyline point by point is utilizing a phrase like "then" or "next." While you should recount the major incidents of the narrative, it shouldn't feel so formulaic.
Don't let it drag on. Books are long, but summarizing a book should still be short. While it depends on the assignment and the work in question, your summary should be 200 to 600 words, max.

Example : In The Great Gatsby , F. Scott Fitzgerald uses the story of Jay Gatsby as a symbol of the social stratification, greed, and indulgence of 1920s America. The narrator, Nick Carraway, moves to New York's "West Egg," where he reunites with his cousin, Daisy, and her husband, Tom Buchanan. Fitzgerald clearly delineates social lines between West Egg (new money) and East Egg (old money), where Tom and Daisy reside.

Nick attends a lavish party thrown by his neighbor, Jay Gatsby, and learns he formerly had a relationship with Daisy. When the two reignite their forbidden affair, disaster ensues. Tom reveals to Daisy that Gatsby earned his money illegally, through smuggling alcohol, and is actually a man of humble Midwestern origins. Daisy and Gatsby try to run away together, but Daisy accidentally runs over Tom's mistress. Tom, eager to exact revenge, convinces his mistress' husband that Gatsby was to blame in her death, and he murders Gatsby before committing suicide. Few of Gatsby's many friends attend his funeral.

Though Gatsby subscribed to the extravagance of his peers, his efforts to fit into the upper echelon of West and East Egg were negated by his humble origins; always out of place, he was rejected for his social class as much as his perceived crimes.

For an in-depth analysis of The Great Gatsby , check out the our study guide (we have an audio guide, too!).

How to Summarize an Article or Essay

The nature of an article or essay is quite different from a novel or short story, and in many ways, your summary should be too. The outline above remains the same, but the details are different.

Here's what you should and shouldn't do when writing your article summary.

Dos of Writing an Article Summary

Skim the original article first. To develop a basic understanding of the article and the writer's objectives, skim the content before reading it closely. Doing so will help you to identify some of the key points and then pay attention to the arguments around them when you read the article in full.
Then read the article closely, marking key passages and ideas. Noting important ideas as you read will help you develop a deeper understanding of the writer's intentions.
Note headings and subheadings, which likely identify important points. In articles and essays, the author often utilizes subheadings to introduce their most important ideas. These subheadings can help guide your own writing.
Keep it short. The rule of brevity applies to article summaries too. In fact, because articles are usually short compared to novels or books, your text should be correlatively brief. And if you're utilizing the work as part of your own essay or argument, just a couple sentences will do.

Don'ts of Writing an Article Summary

Don't ignore the conclusion. When reading a long article or essay, it can be tempting to overlook the conclusion and focus on the body paragraphs of the article. However, the conclusion is often where the author most clearly outlines their findings and why they matter. It can serve as a great foundation for your own writing.
Don't copy anything from the article directly—always paraphrase. If you copy any passages word-for-word from the article, be sure to identify them as quotations and attribute them to the author. Even this should be done sparingly. Instead, you should encapsulate their ideas within your own, abbreviated words.
Don't forget to include proper citations. If you do include a direct quotation from the article, be sure to properly cite them. You can learn how to properly cite quotations in our Academic Citation Resource Guide .

Example Summary of "Gatsby as a Drowned Sailor" : In her essay, "Gatsby as a Drowned Sailor," Margaret Lukens posits that a major, and often overlooked, motif in The Great Gatsby is that of the "drowned sailor." The novel, she points out, is immersed in nautical symbols and themes, particularly in the scenes surrounding Jay Gatsby. For example, Gatsby grew up on the shores of Lake Superior, now owns a house on the Long Island Sound, and supposedly spends much of his time on his boat.

Lukens nods to the nautical imagery throughout Gatsby's lavish party, as well as Nick's interactions with Gatsby. Many of these, she argues, foreshadow Gatsby's death in his pool. Even his funeral is a testament to the motif, with the few attendees soaked to the skin with rain. Lukens presents a thorough case for the overarching nautical motif in The Great Gatsby and her argument that though Gatsby hooked a big one, ultimately it was "the one that got away."

FAQs: How to Write a Book Summary

How do you summarize without plagiarizing .

By its very nature, a summary isn't plagiarizing because it should be written in your own words. However, there are cases where it might be difficult to identify an appropriate synonym, and the phrase remains somewhat close to the original. In this scenario, just be sure to differentiate the rest of the phrase as much as possible. And if you need to include a direct quote from the work, be sure to appropriately cite it.

How to write a summary and a reaction?

In some cases, your teacher may ask you to write a summary and a reaction. Whereas a summary is objective, a reaction is a matter of opinion. So in this case, you should present the actions or ideas of the work, then respond to those actions and ideas with your personal thoughts.

Why write a summary?

A summary is a helpful tool many educators use to test their students' comprehension of a text. However, it is also a useful study tactic because recounting what you read can help you organize and retain information.

How To Write A Summary

A Complete Guide on How to Write a Summary for Students

10 min read

What is a Summary

A summary is a condensed version of a larger piece of text, such as a book, article, speech, or any piece of information. It aims to present the main ideas, key points, and crucial details of that text.

Summaries aim to convey the main ideas concisely without losing the essence or important details. They provide a quick understanding of the original text without having to go through the entire material.

Key Elements of a Good Summary

Conciseness: Clarity in brevity is key. A good summary is concise and to the point, avoiding unnecessary details.
Accuracy: It must accurately represent the main ideas and arguments presented in the original material.
Clarity: The summary should be clear and understandable to someone who hasn’t read the original content.
Objective Tone: It presents information objectively without personal opinions or interpretations.

When to Write a Summary

You can write a summary for a variety of purposes. Here are some of the most common reasons for writing a summary.

Academic assignments: Summary writing is a common assignment for students of all levels. Students are required to summarize the course material to demonstrate their understanding.
Professional settings: Summaries are used in a variety of professional contexts. For instance, summarizing official discussions, legal proceedings, and news reports.
Personal Notes: Making a summary is the best way to understand, remember, and retain the key points of a text you’ve read. Whether it’s a novel, a non-fiction book, a speech, or a movie, you can summarize it to test your comprehension.

4 Simple Steps for Writing a Summary

Now that we have a clear understanding of what a summary is, let's delve into the practical steps of crafting one. These general steps can be used for writing a summary of all kinds of source material.

Step 1- Read the Source Carefully

Begin by thoroughly reading the original text. Whether it's an article, a chapter, or a report, understanding the content is the first step to creating an effective summary. Plus, here are some things to do while reading:

Note Key Points

Identify the important points, key arguments, and supporting details. Jot down notes or underline significant passages.

Understand the Context

Grasp the context of the material. Consider the author's purpose, the target audience, and the central message. Understanding the context enhances your ability to distill the essence effectively.

Ask Questions

Interact with the material by asking questions. What is the author trying to communicate? Why is this information important? Formulating questions helps clarify your understanding and guides the summarization process.

Step 2- List out the Main Points

Now that you’ve read the source material and made some notes, it’s time to revisit them. Think of this step as sculpting the raw material into a refined structure. Your list of main points serves as the framework for the summary.

Here’s what you need to do:

Discern Main Points & Supporting Details

Discern the main ideas based on their significance to the overall message. Alongside main points, recognize supporting details that bolster the primary ideas. Focus on the most impactful supporting elements to ensure conciseness.

Logically Organize the Points

Arrange the main points in a logical sequence. This structure will form the basis of your summary, ensuring that it flows coherently and mirrors the original content's organization.

Step 3- Write Your First Draft

Now that you’ve all the points to include in your summary, you are ready to start writing. Follow these tips for a neat first draft:

Begin by Introducing the Source

The summary should start by mentioning the author, the name and type of text, and the main point. Here’s an example:

In the article "The Power of Mindful Leadership," Sarah Johnson, a seasoned expert in organizational psychology, presents an exploration of the transformative effects of mindfulness in leadership.

Craft Clear and Concise Sentences

Translate each main point into a clear and concise sentence. Aim for simplicity without sacrificing accuracy. Your sentences should capture the essence of the original ideas.

Maintain Logical Flow

Ensure a smooth transition between sentences and paragraphs. The logical order established in your list of main points should guide the flow of your draft, making it easy for readers to follow the narrative.

Stay True to the Source

While crafting your draft, stay true to the intent of the original material. Avoid adding personal opinions or interpretations. Your goal is to faithfully represent the source in a condensed form.

Consider this draft as a canvas waiting for refinement. It doesn't have to be perfect on the first try. The goal is to get the main ideas down in a coherent manner.

Step 4- Edit and Revise

Ready to fine-tune your summary into a polished and impactful piece? Let's proceed to this next step involving revision and editing. Editing is where your summary transforms from good to great.

Prioritize Clarity

During the editing process, focus on clarity. Each sentence should be easily understandable.. Remove jargon or overly complex language.

Check for Consistency

Review your summary for consistency in tone and style. A uniform voice throughout the summary creates a more professional and engaging reading experience.

Trim Unnecessary Words

Challenge every word. If a word doesn't add significant value or if a sentence can convey the same idea with fewer words, make the necessary cuts. The goal is brevity without sacrificing meaning.

Evaluate Sentence Structure

Vary your sentence structure to maintain reader interest. Mix short and long sentences to create a rhythm, but always prioritize clarity over complexity.

Maintain Objectivity

Review your summary to ensure objectivity. Avoid injecting personal opinions or biases. Your role is to present the information neutrally, allowing readers to form their own interpretations.

Reading your summary aloud can help you identify awkward phrasing or areas where the flow could be improved. It's a simple yet effective way to catch errors and enhance readability.

Tips for Writing Different Types of Summaries

The above 4 steps are generic. They apply to all kinds of summaries regardless of the type of source material. However, different kinds of texts may require a few unique considerations while summarizing.

Let’s discuss some useful tips for summarizing specific kinds of sources.

How to Write a Summary of an Article

Along with the four main steps discussed above, you should follow these tips when summarizing an academic article.

Identify the Thesis Statement

Most probably, you can find an article's main argument in its thesis statement . This is the central point the author is trying to convey. Your summary should prominently feature this key element.

Condense Each Section

Divide the article into sections (introduction, body, conclusion) and summarize each separately. This ensures you cover the entire article systematically.

Pay Attention to the Conclusion

The article's conclusion often restates all the main points. Summarize this section carefully as it provides a concise recap of the author's key arguments.

Be Mindful of the Tone

Reflect the tone of the article in your summary. Whether it's persuasive, informative, or analytical, mirroring the tone helps maintain the author's intended impact.

How to Write a Summary of a Story

Summarizing a story involves distilling the narrative elements into a brief but comprehensive overview. Here are specific tips to craft an engaging summary of a story.

Identify the Central Plot

Pinpoint the main plotline of the story. Focus on the central conflict, characters, and their interactions. This forms the core of your summary.

Highlight Key Characters

Introduce the main characters and their roles in the story. Emphasize their motivations and how they contribute to the narrative.

Capture the Setting

Provide a brief description of the story's setting. Whether it's a vividly depicted cityscape or a quaint countryside, the setting contributes to the overall atmosphere.

Outline the Major Events

Summarize the key events in the story, emphasizing those that drive the plot forward. Include pivotal moments that shape the characters or lead to significant developments.

Consider the Theme

Reflect on the overarching theme of the story. Whether it's love, resilience, or the triumph of good over evil, convey the thematic elements that give the story its depth and meaning.

Avoid Spoilers

Be mindful of spoilers, especially if your summary is intended for readers who haven't experienced the story. Provide enough information to pique interest without giving away crucial surprises.

How to Write a Summary of a Book

Summarizing a book can be very helpful for understanding its contents. Here’s how to make a summary of a book:

Grasp the Book's Genre and Purpose

Understand the genre and purpose of the book. Whether it's a novel, a self-help guide, or a historical account, recognizing the book's intent informs the tone and focus of your summary.

Outline the Main Themes

Identify the primary themes or messages conveyed in the book. This overarching perspective helps set the tone for your summary and provides readers with a sense of the book's core ideas.

Provide Context

Offer a brief context for the book. Consider the historical or cultural background if relevant. Understanding the context enhances the reader's appreciation for the material.

Focus on the Author's Style

Consider the author's writing style. Whether it's lyrical and descriptive or straightforward and factual, mirroring the author's style in your summary helps convey the book's atmosphere.

How to Write Summary of a Paragraph

Paragraphs are chunks of text that focus on a single idea within a larger text, such as an essay or article. Here’s what you need to do for crafting an effective paragraph summary:

Identify the Topic Sentence

Pinpoint the topic sentence , which often introduces the main idea of the paragraph. This sentence encapsulates the central theme and sets the stage for your summary.

Focus on the Purpose

Consider the purpose of the paragraph. Is it informative, persuasive, or explanatory? Tailor your summary to convey the paragraph's purpose effectively.

Use Your Own Words

Express the main idea and supporting details using your own words. This ensures that your summary is an interpretation rather than a verbatim repetition of the paragraph.

Summary Writing Examples

Now that you know the basic steps and tips for writing a summary, let's explore some examples to see these tips applied in practice.

Summary of a Story Example

Summary of an Article Example

Sample Summary of a Paragraph

How to write summary of a poem Example

Example Summary of a Book

Summary of a Research Paper Example

Key Points to Remember About Writing a Summary

With the steps, tips, and examples provided above, you have all the resources you need to get started.

However, before you begin, here are some of the important things to remember. These points below answer some of the most common queries about summary writing.

The length of your summary depends on the length of the source material. For instance, summarizing a book will take more words than summarizing an essay.
A summary conveys the ideas presented in the original text. So you should not include your own analysis or opinions in the summary. Stay objective throughout the summary-writing process.
Use language and terminology that aligns with the expectations of your target audience while staying true to the source. This ensures your summary is accessible and engaging.
Paraphrase the original text in your own words and provide accurate citation of the source to avoid plagiarism in your summary.

To conclude,

We've navigated through essential steps, insightful tips, and practical examples to equip you with summarizing skills. Whether summarizing articles, books, or chapters, the steps provided above will help you ensure clarity and coherence in your summaries.

So go ahead, utilize this knowledge and write a good summary for any text you want!

Still not sure about your summarization skills or don’t have the time? Don’t worry, get assistance from experts online!

MyPerfectWords.com is a professional online platform for writing help. Our experienced and qualified writers are well-versed in writing all kinds of summaries. They will craft an original summary for you, according to your requirements and needs.

So contact our essay writing service online now!

Write Essay Within 60 Seconds!

Dr. Barbara is a highly experienced writer and author who holds a Ph.D. degree in public health from an Ivy League school. She has worked in the medical field for many years, conducting extensive research on various health topics. Her writing has been featured in several top-tier publications.

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Academic Writing

How to Write a Summary

Last Updated: March 17, 2024 Approved

This article was co-authored by Richard Perkins . Richard Perkins is a Writing Coach, Academic English Coordinator, and the Founder of PLC Learning Center. With over 24 years of education experience, he gives teachers tools to teach writing to students and works with elementary to university level students to become proficient, confident writers. Richard is a fellow at the National Writing Project. As a teacher leader and consultant at California State University Long Beach's Global Education Project, Mr. Perkins creates and presents teacher workshops that integrate the U.N.'s 17 Sustainable Development Goals in the K-12 curriculum. He holds a BA in Communications and TV from The University of Southern California and an MEd from California State University Dominguez Hills. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. This article received 26 testimonials and 89% of readers who voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 1,824,123 times.

Writing a summary is a great way to process the information you read, whether it’s an article or a book. If you’re assigned a summary in school, the best way to approach it is by reviewing the piece you’re summarizing. Read it thoroughly and take notes on the major points you want to include in your summary. When you get to writing your summary, rely on your memory first to make sure the summary is in your own words. Then, revise it to ensure that your writing is clear and the grammar, punctuation, and spelling are all perfect.

Sample Summaries

Reviewing the Piece

The author might also state their thesis more plainly by saying something like "my argument is...." or I believe...
In a fiction piece, the author will more likely emphasize themes. So if you notice that love - discussions or descriptions of it, for example - come up a lot, one of the main points of the piece is probably love.

Step 3 Reread the piece, taking notes on the major points of it.

To put something in your own words, write it down as if you were explaining or describing it to a friend. In that case, you wouldn't just read what the author wrote. Do the same when you're writing down the major points in your own words.

Step 4 Don't focus on the evidence that the author uses to support those points.

For fiction pieces, this means avoiding rewriting every single thing that happens in the piece. Focus instead on the major plot points and the main motivator for those points. Don't include everything that happens to the character along the way.

Writing The Summary in Your Own Words

Step 1 Start with the source’s information.

For example, you can start with something like “George Shaw’s '‘Pygmalion’' is a play that addresses issues of class and culture in early twentieth-century England.”

Step 2 Work from memory to write the main point of each section.

If you absolutely must use the original author’s words, put them in quotation marks. This tells your reader those words aren’t yours. Not doing this is academic plagiarism, and it can get you in a lot of trouble.
Make sure you format the quote correctly!

Step 3 Present the material using the author’s point of view.

For example, you might think that Hamlet spends a lot of time thinking and not a lot of time acting. You can say something like, "Hamlet is a man of thought, rather than action," instead of saying, "Why doesn't Hamlet do something once in a while?"

Step 4 Use language appropriate to a summary.

In fiction pieces, you can say something like "Shakespeare's Hamlet then spends a lot of time brooding on the castle ramparts." This tells your reader you're talking about Shakespeare's play, not inventing your own story.

Revising Your Draft into a Coherent Summary

Step 1 Reread the draft you wrote from memory against your notes.

If you notice an author has made the same point multiple times, though, it’s a good indicator that this is an important point, and it should definitely be in your summary.

For example, in a summary of an article about the cause of the American Revolution, you might have a paragraph that summarizes the author's arguments about taxes, and another about religious freedom. You can say something like, "Although some colonists believed that taxes should entitle them to representation in Parliament, the author also argues that other colonists supported the Revolution because they believed they were entitled to representation in heaven on their own terms."

Step 5 Check for grammatical and spelling errors.

Don't use spell-checker for spelling errors. It will catch if you spell something wrong, but not if you use the wrong spelling of a word. For example, it won't catch that you used "there" when you meant "their."

Generally, a summary should be around one quarter the length of the original piece. So if the original piece is 4 pages long, your summary should be no more than 1 page. [13] X Research source

Step 7 Ask someone else to read your work.

Not only should they be comparing your work for accuracy, ask them to read it for flow and summation. They should be able understand what happened in the article or story by reading your summary alone. Don't hesitate to ask for criticism; then weigh those criticisms and make valid changes.

Expert Q&A

↑ http://teacher.scholastic.com/reading/bestpractices/comprehension/authorsmainidea.pdf
↑ Richard Perkins. Writing Coach & Academic English Coordinator. Expert Interview. 1 September 2021.
↑ http://utminers.utep.edu/omwilliamson/engl0310/summaryhints.htm
↑ https://public.wsu.edu/~mejia/Summary.htm
↑ http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/rwc/handouts/the-writing-process-1/invention/Guidelines-for-Writing-a-Summary

About This Article

Before you write a summary, read the piece you’re summarizing, then make notes on what you think the main point and major supporting arguments are. When you’re ready to draft your summary, start with the author and title, then use your own words to write what you think the author’s main point is in each section. Be sure to focus on what the author thinks and feels rather than what you do! Finally, reread your summary and check it for good spelling, punctuation, and grammar. For more suggestions from our reviewer about polishing your summary and improving transitions, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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KEY ELEMENTS OF A GOOD SUMMARY SPEECH

In public forum debate, the summary speeches are a critical turning point in the round. Only two minutes in length, your summary speech is a crucial bridge between your team’s first two speeches and your final focus. Since you will have heard your partner refute the other team’s case in his/her speech and because two crossfires will have taken place before your summary, you should have a good idea of which arguments you are ahead on and which you might be losing. In the summary speech, you should begin to focus the debate on the key issues necessary for you to win. Follow these steps to make your summary speech spectacular!

1. Briefly Sum up the Debate

Your summary should begin with a very brief overview of how you see the debate playing out. Remember not to cover every little disagreement – this is a summary, not a line-by-line refutation. In your beginning overview, present the fundamental thesis of your case and give brief reasoning why you believe you will win the debate. For example, begin your summary by saying, “The pro side has convincingly argued that providing universal health insurance to all Americans will drastically reduce deaths from illness that are preventable with simple medical care. The con side will not be able to show disadvantages to this resolution that outweigh its benefits, and we will therefore win the debate.” Remember to keep your overview short and simple, hit on the key reasons to vote for your team, and show why the other side’s arguments aren’t enough to win them the debate.

2. Answer Key Arguments

Because the final focus must concentrate on the reasons to vote for your side and often does not allow time to answer the other side’s arguments, the summary speech is your last chance to refute your opponents’ arguments. You will be pressed for time in your summary speech, so you should not try to answer every point your opponents raised in their second speech. Instead, focus on the one or two of your opponents’ arguments you think are the strongest, and answer them. Don’t worry about going “line-by-line,” just refute the central ideas behind your opponent’s arguments.

Remember not to spend time summing up the other team’s arguments before you answer them. Don’t say, “In their second speech our opponents argued that universal health insurance would cause a massive increase in claims which would impair doctors’ ability to treat patients quickly and effectively – our first response is…” By referencing your

opponents’ argument in such detail you do them a favor by reminding the judge of the argument and wasting your own speech time. Instead, restate your argument first and then show how it answers your opponent’s argument – without spending too much time

summing up the other side’s argument. Instead of the example above, try saying,

“Empirical studies from Canada’s health care system demonstrate that universal health insurance raises the quality and efficiency of health care. This PROVES that their arguments about health care quality are false.” Only restate the bare minimum of their argument to let the judge know what you’re responding to. And remember to restate your argument first – doing so sounds powerful and gives your argument credibility.

3. Develop Old Arguments

If the other team has a particularly good response to your case in their second speech, you may need to rebuild your original arguments a bit in your summary speech. Remember not to spend too much time rebuilding old arguments – do just enough work to repair the damage your opponents have done to your case. Also, you should only focus on rebuilding arguments central to your case, or arguments that you could lose the debate on. This will prevent you from spending unneeded time on issues that aren’t of central importance to the debate. When rebuilding an argument, consider bringing up a new piece of evidence,

quotation, or statistic that supports your original claim and responds to your opponent’s objection. Considering the example about universal health insurance above, you might rebuild your case by citing a new study or poll that responds to the con side’s argument about health care quality. This is not a new argument because it rebuilds your original argument (that universal health insurance will benefit America’s health care system), and because it responds to your opponent’s argument. Because the debate will likely come down to whether or not the judge believes universal health insurance to be beneficial, this is a good part of the debate to rebuild by citing additional evidence in the summary speech. Be careful not to spend too much summary time rebuilding, though – the point of the summary speech is to begin crystallizing the round for the judge and to emphasize the key issues your side is winning.

4. Watch out for New Arguments

Your summary speech is not a time to bring up new arguments. Besides being disallowed by the rules, new arguments in summary speeches put you at a disadvantage. Your summary is already pressed for time – answering the other side’s arguments, rebuilding your own, and providing an overview of the round and its important issues are all

important jobs for the summary speaker. Bringing up new arguments will merely waste your time, and will not give you a strategic benefit because it is unlikely that your partner’s final focus will be able to elaborate on your new arguments and use them to your team’s advantage. It is best to stick to extending, clarifying, and improving on arguments already in the debate in your summary speech.

So, how do you tell if an argument is new? Easy. New evidence, reasoning, facts, statistics, opinions, and support of all kinds are welcome in the summary speech so long as they are linked to arguments already in the debate. Before making an argument, ask yourself, “Does this support a point made in our case or in my partner’s second speech?” If

so, go ahead and make the argument. If not, it’s probably new. For example, if your case supports ending the death penalty and your first speech argued that the death penalty is ineffective at deterring crime, arguing in the summary speech that the death penalty is racist would be a new argument. On the other hand, arguing that the death penalty has been proven not to reduce the murder rate in states that support it would not constitute a new argument. In this case, your argument directly supports your original claim that the death penalty is an ineffective deterrent – it merely uses a new piece of evidence to support this original claim. Sometimes the distinction between a new argument and merely new evidence is blurry and hard to define – in these cases, err on the side of caution and only make arguments that you feel directly tie to your original case.

5. Weigh the Other Side’s Arguments with “Even If” Statements

Once you’ve provided an overview of the debate, developed your side’s strongest arguments, and answered new arguments from the other side’s second speech, the final task of the summary speaker is to sum up the debate. Before you give the judge a final picture of the debate, however, it is important to take care of the arguments you could potentially lose the debate on. If you want to make sure that you win a public forum debate, you must show the judge that even if the other side wins all of their arguments, the judge should still vote for you. You can do this in your summary speech by making “even if” statements. In other words, show that even if your opponent’s arguments are found to be true, they are not strong enough to overcome your case. Show how your case is so strong that it overcomes whatever flaws the other team can isolate. Here is one example of such an “even if” statement: “Even if the con side wins that some people’s insurance claims will not be adequately responded to, we have shown that on balance a universal health insurance system would vastly improve on the status quo’s health care system. Even if the resolution is not a perfect solution, we have shown that it offers substantial improvement over the status quo.” Even-if statements are a great way to show the judge your understanding of the debate as a whole. They demonstrate that you know you can’t win every argument on the flow, but at the same time you know which arguments are the important ones to win and you are confident that you will win them. Even-if statements put the other team in a tough position – they force the other side not only to win their arguments, but also to prove why those arguments matter enough to warrant a ballot. Remember not to overuse even-if statements, though – only use them on arguments you think you could lose the debate on.

6. Sum Up the Round

The final thing you should do in your summary speech is exactly what the name implies: provide a concise and powerful summary of the debate’s key issues and why you believe your team should win. The conclusion of your summary speech should make the other side’s final focus as difficult as possible – prove why a vote for your side is the only way to solve the problems you’ve identified and why your side should be endorsed despite whatever consequences the opposition might counter with. Your conclusion should be rhetorically powerful – focus on the most convincing points in support of your stance and show the judge why consideration of your arguments should come before all else. Think of your conclusion as writing what you would want to see on the judge’s ballot as a reason for decision. Also, don’t just restate the overview of the debate you gave at the beginning of your summary speech. Your conclusion should show the judge the implications of voting for your side – what would the world look like if the resolution were to come into effect, and why is this a

good or bad thing? Why is the resolution something the judge should support or negate? Your conclusion should provide clear and convincing answers to these questions.

Additional Tips for Crossfire
KEY ELEMENTS OF A GOOD SUMMARY SPEECH (You are here)
A FANTASTIC FINAL FOCUS
Public Forum Chapter 8 Adapting to Lay Judges

How To Deliver a Debate Final Focus

The Final Focus speech is quite similar to the Summary speech in that they are both short speeches which aim to boil down the round and provide clear reasons that the judge should vote for your side. Thus, many of the Tips provided in Five Big Tips For The Summary Speech will be applicable here as well.

Instead of repeating those points, this article will go into the Five Main Differences Between Summary and Final Focus before offering Three Final Focus Tips.

Five Main Differences Between Summary and Final Focus

Difference #1 : purpose.

The purpose of the summary speech is to set your partner up to give a killer final focus. This means figuring out which points to go for, extending the right pieces of evidence, and effectively responding to your opponent’s main offense. The purpose of final focus, however, is to “write the judge’s ballot for them.” Final focus is the last speech in the round and is thus most likely to stick in the judge’s mind as they are writing their ballot.

Consequently, the final focus is often the most important speech in the round for a lay judge, while the summary is often the most important speech in the round for a flow judge.

Difference #2 : Length

Whereas you get 3 minutes to give a Summary, you only get 2 minutes to deliver your Final Focus. This means the final focus speaker must have impeccable word economy. The summary speaker does have more to cover, but gets that extra minute for explanation. The final focus speaker will not have the opportunity to hit all the points covered in summary, and will have to strategically prioritize.

Difference #3 : Amount of Defense

The summary speech requires more defense than the final focus speech. The summary speaker may not drop important evidence in the opposing case or relevant turns delivered in rebuttal, as the final focus is too late to first address something so major.

The final focus speaker will really want to focus on driving home their main narrative, instead of wasting time on the opponent’s offense.

Difference #4 : Amount of Weighing

In the summary speech, it is important to introduce the judge to a couple of weighing mechanisms, or at least provide them a working framework by which to evaluate which arguments matter most. However, the final focus speaker is the one that needs to weigh heavily, making crystal clear why the judge should vote their way.

However, the job of the final focus speaker is not to just rattle off weighing mechanisms. Instead, the final focus should be inspirational, should connect to the judge emotionally, and urge the judge to subconsciously want you to win. If the judge wants you to win, they will find a way to make that happen regardless of what was actually said.

Difference #5 : Necessity of Strong Rhetoric

A strong summary maximizes coverage and clarity; a strong final focus maximizes strong rhetoric and eloquence.

Three Final Focus Tips

Tip #1 : allow yourself to be passionate.

Throughout the case, rebuttal, and summary speeches, there are many technicalities you have to hit. The case should have claim, logic, impact; the rebuttal needs to be numbered responses; the summary needs to extend the right points and cards.

Technicalities apply to the final focus as well but can be forgone in the place of passion in certain circumstances, like if you have a lay judge and the round has been very confusing to this point. Regardless, this is your last chance to make an impression with the judge and you want to go out with a bang.

Tip #2 : This is Not The Time To Get Creative

Did you just think of the killer point in the middle of Grand Cross that you just know will destroy your opponent’s argument? Great! Write it down and think through it after the round; this not the time to do a 180. Judges want to see consistency between summary and final focus, and not how arguments build off of each other from speech to speech. The final focus is simply too late to make new arguments, both because you don’t have the time to explain them and because it’s not fair to your opponent who has little to no time to respond.

This isn’t to say you should repeat your partner’s Summary word for word – it is important to point out the specific nuances that make your argument pop that your partner may not have had enough time to explain. But when it comes to new arguments altogether? Make them early or don’t make them at all.

(Note: there is one situation in which you can get creative, and that is the situation in which you know you are losing and you need something dramatic to win the round. However, just know that this usually doesn’t work and you would be better served highlighting the nuances you spent weeks preparing as opposed to coming in guns ablazing with new arguments in the last speech.)

Remember: the team that won on the flow doesn’t always win the round. If you can smile, sound confident, and speak with conviction, you have a good shot at winning even if you are worried you lost on the flow.

Tip #3 : Hammer Home Your Narrative

The final focus is the perfect speech to focus on your narrative. Do not be afraid to repeat points made in your or your partner’s previous speeches; in fact you likely will need to do this and the judge will thank you. Re-explain them fully and clearly, from start to finish. While you have been preparing this argument for weeks if not months, the judge only just heard it 45 minutes ago. They will need a refresher, and if you have practiced re-explaining your arguments efficiently in front of the mirror or your teammates, this is the time you will thank yourself.

While some summaries will use a Defense/Offense approach, just trying to cover enough of the flow to ensure no arguments are dropped, the final focus must tell a story. Ideally the summary will too but it is absolutely necessary in the final focus.

Pretend the judge has forgotten everything. If your speech would make sense to someone who didn’t listen to any of the other content of the round, you are on the right track. If it is filled with “blippy extensions” and jumps from topic to topic without providing closure, you will want to rethink how you give Final Focuses.

How to Summarize a Speech

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Writing a speech summary is frustrating. You listen to the audio or video, note down key ideas, and then write only the important information — only to know it's a complete fluff. But it doesn't have to be such a complex experience — if you combine the right summarizing method and use AI, you can condense all the important information in a few clicks.

There have been many times when I want to summarize interviews , podcasts , speeches, documents, or even research papers. While it may seem a difficult path to follow, a few tips and examples can help you save time and complete the tasks faster. Here, I'll help you with a guide on how to summarize a speech effectively. I'll also give you some tips that'll make the overall process an absolute breeze.

What is a Speech Summary?

A speech summary is a simple process of writing a brief overview with the key ideas or main points. Its goal is to help the reader get only the important information typically covered in the speech — without getting into too much detail.

The speech summary begins with an engaging opening statement (or hook) to attract the audience. It then provides value in the body and covers all the key points in the conclusion.

While it's pretty easy to include all these elements in the speech summary, you'll have to spend some time understanding the whole process.

Giving a speech on stage along with a summary

How to Summarize a Speech?

The best way to summarize any speech (or talk) is to understand the topic and take notes beforehand. But as much as I love reading summaries, I hate doing it manually — of course, as the process is pretty time-consuming.

If you're still struggling with how to summarize a speech , here are the simple steps you must follow.

Carefully Listen to Speech

Whether you're summarizing your own speech or someone else's work, start by carefully listening to the audio or video. Here, I'd personally suggest you pay extra attention to what the speakers said, how they conveyed their thoughts, and the key topics of discussion.

Write the Main Points

If you're like me, who keeps pen and paper ready, then you probably create notes for all your important work. But I can't count the times I've written notes on any paper only to lose them later.

With an AI note-taking app like Notta , you can automate the note-taking process and even extract the main point easily. I love how this AI note-taker can transcribe and summarize notes into something useful and actionable.

Another thing where Notta shines brighter is its ability to generate a transcript from the speech (audio or video) or extract the main points into key chapters and action items — without any manual work.

Start the Summary

Now, you'll need to turn on your writer mode and start writing the notes in proper format. For example, you can start with the engaging points of the speech that grab people's attention and insist they read the entire summary.

Check for Accuracy

When you're writing a speech summary , always make sure the final version accurately reveals the key points and the main idea that the speaker is trying to convey. While this step is completely optional, I'd personally suggest you check the figures, facts, or data included in the summary — after all, it's better to be safe than sorry.

Edit and Revise

A great summary strikes the perfect balance between conversational and formal tone. Once you've prepared the first draft and cross-checked all the facts, it's better to start editing and revising the piece. Here, you'll have to look for grammar or spelling errors — to ensure the summary looks professional.

Example of a Speech Summary

Over the years, I've seen a vast spectrum of summaries — from a few lines brief to 4-5 pages of the essentials. The sweet spot for a speech summary is somewhere in the middle — a few paragraphs (or one-page maximum) that convey the main idea clearly.

I've spent a lot of time reading and creating speech summaries, and here I'll show you a summary example of the most popular speech 'I Have a Dream.'

'I Have a Dream' Speech Summary The 'I Have a Dream' speech delivered by the minister and civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. highlights the long history of racial injustice in America and even encourages the audience to hold the country accountable to the three founding promises: freedom, equality, and justice. In his speech, King called for an end to racism in the United States, particularly against Black Americans.

Tips for Summarizing a Speech

If there's anything that I've been constantly asked for by teammates, it's the tips to summarize a lengthy document better and faster. Here are my best tips on how to write a speech summary and convert it into a short, informative text.

Keep it Brief

A good summary is often a brief version of a long speech, document , video, or audio — and that's what you'll need to keep in mind. While generating the speech summary, make sure it's short, sweet, and does not contain any kind of fluff.

Write Without Judgement

This is my favorite tip that I often give to fellow people — never add your opinion while summarizing. Your goal is to condense lengthy information into short form — and not write a review.

Use AI Speech Summarizer

If you're stuck in the cycle of listening to the speech and then preparing the draft, you can use AI to break it and also get things done faster. It'll help you avoid the pen-and-paper hassle and automate the process of transcribing and summarizing any media file.

One of the most popular AI note-taking tools is Notta — which can transcribe and even summarize the audio or video. With its amazing Notta AI Summary Generator feature , you can create summaries in key chapters, action items, and an overview.

Try Notta - the best online transcription & summarization tool. Transcribe and summarize your conversations and meetings quickly with high accuracy.

Start for Free

How do You Start a Summary of a Talk?

The summary of a talk (or speech) should start with an introductory sentence that mainly focuses on the title, the speaker's name, and the main point that's being conveyed. You can even start with a key phrase that gives a glimpse of what the summary (or the speech) is about.

What is a Good Starter Sentence for a Summary?

A good starter sentence for a summary is one that combines three things: the speaker's name , the main idea , and the result . It should clearly reveal the key points that were discussed in the speech — but in a brief and engaging way.

The first sentence acts like a hook sentence that grabs the attention of the reader. You shouldn't go deep into facts in the opening sentence — instead, it needs to be short and crisp — and start with a reporting verb.

Key Takeaways

Now that you know how to summarize a speech effectively, the main goal should be to keep it short, sweet, and simple. With AI and automation, you can save most of your time and create a summary faster. Notta is one of the great AI note-taking tools — for both beginners and professionals — that lets anyone record, transcribe, and even summarize media files.

Every time you have any audio or video file that needs to be condensed, this AI tool will create a transcript and summary of your notes. It even highlights key chapters and outlines the action items. That way, you (and all your team members) can quickly scan through summaries and learn the next steps.

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How To Summarize A Speech

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Whether you’re a marketer, a qualitative researcher, a customer experience manager, a market researcher, a product researcher, an SEO specialist, a business analyst, a data scientist, an academic researcher, or a business owner, you may find yourself in the position of having to summarize a speech. Summarizing a speech can be a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. With a few simple tips, you can easily summarize a speech and make sure that your audience understands the key points.

1. Listen Carefully

The first step to summarizing a speech is to listen carefully. Pay attention to the speaker’s words and make sure you understand the main points. If you’re not sure what the speaker is saying, don’t be afraid to ask questions. It’s important to make sure you understand the speech before you attempt to summarize it.

2. Take Notes

Once you’ve listened to the speech, it’s time to take notes. Write down the main points of the speech and any key phrases or words that stand out. This will help you to remember the speech and make it easier to summarize. Make sure to note any examples or stories that the speaker uses to illustrate their points.

3. Identify the Main Points

Once you’ve taken notes, it’s time to identify the main points of the speech. Look for any common themes or ideas that the speaker is trying to get across. These are usually the most important points of the speech and should be included in your summary.

4. Write a Summary

Now that you’ve identified the main points of the speech, it’s time to write a summary. Start by writing a brief introduction that explains the topic of the speech. Then, write a few sentences that summarize the main points of the speech. Make sure to include any key phrases or words that stood out to you. Finally, end the summary with a brief conclusion that ties everything together.

5. Check for Accuracy

Before you finish your summary, it’s important to check for accuracy. Make sure that your summary accurately reflects the main points of the speech. If you’re not sure, ask the speaker for clarification or ask someone else who heard the speech for their opinion.

6. Edit and Revise

Once you’ve checked for accuracy, it’s time to edit and revise your summary. Make sure that your summary is clear and concise. If necessary, add more details or examples to help illustrate the main points. Finally, read your summary out loud to make sure it flows well and makes sense.

Summarizing a speech can be a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. By following these simple steps, you can easily summarize a speech and make sure that your audience understands the key points. With a little practice, you’ll be able to summarize any speech quickly and accurately.

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Public Speaking Tips & Speech Topics

“How To” Speech Topics, Ideas & Examples

Amanda Green was born in a small town in the west of Scotland, where everyone knows everyone. I joined the Toastmasters 15 years ago, and I served in nearly every office in the club since then. I love helping others gain confidence and skills they can apply in every day life.

Want to speak in front of an audience but are terrified of freezing or being boring? I know the feeling. If you’ve ever had to give a “how-to” speech, you know that it can be incredibly intimidating. It also entails coming up with how-to speech ideas and creative examples.

After all, how will they finish listening if the audience isn’t hooked by what you’re saying right away? To help ease your worries (and inspire those ideas!), here’s everything you need on “how-to” speeches: topics, samples & potential pitfalls — so read ahead!

Writing a How-to Speech

The speaker needs to consider several important factors when preparing to give a how-to speech. The how-to speech should identify the problem that needs to be resolved, explain how the problem can be fixed with a step-by-step approach, and list any potential obstacles the audience may face.

It is also important for speakers to choose how-to speech topics that are of interest or relevance to their target audience. This will ensure maximum engagement and retention throughout the speech.

How-to Speech Ideas That Are Funny

When it comes to funny “how-to” speeches, the possibilities are endless! Whether talking about how to make a perfect paper airplane or how to be the life of the party, humor can enhance your presentation and help keep your audience engaged.

Try using puns, silly props, or even anecdotes that provide insight into the process while still making people laugh. The goal is to not only impart valuable knowledge but also entertain your listener.

With some creativity, you can develop a humorous speech that achieves a comedic effect and explains its topic.

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Interesting How-to Topics

When asked to present a speech, many people immediately search for the most interesting ideas for a how-to speech. From tidying up after the biggest mess to baking a delicious cake, speeches about how to do something can be informative and entertaining.

While it may seem challenging to come up with fresh ideas, an infinite number of topics could be used. Some great suggestions include teaching viewers how to create a simple budget plan , explaining plant-based diets and their benefits, explaining how to instruct others effectively, or even how to ace an interview.

No matter what topic you go with, remember that the important thing is to be passionate and provide audiences with detailed instructions. When done correctly, choosing an interesting “how-to” topic for your speech will surely have your audience applauding in no time!

Choosing a Demonstration Speech Topic

Choosing a demonstration speech topic may seem daunting, but it can be simple and enjoyable with the right guidance. Identifying the topics appropriate for a demonstration speech is the first step in navigating this process.

Demonstration topics should be grounded in facts and provide pertinent knowledge about your expertise or interest. They should also focus on something that can be demonstrated in a tangible way, such as making a craft or performing an experiment.

Your Interests

Choosing engaging good how-to speech topics based on one’s interests can be daunting yet rewarding. Taking the time to reflect on potential topics and thinking carefully about what topics truly interest you is fundamental to assembling a captivating presentation.

As such, it is paramount to begin by reflecting upon your hobbies and leisure activity ideas that you find most intriguing, as well as any activities or tasks you feel passionate about sharing with others.

Additionally, curating ideas from other media sources, such as newspaper articles or magazines, helps provide further insight into new and novel subjects or angles that can motivate your research process.

Only through this deliberate effort to understand our interests and apply them creatively towards developing a worthwhile “how-to” speech topic can we find the contentment of presenting a presentation with which listeners will engage.

Who the Speech Is For

Choosing a “how-to” speech topic is critical in delivering an effective presentation. When selecting your topic, it’s important to keep the audience in mind.

Decide who your speech is for and make sure it is relevant to their interests. Select something specific that can benefit them or be beneficial in a general sense. Choose something the audience wants to learn about and that you are comfortable presenting. This will ensure your presentation skills are on display, as well as your knowledge about the topic.

Ensure your topic has enough depth for you to use additional research as support. This will strengthen the content of your presentation and demonstrate personal effort.

Ultimately, with careful consideration of who your speech is addressed to, you can craft a “how-to” topic that adds value both for yourself and your audience.

The Setting of the Speech

Choosing a “how-to” speech topic based on the setting of the speech is an important step in preparing for an effective presentation.

It is essential to consider the purpose of the speech, the audience’s interests and needs, and any limitations or restrictions that may be present to construct an appropriate topic and choose relevant information to include.

Anticipating questions or topics of interest related to the audience is helpful when selecting a relevant topic.

The Time You’ve Got to Prepare the Speech

Deciding on a “how-to” speech topic can be daunting. But the task becomes much more manageable, considering how much time you have to prepare for the presentation. Start by narrowing down the possibilities based on how much time you have.

If you have more time to prepare, opt for something more challenging. If you have only a short amount of time, choose a simpler topic.

Once you have determined the complexity level and estimated preparation time, consider your interests to find a topic that is both engaging to yourself and hopefully your audience.

As with any speech or presentation, researching and practicing before the actual event will greatly benefit your delivery and engagement with your audience.

Although finalizing a speech topic for a “how-to” presentation can be stressful, understanding constraints and utilizing interests will help make this process easier.

The Time You’ve Got to Give the Speech

When selecting a “how-to” speech topic, the amount of time you have to give the presentation should be considered. It is wise to carefully analyze the time frame constraints of the assignment and assess which topics can be thoroughly explored in the allocated duration.

Attempting to cover too much material within a limited timeframe may lead to rushed communication and limit your opportunity to expand on the subject matter. Instead, select a focus that allows space for further discussion but remains concise enough to explore properly within your allotted time.

It is also advantageous to choose a topic that naturally interests you. This will heighten enthusiasm and engagement throughout your presentation, thus helping create an impactful delivery. Doing so will ensure you stay on track and avoid exceeding the assigned timeframe.

The Guidelines for Assessment

When choosing a “how-to” speech topic, it is important to ensure that the topic meets all of the guidelines for assessment. It is a good idea to consider current and relevant topics, informative, interesting, and new, demonstrating the speaker’s understanding of their subject matter.

Choosing a topic with an appropriate difficulty level can help ensure that your speech will be comprehensive and engaging for your audience.

Demonstrative Speech Topics

Selecting topics for speeches comes down to choosing something you both know and can present effectively. As you brainstorm possible show-and-tell ideas, narrow the topics until you arrive at one that is interesting to you and your audience and fulfills all criteria needed for an effective demonstration presentation.

Once you’ve chosen a successful topic, preparing the speech will become much simpler, allowing you to demonstrate confidently and successfully.

Here are some easy demonstrative speech ideas for how-to.

Animals/Pets

Giving a speech to educate an audience about how to care for animals/pets can be an enriching experience.

It is important to research and thoroughly understand the topic to provide the audience with accurate and applicable information. This will entail researching different animal species and their specific characteristics, needs, and behaviors.

Moreover, ample time must be allocated for preparation so all aspects of proper pet-keeping can be explained clearly and confidently.

Topics ideas could range from a persuasive speech on how to pick the best breed to an informative speech on pet health.

Gardens/Yards

Talking about creating and maintaining a garden or a yard requires proper preparation to ensure that the information relayed is accurate and beneficial. Researching various gardening elements beforehand will provide a strong base for discerning audiences to build on.

Be sure to present topics such as plant selection, design ideas, pest prevention, watering methods, and other environmental factors in an organized fashion that is easy for your listeners to follow.

Offering clear instructions throughout the speech with examples showing the steps in action can help ensure that your audience walks away feeling confident about their newly acquired knowledge.

Topics could cover how to identify poisonous plants, how to get rid of garden pests, how to make an indoor herb garden, and even how to make garden art.

To give an effective “how-to” speech about crafts, the speaker should start by introducing themselves and properly framing the topic. They should provide a brief overview of what the audience will learn in their presentation and then begin with the most basic information, slowly building up to more complex concepts.

Crafting often has visual aid speech topics. At every stage of presenting, visuals should be provided for illustration. Visuals could range from diagrams or step-by-step photographs showing how a craft is made to video or actual physical models.

Once all of this information has been presented, the speaker should summarize the key points covered and allow time for questions from the audience before concluding their presentation.

Games/Sports

Giving a “how-to” speech about games/sports is an excellent way to share knowledge and teach important concepts. It requires the speaker to do comprehensive research and prepare in advance.

To give an effective “how-to” speech, start by introducing the game/sport accurately and make sure to tailor the presentation for your specific audience. Additionally, focus on one topic at a time, explain each step with vivid examples, and use visuals like charts or diagrams if possible.

Once you have covered all steps necessary for playing the game/sport, end the speech concisely and provide resources that can be used after the presentation.

Topics here could range from how to perfect your golf swing to even how to teach basketball.

Food And More

Delivering a successful “how-to” speech about food and drinks requires careful preparation. First, it is important to do research on the topic so that you have an understanding of the background information.

Once this has been accomplished, the next step should be to focus on a specific field within the topic and craft your presentation around this selected focus. Be sure to collect illustrations, charts, or photographs relevant to your chosen material, as these visual elements can make all the difference in bringing your words to life.

How to Structure a How-to Speech

Structuring a “how-to” speech can seem intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. Firstly, you should brainstorm the steps needed to accomplish your desired outcome with as much detail as possible. Secondly, organize the steps in chronological order.

This will give the rhythm of your speech a natural flow. Then, begin by introducing yourself and the topic by providing background information on why it is important.

Following completion of the step-by-step instructions, summarize what was just explained and explain why it matters in general terms. Finally, address any foreseeable issues and offer solutions to avoid them.

How-to Speech Template

A “how-to” speech template is an effective method to prepare a speech. This is especially useful when speaking on topics that may be largely unfamiliar to the audience, as it provides a straightforward structure for organizing the material.

The basic format of this type of speech involves:

Introducing the topic.
Describing the purpose and benefits of knowing more about it.
Decomposing the subject matter into easily digestible sections.
Concluding with a summary and reflection on what has been covered.

Additionally, including visual aids and personal anecdotes can further add interest and clarity to speeches, helping ensure everyone remains engaged throughout the presentation. Use this blank demonstration speech outline to craft your own any time!

To Sum It Up

Giving a great how-to speech is mostly about choosing the right topic. As how-to speeches often require visuals such as PowerPoint slides and handouts, these should be reviewed pre-speech to guarantee smooth delivery during the presentation itself. Speaking confidently and clearly while allowing time for questions and feedback is also essential in delivering an effective how-to speech.

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Campus protests over the Gaza war

As pro-palestinian protests spread, more university leaders weigh police involvement.

Meg Anderson

A Georgia State Patrol officer detains a protester on the campus of Emory University during a pro-Palestinian demonstration Thursday in Atlanta. Mike Stewart/AP hide caption

A Georgia State Patrol officer detains a protester on the campus of Emory University during a pro-Palestinian demonstration Thursday in Atlanta.

For the second time in a week, police arrested dozens of demonstrators at the University of Texas at Austin protesting Israel's war against Hamas. Protesters chanted for the police to leave, repeating: "We are being peaceful, you are being violent."

The scene at UT-Austin grew tense as campus police and state troopers deployed a chemical irritant to control the crowd. While some students dispersed, others were seen blocking police vans and resisting arrest. University officials said in a statement that the university took swift action to preserve a safe learning environment.

UT-Austin isn't the only school where clashes with law enforcement have escalated. At Emory University in Atlanta last week, police used pepper balls and tasers to control what they described as unruly protesters throwing bottles. Nationwide, there have been hundreds of arrests , including at Columbia University, the University of Southern California and at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Police, protesters clash at VCU student protests on campus tonight @RTDNEWS pic.twitter.com/o6MZUdScNp — Zach Joachim (@ZachJoachim) April 30, 2024

Yet other universities have taken a more hands off approach. A spokesperson for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology told NPR demonstrations there have been peaceful, though police are monitoring and MIT's president has urged an end to its encampment.

Sometimes the response has shifted even at the same institution. Columbia University initially sent police to quell the protests. University President Minouche Shafik announced on Friday the school has no plans to call police to campus to respond to the demonstrations. On Monday, the university began suspending students who refused to leave a pro-Palestinian encampment by a 2 p.m. deadline. Minouche said officials need to enforce the school's rules and norms.

These vastly different approaches on when to involve police – and when not to – underscore the delicate balance between a desire to protect free speech and keep a college safe and functioning.

Universities can choose how to react

Alex Morey, the director of campus rights advocacy at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, says responses vary in part because individual colleges decide how to regulate speech on campus. They outline where students can post flyers, or what time of day protests need to end. Those rules are allowed, as long as they apply to any student group, regardless of the cause, Morey says.

She says many campuses don't allow tent encampments, for instance.

"If I were a college administrator and there was an encampment on my campus and it was not causing disruption, you may as well let it lie if you're going to cause more disruption by removing it. But they do have the right to remove it if they choose to do so," she says.

At the University of California, Berkeley, for instance, Assistant Vice Chancellor Dan Mogulof says their policy is to avoid police involvement unless it's absolutely necessary.

"Every action has a reaction, and sometimes the reaction is antithetical to what your goals are. Law enforcement is an important resource, but it can also have unintended consequences," he says.

Mogulof says Berkeley's protests have been peaceful so far. He says the school is committed to both free speech and to keeping the university safe and functioning.

"There can be a tension between those objectives," he says. "And the trick is to manage those inherent tensions, the right to freely express your perspective, but also the right to pursue your academic interests."

Other universities are trying to strike a similar balance.

At Northwestern University, officials negotiated an agreement with protesters, making a plan on where students can continue to protest while not breaking the university's rules.

"This agreement represents a sustainable and de-escalated path forward, and enhances the safety of all members of the Northwestern community while providing space for free expression that complies with University rules and policies," university officials wrote in a statement .

A balancing act

But at some universities, that balancing act has become more fraught.

Washington University in St. Louis told NPR in a statement that the university protects free speech, but that right doesn't include activities that disrupt the functions of the university. On Saturday, university officials made the call to arrest 100 people it said "did not have good intentions" and were mostly unaffiliated with the school, according to a statement .

On Sunday, demonstrators at the University of California, Los Angeles breached a barrier set up to separate pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli protesters, resulting in "physical altercations," according to a university spokesperson. Campus police eventually separated the two groups.

At Northeastern University, campus police arrested around 100 people Saturday after an encampment was "infiltrated by professional organizers with no affiliation" to the school and who were using "virulent antisemitic slurs," including "Kill the Jews," officials told NPR in a statement.

"All of these factors, taken together, left university leaders with no choice but to act," Chancellor Ken Henderson and Provost David Madigan wrote . "Over the weekend, like many colleges and universities nationwide, Northeastern faced an untenable dilemma."

Jewish students at several universities have reported feeling unsafe. A group of Jewish students at the University of Minnesota say they have seen "violent and hateful messages" on campus and no longer feel safe. Jewish student groups at other schools on Friday demanded that campus officials take stronger measures to ensure their safety.

Pro-Palestinian protesters at other universities have also expressed safety concerns, saying they've been doxxed and harassed. And they also say universities are stifling free speech.

David Cole, national legal director at the American Civil Liberties Union, says colleges have to intervene if there is violence or targeted threats of violence, but short of that, it is "ultimately an exercise in discretion."

He says schools may also face pressure from politicians and donors to respond harshly. At Columbia, hundreds of alumni signed a statement this week demanding the school strongly discipline students who engage in threats and hate speech and remove all illegal encampments.

But sometimes pressure can backfire, Cole says.

"History demonstrates that if you try to suppress protests, you will only strengthen the side that you are seeking to vanquish," he says.

In the meantime, schools will continue grappling with safety concerns as the school year ends and graduation season gets underway.

Toward the end of its semester, Columbia University switched to hybrid classes. The University of Michigan is enlisting volunteers to be part of "protest and disruptions response" teams to work during May commencement ceremonies, and the University of Southern California recently announced it is canceling its main commencement ceremony altogether.

Israelis and Palestinians
college protests

House passes antisemitism bill with broad bipartisan support amid campus arrests

Image: Speaker of the House Mike Johnson

The House passed a bipartisan bill Wednesday to combat antisemitism as pro-Palestinian protests roil colleges across the U.S.

The measure passed 320-91. Twenty-one Republicans and 70 Democrats voted against it.

The bill, titled the Antisemitism Awareness Act , would mandate that the Education Department adopt the broad definition of antisemitism used by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, an intergovernmental group, to enforce anti-discrimination laws.

The international group defines antisemitism as a "certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews." The group adds that "rhetorical and physical manifestations" of antisemitism include such things as calling for the killing or harming of Jews or holding Jews collectively responsible for actions taken by Israel.

The bill's prospects in the Senate are unclear.

Asked whether the Senate would take up the legislation, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., told reporters earlier Wednesday that "we haven't seen what the House is sending us yet."

Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., introduced the bipartisan legislation, which received backing from Democratic moderates who are supporters of Israel amid the country’s war with Hamas.

“In every generation, the Jewish people have been scapegoated, harassed, evicted from their homeland and murdered,” Lawler said in a floor speech before the vote.

"The Jewish people need our support now," he said. "They need action now."

Republicans are seeking to launch investigations into antisemitism on college campuses in response to the pro-Palestinian protests. The current version of the legislation was introduced in late October after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel but not brought to the floor until this week.

“When I spoke at Columbia last week, I told administrators that we need deeds, not words, to protect Jewish students,” Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., a co-author of the legislation, said in a statement Wednesday. “This bill is a critical step to take the action we so desperately need to stand against hate.”

In a letter Monday to House Speaker Mike Johnson , R-La., Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., wrote that “there is nothing scheduled on the floor this week that would accomplish the concrete, thoughtful strategies outlined by the Biden administration” to combat antisemitism.

Jeffries had demanded a vote on the bipartisan Countering Antisemitism Act , which aims to address concerns about rising antisemitism through the appointment of a new adviser to the president who would be dedicated to implementing its coordinated strategy to counter antisemitism.

“The effort to crush antisemitism and hatred in any form is not a Democratic or Republican issue,” Jeffries wrote. “It’s an American issue that must be addressed in a bipartisan manner with the fierce urgency of now.”

Lawler's bill faced opposition from some progressive and far-right lawmakers, as well as the American Civil Liberties Union, which called the bill's definition of antisemitism "overbroad."

"Speech that is critical of Israel or any other government cannot, alone, constitute harassment," ACLU leaders wrote in a letter last week urging lawmakers to oppose the measure.

The letter pointed in part to an example of antisemitism included in the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's definition, which says antisemitism could include "denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination, e.g., by claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavor."

Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, voted against the bill after having told reporters Tuesday that Republicans were weaponizing antisemitism.

“We all have to continue to speak out against antisemitism and be clear that we don’t like — we will not tolerate antisemitism any more than we tolerate Islamophobia or any of the other hatreds and discriminations that are out there,” she said.

Jayapal also argued that the bill “has a definition that is so broad” that many Jewish groups do not support it.

“So why would you do that? Except if you want to weaponize antisemitism and you want to use it as a political ploy,” she said. “Let’s remember that many of these Republicans didn’t say a word when Donald Trump and others in Charlottesville, other places, were saying truly antisemitic things.”

Trump, as president, sparked a backlash when he suggested that "many sides" were to blame for the deadly violence at a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017, declining to single out white nationalists.

Separately, Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., said that the definition was so broad that it would threaten constitutionally protected free speech. He, too, voted against the bill.

Rep. Sara Jacobs, D-Calif., said in a statement after she voted against it that while she has "experienced antisemitism all my life," the bill "would stifle First Amendment rights to free speech and free assembly."

Jacobs also said she does not believe that anti-Zionism is "inherently antisemitism," saying that "conflating free speech and hate crimes will not make Jewish students any safer."

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., voted against the bill because of a disagreement with an example of antisemitism listed in the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's definition, which referred to using "symbols and images" such as "claims of Jews killing Jesus or blood libel" to describe Israel or Israelis.

Greene argued on X that the bill "could convict Christians of antisemitism for believing the gospel that says Jesus was handed over" for crucifixion with involvement of some Jewish authorities, including Herod.

Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., voted against the bill for similar reasons, pointing to the same example of antisemitism, which many Jews consider harmful.

"The Bible is clear," he wrote on X . "There is no myth or controversy around this."

Activists working to counter antisemitism have pointed out that Jews have been scapegoated throughout history for events including the crucifixion of Jesus and that such claims have been used to justify violence against Jews.

Summer Concepcion is a politics reporter for NBC News.

Megan Lebowitz is a politics reporter for NBC News.

Rebecca is a producer and off-air reporter covering Congress for NBC News, managing coverage of the House.

LIVE UPDATES | CONCLUDED

Fed Says Progress on Inflation Has Stalled, Keeps Rates Steady

Follow live coverage of the fomc meeting and the jerome powell's speech today..

Last Updated:

The Decision

The Federal Reserve acknowledged stalling progress in bringing down inflation to its 2% goal and opted to hold its benchmark interest rate at current levels.

Furthermore, Fed officials are “prepared to maintain the current target range for the federal funds rate for as long as appropriate,” Chairman Jerome Powell told reporters at the post-meeting press conference.

The central bank also said that it would slow the pace of reducing its balance sheet starting in June. That decision ensures money markets don’t experience an episode of volatility and stress as seen in September 2019, Powell noted.

Powell Doubles Down on Central Bank’s Political Neutrality

Powell says rate cuts forecast is cloudy, strong employment, wages aren’t a deterrent to rate cuts, stagflation isn’t in the fed’s forecast, interest-rate increase is still unlikely, powell says fed will hold rates higher 'as long as appropriate', fed acknowledges stalling progress in inflation fight, central bank to slow balance-sheet reduction in june, fed holds rates steady, latest updates, markets continue to price in rate cuts in fall.

Megan Leonhardt

Expectations around when the Federal Reserve will lower interest rates this year shifted only slightly following Chair Jerome Powell’s press conference on Wednesday, indicating that investors’ views had been in line with the bank’s thinking.

The odds of September and November rate cuts improved slightly following the conclusion of the Fed’s policy meeting, prices of interest-rate futures indicate. There is currently a 42.4% probability of the first rate cut coming during the September meeting, according to the CME FedWatch Tool.

The CME FedWatch Tool also showed that there are now thin odds of a rate increase at some point during the year.

There was a “collective sigh of relief in the financial markets” after the Fed refrained from increasing its hawkishness dramatically at the May meeting, wrote Jack McIntyre, portfolio manager at Brandywine Global.

“In interpreting the statement in the context of recent macro releases, it is clear that the future path of Fed policy has become more uncertain,” wrote Daniel Murray, deputy chief investment officer and global head of research at EFG Asset Management.

“Futures are now pricing only slightly more than one rate cut this year. While it is not the central view, there is clearly also an increased probability that the Fed has to hike again,” Murray said. That scenario would likely play out if the labor market continues to show strength and inflation remains stubbornly above the bank’s 2% target.

U.S. Economy, Monetary Policy Is Diverging from Other Developed Markets, Powell Says

Nicholas Jasinski

A new phase could be on the way in terms of global monetary policy.

While economies and central banks in developed markets have been on generally the same path for most of the past four years—policymakers sought to boost growth during the pandemic and then took a more restrictive stance to fight inflation afterward—that is likely to change this year. Economic and inflation data for early 2024, plus statements by the European Central Bank, the Bank of Japan, and others, now suggest more divergent central bank policies.

“The difference between the United States and other countries that are now considering rate cuts is that they're just not having the kind of growth we're having,” Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell said on Wednesday, while inflation rates abroad may be similar to those in the U.S. or lower.

Strong growth and low unemployment in the U.S. means the Fed has the “luxury,” Powell said, of holding interest rates steady for longer to continue to put downward pressure on inflation. Other central banks may be able to declare victory over inflation sooner than the Fed, but may also have to respond to weakening economic growth sooner.

“We will be careful and cautious as we approach the decision to cut rates, whereas I think other jurisdictions may go before that,” Powell said.

Higher interest rates for longer in the U.S., relative to abroad, are a recipe for a strong dollar. The U.S. Dollar Index, which measures the dollar against a basket of other currencies, is up 4.5% so far this year.

As for emerging markets, Powell said that he sees less turmoil than in previous periods of higher Fed interest rates. “I think partly that’s because emerging market countries, many of them have much better monetary policy frameworks, much more credibility on inflation, and they're navigating this pretty well this time,” Powell said.

Unemployment Ticking Above 4% Likely Won’t Trigger Cuts

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said Wednesday policymakers are ready to spring into action if the U.S. economy, particularly the labor market, experiences a sudden downturn.

But the key words are “unexpected weakening,” and the Fed would likely need to see more than simply the unemployment rate climbing above 4% from its current level of 3.8%.

“It would have to be meaningful and get our attention—and lead us to think that the labor market was really significantly weakening for us to want to react to it,” Powell said.

He added that unemployment increasing by a “a couple of tenths” of a percentage point would probably not do that.

“It would be a broader thing that would suggest that it would be appropriate to consider cutting” interest rates, Powell said. He added that the decision by Fed officials to lower rates depends on all the facts and circumstances, not just that one.

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Local elections results – live: Labour win in West Midlands and London as Sunak facing fresh rebellion

Labour’s sadiq khan secures third term as mayor of london, beating conservative susan hall, article bookmarked.

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Rishi Sunak is facing fresh Conservative unrest after Labour claimed victory in the West Midlands mayoral election, beating Andy Street in a tight race.

The newly elected mayor, Richard Parker, secured a majority against his Conservative opponent who has served two terms and held office since 2017.

The result is the latest in a string of Labour mayoral and council wins nationwide as the Conservatives suffered historic blows. “I don’t think he’s out of the woods,” a former minister told the Financial Times , referring to Mr Sunak’s position.

Meanwhile, Labour ’s Sadiq Khan secured a third term as Mayor of London beating Conservative Susan Hall.

Mr Sunak also suffered terrible losses in council elections as the Conservatives lost more than 400 councillors and control of ten councils.

State of play

Labour wins Blackpool South by-election as Tories narrowly hold off Nigel Farage’s Reform UK
Local election results: Ask John Rentoul anything as public opinion is tested ahead of general election
Boris Johnson turned away from polling station after forgetting photo ID
Local elections 2024: The best dogs spotted at polling stations

Police are being ‘weaponised’ by politicians in local elections, former top prosecutor warns

A former top prosecutor has hit out after the Conservatives twice reported Labour candidates to police just days before the local elections.

The double whammy came as Rishi Sunak ’s party faced predictions it would lose up to 500 councillors across England and struggle in two crunch mayoral votes.

Nazir Afzal , a former chief crown prosecutor, warned police forces were “being weaponised as part of the campaign by those who don’t care about the problems facing policing – particularly resourcing”.

Read the full article from Kate Devlin here:

Police are being ‘weaponised’ in local elections, former top prosecutor warns

Exclusive: Nazir Afzal called for complaints during elections to be taken away from local forces and for prosecutions of ‘those with frivolous accusations for wasting police time’

Manchester mayor wins more votes than rivals combined

Andy Burnham has vowed to “make big things happen” after he won a third successive term as the mayor of Greater Manchester with more votes than all his opponents combined .

The Labour candidate won by a landslide with 63.4 per cent of the vote, miles ahead of runner-up Conservative candidate Laura Evans with 10.39 per cent.

Reform gained 7.46 per cent of the vote, ahead of the Greens with 6.92 per cent and Lib Dems with 4.25 per cent.

“I’m overwhelmed and humbled that so many people have again given me their support,” Mr Burnham said after securing victory.

“I’m always conscious that people who perhaps will usually vote for other parties at a general election have lent me their support.”

No, the local elections don’t point to a hung parliament – but Sunak could still make it happen

Professor Michael Thrasher, the Sky News boffin, caused consternation on Friday by publishing a projection from the local elections that suggested the results would produce a hung parliament if repeated in the general election.

This is where the phrase “just a bit of fun”, a watchword of Peter Snow, the BBC’s former king of the swingometer, comes into play.

Thrasher is right to say that if Labour’s share of the vote was seven percentage points ahead of the Conservatives in a general election, the party would probably fall short of a majority in the House of Commons.

Read the full article from John Rentoul here:

No, the local elections don’t point to a hung parliament – but it could still happen

Could the prime minister copy Gordon Brown, who came back from the depths of unpopularity to deny the opposition a majority in 2010?

Labour’s youngest councillor, 18, wins seat week before A-Level exams

One of the youngest councillors elected in the UK has won her seat just a week before she’s due to take her A-level exams.

Daisy Blakemore-Creedon, 18, was elected to Peterborough City Council after beating the sitting Tory councillor Andy Coles in the Fletton & Woodston ward.

The Labour candidate said she was “overwhelmed” by the local support when she gained 940 votes to beat her opponent by 282 ballots.

Just one day after her victory, she told The Independent that she had thrown herself into her new role and had already begun to carry out her new duties - despite having to sit exams next week.

“I wasn’t expecting to win as it was quite a short campaign so I was feeling very overwhelmed when it happened,” she said.

Athena Stavrou reports.

The teenager ousted the sitting Tory councillor as she was elected to Peterborough City Council

Rishi Sunak says he has ‘redoubled my resolve’ ahead of general election

Despite grumbling from some rebel voices, Rishi Sunak appeared resolute that his leadership was still right for the party and the country.

In a statement, he said: “It’s been disappointing of course to lose dedicated Conservative councillors and Andy Street in the West Midlands, with his track record of providing great public services and attracting significant investment to the area, but that has redoubled my resolve to continue to make progress on our plan.

“So we will continue working as hard as ever to take the fight to Labour and deliver a brighter future for our country.”

Voices: Catastrophic Tory election results show the writing is on the wall for Sunak

As the prime minister himself dramatically put it the other day, they will need the biggest comeback in history to turn things around in the course of the next few months, writes Sean O’Grady:

Catastrophic election results show writing is on the wall for Sunak | Sean O’Grady

As the prime minister himself dramatically put it the other day, they will need the biggest comeback in history to turn things around in the course of the next few months, writes Sean O’Grady

ICYMI: Moment Britain First London mayoral candidate interrupts Sadiq Khan’s victory speech

This was the moment that Britain First’s mayoral candidate Nick Scanlon interrupted newly re-elected mayor of London Sadiq Khan’s victory speech after winning a historic third term.

‘Khan killed London’ the candidate shouted while walking around the stage behind the mayor, who won 43.8% of all votes cast, before being warned that security would remove people who disrupted the speeches.

Mr. Khan secured just over 1,088,000 votes to be re-elected London Mayor, followed by his conservative rival Susan Hall, who secured just under 813,000 votes.

Concerns of rebellion against Sunak

Rishi Sunak is facing renewed Tory unrest after his party suffered defeat in mayoral and council elections.

The West Midlands contest, which the Tories were on course to win, was seen as a potential lifeline in an otherwise disastrous set of results for the Conservatives. The newly elected mayor, Richard Parker, secured a majority against Andy Street by a thin margin.

The results were a big setback for Mr Sunak ahead of this year’s general elections.

“I don’t think he’s out of the woods,” one former cabinet minister told the Financial Times , referring to Mr Sunak.

“People saying the rebellion is over are being rather premature. I think the loss of Street as well as Hall will cause a lot of people to consider whether it’s sensible to remain on the current course.”

Labour leader calls West Midlands victory ‘phenomenal’

Labour leader Keir Starmer hailed the result in the West Midlands as “phenomenal” and “beyond our expectations” as the party notched up a string of wins by high-profile incumbents as well as scoring a clean sweep of unexpected victories.

“People across the country have had enough of Conservative chaos and decline and voted for change with Labour. Our fantastic new mayor Richard Parker stands ready to deliver a fresh start for the West Midlands,” Sir Keir said.

It came after his party dominated mayoral elections across England - winning in Liverpool, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, and in Greater Manchester.

London Mayoral Election 2024: Results in full

Labour’s Sadiq Khan has been re-elected for a historic third term as Mayor of London.

The result follows what has been a long and fractious campaign filled with blunders and accusations of islamophobia and racism.

Labour’s Sadiq Khan secured just over 1,088,000 (43.8%) votes to be re-elected London Mayor , a majority of some 275,000 over Conservative rival Susan Hall, who secured just under 813,000 (32.7%) votes.

Here are the results for each constituency in full:

Sadiq Khan secured just over 1,088,000 votes to be re-elected London Mayor, a majority of some 275,000 over Conservative rival Susan Hall

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Five Big Tips For The Summary Speech
This article hopes to help first-speakers improve their summary speeches by providing advanced tips. For the basics on how to structure your summary, see How to Structure a Summary.A strong summary speech boils down to preparation, strategy, and delivery. We will break down each of these and then provide a numbered list of Five Tips that will give you a leg up over the competition. (Read to ...
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How to Summarize a Speech: 3-Step Process. If your teacher or instructor asks you to write a summary for your speech, you must take several steps in preparing your speech before you actually write the speech summary. First, you select your topic and write the speech outline. Next, you write your speech, following the guidelines in your speech ...
How to Write a Summary
Table of contents. When to write a summary. Step 1: Read the text. Step 2: Break the text down into sections. Step 3: Identify the key points in each section. Step 4: Write the summary. Step 5: Check the summary against the article. Other interesting articles. Frequently asked questions about summarizing.
How To Write a Summary: 5 Easy Steps
1. Read and take notes. First things first: Read or watch the original work you'll be summarizing. While you do, take brief pauses and explain to yourself what you just read or watched. As the main ideas start becoming clear to you, take notes. This will make the writing process easier. 2.
Public Forum (PF) Debate Summary Speech
First, the debater must "extend" their argument. Extending an argument means restating (briefly) what the argument is & why it is true. If you try to discuss an argument without extending it first, you won't have access to it on the flow. Secondly, debaters must rebuild (aka frontline) the argument (s) that they're extending.
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Successfully summarizing a speech is an essential skill, especially for students, journalists or government employees. A summary can help clarify the essential elements of a speech in the quickest way possible and also help extrapolate its main points and essential arguments. A well-crafted summary can act as the ...
How to Write a Summary
Step 2: Take Notes. As you read the work, simultaneously take notes. If you own the book, it might be helpful to add your notes to the margins or highlight passages that are particularly relevant or capture a key idea. If you don't own the book, try taking notes on your computer or in a notebook.
How to Write a Summary: 4 Tips for Writing a Good Summary
1. Find the main idea. A useful summary distills the source material down to its most important point to inform the reader. Pick the major point you want to communicate to the reader, and use your limited sentences wisely to convey it. Take down a few notes to help outline your thoughts in an organized manner. 2.
PDF Public Forum
A Guide to the Summary Speech by Les Phillips T he summary speech in Public Forum presents debaters with a challenge: how to distill the clash of the preceding 22 minutes into a clear, compelling, thorough, two-minute appeal to your judge. Here are some guiding principles: 1. Pure "line-by-line" argument is inadvisable. If you try to go ...
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Step 3- Write Your First Draft. Now that you've all the points to include in your summary, you are ready to start writing. Follow these tips for a neat first draft: Begin by Introducing the Source. The summary should start by mentioning the author, the name and type of text, and the main point.
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2. Write down what you think the main point of the piece is. This will help you start to put the piece's arguments in your own words. You can also ask yourself what point or points or themes come up throughout the entire piece. The title can also give you a tip as to the main point of the piece. [1]
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5. Write the summary. You can start your summary with the author's name and the title of the text. For example, you can use some variation of, "According to Martin Somers in 'The Child and the Wolf,'" to introduce your text. Then, include the thesis of the author in your first sentence.
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Structuring a "how-to" speech can seem intimidating, but it doesn't have to be. Firstly, you should brainstorm the steps needed to accomplish your desired outcome with as much detail as possible. Secondly, organize the steps in chronological order. This will give the rhythm of your speech a natural flow.
Free AI Text Summarizer
Flexible: Adjust summary length to get more (or less) detailed summaries; How to use this summarizer 1. Insert, paste or download your text. 2. Pick the way you want to summarize. 3. Adjust your summary length. 4. Get your summary in seconds! 2 ways of summarizing your text ...
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101: Introduction to PF

The Summary Speech

102: Beyond the Basics

How to Write a Summary of a Speech

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Step 2: Take Notes

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Step 4: Note Other Important Elements

Step 5: Prepare to Write Your Summary

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Step 7: Present the Thesis, Main Idea, or Central Argument

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Step 10: Edit

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Step 3- Write Your First Draft

Step 4- Edit and Revise

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KEY ELEMENTS OF A GOOD SUMMARY SPEECH

1. Briefly Sum up the Debate